MEDFORD, Ore. (Jun. 22, 2026) — The Oregon Court of Appeals has overturned the manslaughter conviction of a man sentenced in connection with the 2020 shooting death of 19-year-old Aidan Ellison in Ashland, setting the stage for a new round of court proceedings in a case that drew statewide attention.
The Jackson County District Attorney’s Office announced Monday that the appeals court reversed the 2023 conviction of Robert Paul Keegan, 53, for first-degree manslaughter in Ellison’s death.
Ellison was fatally shot on Nov. 23, 2020, in the parking lot of the Stratford Inn in Ashland.
During a May 2023 trial, a jury acquitted Keegan of second-degree murder but found him guilty of the lesser-included charge of first-degree manslaughter. He was subsequently sentenced to 10 years in prison under Oregon’s Measure 11 sentencing guidelines.
The Court of Appeals determined that a jury instruction related to Oregon’s self-defense law should not have been given based on the facts presented at trial. The instruction stated that self-defense is unavailable when two parties mutually agree to engage in a fight. While the court acknowledged the instruction accurately reflected Oregon law, it concluded the instruction did not apply to the circumstances of the case and reversed the conviction on that basis.
The decision vacates both Keegan’s conviction and sentence.
The Jackson County District Attorney’s Office said it had hoped the case would be appealed to the Oregon Supreme Court, but the Oregon Department of Justice declined to pursue further review. Under Oregon law, the Department of Justice is responsible for handling criminal appeals on behalf of the state.
Following the ruling, Keegan was transferred from prison to the Jackson County Jail, and the manslaughter charge was reinstated. He appeared Monday afternoon in Jackson County Circuit Court, where Pro Tem Judge Paul Moser set bail at $500,000. Prosecutors had requested bail be set at $1 million.
Because Keegan was acquitted of the murder charge during his original trial, he cannot be retried on that count. With only the manslaughter charge pending, the court was required to set bail and could not legally hold him without bail, prosecutors said.
Keegan’s next court appearance is scheduled for a pre-trial conference on July 6.
“While this result is deeply disappointing for us, I recognize that disappointment is far outweighed by the extraordinary pain it is causing for Aidan’s family and friends,” Jackson County District Attorney Patrick Green said in a statement.
“Aidan would only have turned 25 this August, nearly six years after his death — a stark reminder of his young life and of all the years, milestones, and everyday moments that were taken from him and those who loved him,” Green said. “We remain committed to honoring his memory and to once again pursuing justice in this case to the fullest extent of the law.”
All suspects are believed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law
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