The final investigative conclusions in Columbia County’s most consequential story of 2025 do more than explain how James Blake Montgomery died.
They also reveal how close law enforcement came to a very different plan in the days before the deadly interstate shooting.
Newly disclosed investigative records – released this week to The Augusta Press – show that well before the April 26 traffic stop on Interstate 20, deputies, federal agents and Montgomery’s estranged wife were warning that he posed an extraordinary danger to officers and the public.
That intelligence culminated in an internal debate at the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office: wait for a federal search warrant and an ATF-led SWAT operation, or attempt to serve a temporary protective order during a traffic stop.
The choice to move forward set the stage for a confrontation that ended with Deputy Brandon Sikes dead, Deputy Gavin White critically wounded and Montgomery fatally shot by deputies.
Warnings from an estranged wife: The earliest warning came April 16, when Investigator P.W. Clark contacted Montgomery’s estranged wife, Elicia Montgomery, after reviewing an informational complaint.
“She told me, her estranged husband, James Blake Montgomery, never makes direct threats, but cryptically lets her know he will kill her,” Clark wrote. “She has messages saved in her phone from Blake with threats.”
Elicia Montgomery told investigators she feared not only for her own life, but for anyone who attempted to confront her husband. She said Blake Montgomery had told her he would kill law enforcement officers if they approached him.
By April 18, the seriousness of those claims prompted the involvement of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
“Due to the nature of the initial allegations of Blake Montgomery making pipe bombs, ATF S/A Charles Mulherin was contacted and briefed on this case,” Clark wrote.
ATF and deputies meet, evidence mounts: During an in-person interview with ATF Special Agent Mulherin, Elicia Montgomery described a man she said was unstable, armed, and increasingly paranoid.
“Elicia stated Blake once told her that he was dangerous and she was afraid he would kill her,” the report states. “Elicia stated Blake has mental issues and she feels like he could become violent towards her or others.”
She told investigators Montgomery possessed firearms, including an AR-15 he had converted to fire fully automatic using a homemade metal “drop-in link.” She said he carried the rifle in a black backpack and took it “everywhere he went.”
Elicia Montgomery also described her husband’s interest in explosives and silencers, including homemade suppressors disguised with orange tips so they would appear to be toys. She said Montgomery used “solvent traps” purchased online and drilled them to function as silencers, and that he had experimented with explosive materials inside their home.
A subsequent search of her residence on April 21 appeared to corroborate her account. ATF agents documented ammunition, firearm components, hidden compartments, a fictitious Georgia driver’s license bearing Montgomery’s photograph, and pipe bomb components.
“S/A Mulherin observed multiple galvanized pipes, reducing couplings, end caps, and plugs,” Clark wrote. A flame test on residue inside one pipe showed the substance was “energetic in nature.”
Electric igniters capable of remote detonation were also found and turned over to ATF.
Family messages raise alarm: Investigators also reviewed screenshots from Elicia Montgomery’s phone, including conversations with Montgomery’s family members.
One message stood out.
“I will not be responsible for that policeman’s death,” wrote Montgomery’s sister, Jessi Montgomery Law, during a discussion about a deputy attempting to serve divorce papers.
Clark wrote that reading the full message thread “corroborates Blake has told family that he will harm law enforcement officers, or possibly kill them, if they approach him.”
Based on that information, investigators added alerts warning that Montgomery had violent tendencies, was hostile toward law enforcement, and may possess dangerous weapons and explosives.
A plan for a federal takedown: By April 25, ATF and Columbia County officials met to discuss how to proceed once a temporary protective order was issued.
“S/A Mulherin also advised he would be bringing in a SWAT Team from the ATF to execute the search warrant of the camper,” Clark wrote, adding that the plan was to ensure Montgomery was not present during the search.
Investigators advised sheriff’s office leadership that Montgomery was “extremely dangerous” and that no single deputy should attempt to serve the protective order.
An officer safety bulletin was distributed to local and surrounding agencies, warning of Montgomery’s weapons, explosives, and hostility toward law enforcement.
But circumstances shifted quickly.
Decision to stop the vehicle: On April 26, after deputies were unable to locate Montgomery at his last known address, CCSO command staff made a new decision.
“It was decided in this meeting to perform a traffic stop on Blake’s vehicle and serve the TPO with the Crime Suppression Team,” Clark wrote.
At the request of command staff, the license plate reader alert was changed from “do not stop” to “stop the vehicle and serve the TPO.”
That afternoon, deputies spotted Montgomery’s RV pulling his red Toyota Tacoma on Interstate 20.
Minutes later, gunfire erupted.
The deadly encounter: According to Acting District Attorney Natalie Paine’s later review, Montgomery appeared cooperative when deputies first approached him. He handed over his license and insurance and was told he would be free to leave after the protective order was served.
Then, without warning, he emerged from the RV armed with an illegally modified fully automatic handgun.
“Montgomery emerged from the RV with an illegally modified fully automatic 9mm handgun, fatally shooting Dep. Sikes,” Paine wrote.
Deputy White was struck in the back of the neck as he ran for cover. Montgomery continued firing at deputies and civilians, striking patrol cars and vehicles stopped along the interstate.
Deputies Andrew Brown and Jared Mason returned fire as Montgomery fled, later crashing his RV into the median.
“It was during this time that Montgomery was fatally shot,” Paine wrote.
Final conclusions: In her Oct. 27, 2025 letter closing the case – released this week – Paine rejected any suggestion that Montgomery died by suicide and concluded that deputies acted lawfully.
“All of the evidence conclusively supports a finding” that the deputies fired in self-defense, she wrote, and that their actions were taken “under the reasonable belief that such force was necessary to prevent further death and great bodily injury to others.”
The case will not be presented to a grand jury, Paine said.
Toxicology results: Montgomery’s toxicology report shows that several substances were found in his system at the time of his death. The tests confirmed the presence of amphetamines, a stimulant, as well as diphenhydramine, which is commonly found in over-the-counter medications like Benadryl.
In addition, mitragynine, a key compound in Kratom, was detected. Kratom is often used for its stimulating effects at lower doses and for pain relief or relaxation at higher doses. While it’s legal in some places, it has gained attention in recent years due to its misuse. Some people use Kratom recreationally to experience a sense of euphoria or to help with opioid withdrawal, but it can be dangerous and addictive when abused.
Search of RV turns up steroids and weapons: In the released materials, Investigator Randall Bao’s report outlines the key findings from the search of the RV and Toyota Tacoma involved in the fatal I-20 ambush. After the vehicles were towed to the CCSO impound lot, Bao, alongside ATF agents, conducted a thorough search.
Inside the RV, they discovered illegal items including a loaded Glock 26 9mm pistol, remote detonators, explosive materials, and a gas mask. Additionally, several hazardous items were recovered, such as 40mm CS gas rounds and sodium metal. A significant quantity of illegal steroids and medications was also found in the RV, as well as in 40 USPS packages, which were later prepared for destruction.
Other dangerous materials recovered included Tannerite, a compound used for explosive reactions, and ammunition, including numerous rounds of 9mm, .22LR, and shotgun shells. Bao and the ATF team also found various components for firearms and additional ammunition stored in plastic containers.
The RV’s contents were deemed highly hazardous, and all the dangerous items, including firearms and explosives, were cataloged and turned over to the appropriate authorities for further handling and destruction.
In addition to these items, Bao’s team discovered multiple magazines, including a 50-round P-Mag drum magazine, and various firearm components. The hazardous materials, including sodium hydroxide and benzyl benzoate, were also collected for further analysis, given their potential use in illegal activities.
Ongoing case for steroid sales. Meanwhile, charges remain pending for an Appling couple arrested in connection with the steroid trafficking operation tied to Montgomery. Keil Whitaker Harrison, 33, and Alyssa O’Neill, 29, were taken into custody in June after Columbia County deputies raided their home on Cobbham Road, just down the street from Montgomery’s former residence.
According to arrest warrants, Harrison and O’Neill were directly linked to Montgomery’s illegal steroid ring. “Keil Whitaker Harrison conspired with James Blake Montgomery to manufacture Testosterone, a Schedule III Drug,” one warrant states.
Investigators recovered a significant cache of drugs and firearms during the search. Among the seized items were 24 vials of testosterone, dozens of tablets of anabolic steroids including Methandienone and Oxandrolone, and five firearms: two 9mm pistols, two rifles, and a 12-gauge shotgun.
