Overview of Running Man (Dateline — NBC News)
This Dateline episode — reported by Andrea Canning and anchored by Lester Holt — examines the January 2023 death of 40-year-old Ashley (AJ) Schwamm in a car that crashed and burned near the Blue Mountains, Ontario. What first looked like a tragic icy accident quickly became a homicide investigation. Detectives pieced together surveillance video, phone and travel records, forensic evidence and family testimony to conclude that Ashley’s husband, firefighter James Schwamm, murdered her, staged the fiery crash and attempted to cover up the crime. He later pled guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to life with parole eligibility after 20 years.
Key events & timeline
- January 26, 2023 (pre-dawn): Volunteer firefighter spots a fully engulfed SUV down an embankment on Arrowhead Road. Firefighters find a charred body in the passenger footwell.
- Immediately after: Vehicle registration leads investigators to James Schwamm. James is located alive; Ashley is missing.
- Investigation finds no skid marks, and reconstruction suggests the vehicle was driven intentionally into a narrow opening in the guardrail.
- Surveillance footage:
- 5:42 a.m.: Mitsubishi (Ashley’s car) parked at a nearby ski club lot; leaves at 5:45.
- ~5:57 a.m.: Camera catches a person running from the crash with a backpack (“the running man”).
- 7:07 a.m.: Similar-looking runner with same backpack captured near James’ home in Collingwood.
- Autopsy (Toronto forensic center): Ashley died from neck compression (manual or ligature strangulation) and was dead before the car was set on fire — no soot in airways, no carbon monoxide in blood.
- Forensic & digital discoveries: gas cans in car (found placed, not purchased by Ashley), Zippo lighter with initials JWS in vehicle, deleted/removed computer, security-camera manipulation, dashcam footage of James scouting the crash lot with his son, use of his mother’s car as a getaway vehicle.
- Arrest: February 2, 2023 — James arrested for second-degree murder and indignity to a body.
- Prosecution: Charge upgraded to first-degree murder; later James negotiated a plea.
- June 2024: James pleads guilty to second-degree murder under an agreed statement of facts. Sentenced to life, parole eligibility in 20 years; prohibited contact with his children until age 18.
Main people involved
- Victim: Ashley “AJ” Schwamm — mother of two, interior design/home-builder executive, active hiker.
- Accused / Husband: James William Schwamm — volunteer/career firefighter, promoted to captain; initially portrayed as grieving husband.
- Family: Ian Milnes (Ashley’s father), sisters and other relatives who pressed for answers and later spoke at court.
- Investigators: Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) detectives including Det. Sgt. Jason Lloyd, Det. Const. Jeremy Schiffman and Det. Insp. Sean Glassford.
- Other figures: Steve McDonald (Ashley’s former boss and the man with whom she had an affair), Alexandra (his then-wife), neighbours and friends who provided context and surveillance material.
Evidence & investigative turning points
- Autopsy: definitive change from “accident” to homicide — neck fracture consistent with strangulation and no inhalation of smoke.
- Surveillance video: multiple camera locations provided a timeline and the key “running man” footage linking the crash site to Collingwood.
- Digital forensics & phone records:
- Ashley’s phone was not recovered, but her fitness app (Strava) showed she didn’t typically hike that early.
- Texts and timeline inconsistencies (the “fill gas cans” text; the vertigo text) that investigators concluded James had sent to fabricate a plausible explanation.
- James’ phone showed extensive messages with Alexandra (1000+ texts in January) and cryptic messages suggesting he planned to “do what’s going to make me happy.”
- Physical evidence: gas cans (likely purchased and placed by James), a Zippo lighter engraved “JWS” inside the burned vehicle, and missing hardware (a laptop disposed of shortly after police visited his home).
- Logistics and planning evidence: moving/changing security cameras at the house, dashcam footage of James at the Alpine lot with his son the day before, and use of his mother’s car as a staged getaway — all indicated premeditation.
Motive, inference and context
- Marital turmoil: Ashley had an earlier, short affair with her boss; the affair was discovered in April 2022 and caused major marital strain. The couple attended counseling and reportedly tried to reconcile; Ashley quit her job as part of their attempt to repair the relationship.
- Financial & personal motive indicators:
- Insurance policies: at least one $1 million policy listed payable to James and other coverage for the children in the event of accidental death.
- James’ searches and conversations about divorce costs, alimony and how to keep assets were interpreted as financial concerns if a divorce occurred.
- Texts and behavior suggesting James desired a new relationship and possibly a life without Ashley.
- Investigators’ view: the combination of domestic stress, financial considerations, and James’ communications/behavior formed a motive of self-interest and premeditation.
Legal outcome and family impact
- Plea and sentence: In June 2024 James Schwamm pled guilty to second-degree murder under an agreed statement of facts that recounted the planning, staging and the killing. He received life imprisonment with parole eligibility after 20 years — described in the episode as the longest sentence in Canadian history for someone with no prior record. The judge also prohibited contact with his children until they turn 18.
- Family response: Grief, betrayal and relief — Ashley’s family and friends expressed devastation and described a public memorial and creation of the “Sunflower Fund” to help children of domestic violence victims. Ashley’s children are now being raised by her brother and sister-in-law.
- Community reaction: Shock across the Blue Mountains/Collingwood area — a respected firefighter accused of plotting and committing a cold-blooded murder upended a tight-knit community.
Notable quotes & moments
- Detective to viewers: “Find this running man. Find your killer.”
- Pathologist’s decisive finding: Ashley “did not die in the car fire… she died from neck compression” and was dead before the car was burned.
- Friend’s reaction: “If he’s faking, he deserves an Oscar.” (On James’ outward grief.)
- Sister’s line to Ashley after discovering the affair (earlier): “You will spend the rest of your life paying for this.” (Haunting in hindsight.)
- Family verdict at sentencing: They felt the judge “heard us” after the unusually harsh sentence.
Why this case matters — investigative lessons & larger themes
- Forensics can overturn initial assumptions: an apparent crash became a homicide after careful autopsy and reconstruction.
- Value of video and digital traces: doorbell cams, ski-club cameras, dashcams, and phone metadata built the timeline that contradicts appearances.
- Staged crime warning signs: lack of skid marks, oddly positioned debris, planted items (gas cans) and manipulation of cameras.
- Domestic violence and betrayal: The case highlights how marital turmoil, secrecy and infidelity can escalate — and how community perceptions can mask hidden danger.
- Victim-centered outcome: Despite the brutality and elaborate staging, thorough police work, forensic science and persistence led to accountability; the family created programs to help other victims’ children.
Final takeaway
Dateline’s "Running Man" chronicles a murder that began as a frozen, lonely scene on a stormy highway and unfolded into a deliberate, premeditated killing by the person closest to the victim. The episode emphasizes how multiple lines of inquiry — autopsy results, surveillance footage, digital footprints and forensic detail — converged to reveal the truth and secure a conviction, while illustrating the deep personal and community damage left behind.