Where Is James Schwalm Now? Inside the Ex-Fire Captain’s Life After the Murder, Arson and Life Sentence

Where Is James Schwalm Now?

James "Jamie" Schwalm, a former captain with Brampton Fire & Emergency Services, was arrested in February 2023 and later convicted for the January 2023 killing of his wife, Ashley Schwalm. Investigators say he strangled Ashley, placed her body in her car, and set the vehicle on fire to conceal the crime. In June 2024 he pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, and in February 2025 a judge sentenced him to life in prison with no chance of parole for 20 years.

Background

Raised in the Toronto area with two younger sisters, Schwalm pursued a career in firefighting after high school and rose to the rank of captain. He and Ashley met at the Craigleith Ski Club, married there in 2012, and settled in Collingwood in Ontario's Blue Mountains. The couple had two children, a son and a daughter.

Relationship Breakdown

By 2021 the couple faced financial strain and mounting relationship problems. Reporting indicates Ashley began an affair in early 2022, which became known to both spouses. Later that year James began an affair with the other woman after she separated from her husband. Tensions escalated into the winter of 2023, and court documents show James told others he wanted to be happy and had discussed the potential consequences of lethal violence with a doctor and friends shortly before the killing.

The Crime and the Investigation

Authorities say the fatal attack occurred in the early hours of January 26, 2023, after a domestic dispute. The couple's young children provided key accounts: the son reported checking on his parents and seeing his father later that night, and the daughter heard a noise like someone falling. Police allege James changed Ashley's clothing, put her body into her vehicle, drove to a preselected parking area, doused the car with gasoline, and set it alight to simulate a crash and post-crash fire.

Evidence That Unraveled the Alibi

• Ashley�s autopsy determined strangulation as the cause of death and found no indication that the fire caused her death.
• Investigators discovered footprints by the driver�s door and the victim in the passenger seat, contradicting Schwalm's account.
• Surveillance footage and cellphone metadata undermined his alibi about walking the dog and showed a person of his build near the scene.
• Forensic evidence included a lighter found near the scene bearing Schwalm�s initials and suspicious searches on his phone about car fires and deleting iPhone history.

Legal Proceedings and Sentence

Schwalm was arrested on February 2, 2023, and initially charged with first-degree murder and indignity to a dead body. He pleaded not guilty at first but accepted a plea agreement and pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in June 2024. In November 2024 he addressed the court expressing remorse. In February 2025 he was sentenced to life imprisonment with no eligibility for parole for 20 years.

Aftermath and Community Impact

The couple's two children are being raised by Ashley�s brother and his wife and have relocated to a different town. A court order bars Schwalm from contacting the children until they turn 18. Family statements at sentencing urged the longest possible parole ineligibility, and the case has prompted renewed community conversations about domestic violence and victim support.

Media Coverage and Local Connection

The case was featured on Dateline on November 14, where correspondent Andrea Canning, who grew up in Collingwood, reported on the investigation and the community response. Canning noted a personal connection: her family and Ashley�s family had supported the same local domestic violence shelter, My Friend�s House, underscoring how the tragedy resonated locally.

Current status: James Schwalm is serving a life sentence in prison with no chance of parole for 20 years. The family continues to cope with the loss while advocates and community members use the case to raise awareness about domestic violence.