US News

Washington resident accused of aiding Tumbler Ridge school shooter is ordered detained

A criminal complaint alleges Melody Bryant declined to report the plans of Jesse Van Rootselaar and provided money; she has not entered a plea.

Updated Oct 14, 2026 · 00:21 UTC2 reports

The short version

A Bellingham, Washington, resident was ordered detained pending trial after being charged with conspiring to murder people in a foreign country.[Associated Press · ABC News]
Prosecutors allege she declined to report the plans of Jesse Van Rootselaar, provided money and advice, and agreed to distribute a livestream of the February attack in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, which killed eight people.[Associated Press · ABC News]
Her public defender argued for release and says he has not received the evidence needed to assess the case; she has not entered a plea.[Associated Press · ABC News]

Melody Bryant, also known as James Cody Bryant, of Bellingham, Washington, was charged with conspiring to murder people in a foreign country.[Associated Press · ABC News]
A criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Seattle alleges Bryant declined to report Jesse Van Rootselaar's plans and agreed to distribute a livestream of the attack.[Associated Press · ABC News]
The complaint also alleges Bryant provided money and advice on deleting online messages to keep the plot secret.[Associated Press · ABC News]
Investigators say Van Rootselaar killed eight people and wounded 27 in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, in February.[Associated Press · ABC News]
Van Rootselaar was later found dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.[Associated Press · ABC News]
At a detention hearing on Tuesday, Magistrate Judge Mary Alice Theiler said she did not believe any conditions, such as internet restrictions, could ensure community safety if Bryant were released pending trial.[Associated Press · ABC News]
Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd Greenberg told the judge the charge carries a presumption that Bryant would be detained.[Associated Press · ABC News]
Bryant's public defender, Greg Murphy, argued for her release and said federal agents first interviewed her days after the attack and let her remain free for seven months.[Associated Press · ABC News]

The allegations against Bryant have not been tested, and she has not entered a plea.[Associated Press · ABC News]
Timing claims about federal interviews and custody decisions come from the defense and are not independently explained in the reporting.[Associated Press · ABC News]

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.