Trust Fund Heir James Blue Faces Early Release After Killing Two

Trust fund heir James Blue, 56, is set for an extremely early release next month under Minnesota's work release program, a move that infuriates the families of the two young men he killed while showing off his Bentley with the vulgar license plate 'J Blue.'

After divorcing his wife Amanda Schmidt, Blue threw away his life of privilege by driving drunk on a joyride, slinging his 2017 Bentley Silver Spur around a tree at 100 mph on July 24, 2021. The crash claimed the lives of Mack Motzko, 20, and Sam Schuneman, 24.

Facing two murder charges, Blue struck a deal with prosecutors in April 2022, agreeing to serve just seven-and-a-half years for two counts of vehicular homicide. Just four years later, he will walk free less than a year after his scheduled parole date of May 3, 2027.

Blue, who never worked a day in his life, relied entirely on his trust fund, stock portfolio, and 10 rental properties for income. Now, he will resume his idle comfort, a prospect that outraged the victims' parents.

Their parents sent a scathing joint letter to the Minnesota Department of Corrections, stating that the news of his early release traumatized them all over again. They accused Blue of refusing to accept responsibility for driving with a 0.2 blood alcohol level until his sentencing.

The letter described the crash as resulting in "catastrophic mutilation and unfathomable destruction" of the boys' bodies. Schuneman, an organ donor, suffered such horrific injuries that no organs could be harvested. Motzko endured similar trauma but survived for six hours before dying.

The victims met Blue minutes before their deaths after a mutual friend invited them to a party at his mansion in Orono, a wealthy enclave west of Minneapolis. Witnesses saw Blue drinking shots of liquor, eating marijuana-infused gummies, and possessing several crushed pills and green capsules in his pocket after the crash.

Motzko's older sister, Ella, 27, was at the party dating Schuneman and became a key witness against Blue. The boys were admiring Blue's high-end car collection, which included a 2008 BMW M6, a 2020 Range Rover, and the Bentley.

Schuneman was completely sober and planning to drive home to his flight back to Phoenix, unaware that Blue intended to use his luxury car for a drunken stunt that ended in tragedy.

Blue wanted to impress a group of young men with his Bentley, offering them a ride to feel its power. He told them, "You guys need to live your life to the fullest because all of a sudden, you blink and you're 40 one day."

Ella, Motzko's sister, hesitated to enter a vehicle driven by a man who had only had a few drinks. She warned Blue that the ride would be unsafe. Blue dismissed her concern, replying, "You're a smart girl."

Initially, Blue drove the group to the end of his long driveway before continuing on a winding road. The route featured speed limits between 35 and 45mph, lined with trees and obscured driveways that made night driving dangerous.

Officers from the Orono Police Department arrived at 11:23pm following 911 calls. They found a scene filled with blood, bodies, and twisted metal. Charging documents stated the vehicle was severely damaged, having uprooted a tree that remained on top of it. Two adult males were still inside the Bentley.

Schuneman, who was dating Ella at the time, was already deceased. Motzko remained trapped in the back seat, struggling to breathe. Blue was thrown ten feet from the car after driving without a seatbelt. He lay injured in some bushes but remained conscious.

While admitting to officers that he was drunk and guilty of causing the crash, Blue repeatedly said, "I'm sorry." Crash data indicated he hit the brakes 2.5 seconds before impact.

The plea agreement detailed his injuries: three broken ribs, tears in both shoulders that caused one to freeze, a degenerative spinal disk, and a possible traumatic brain injury resulting in persistent headaches. He claimed to suffer from PTSD, depression, anxiety, and chemical issues, noting he saw a psychologist but received no medication.

Blue admitted in the agreement that he was so drunk or under the influence of drugs or medicine that he did not know what he was doing during the crime period. He accepted all allegations.

Blue and his lawyers appeared at the courthouse in 2022 for sentencing. They reached a deal with prosecutors to serve seven-and-a-half years on two counts of vehicular homicide.

"I would give up my life today – to say goodbye to my kids – to bring Sam and Mack back. It's not fair," he stated.

During his sentencing, the defendant stated, "They're 20 and 24 years old, and I took their lives," marking the precipice of his rapid descent.

The crash inflicted catastrophic injuries on Motzko, yet he survived for six hours following the collision. Schuneman and Ella, who had been invited to the ride despite Ella's refusal due to Blue's intoxication, were also involved.

Divorce filings reveal the extent of the wealth Blue enjoyed prior to the tragedy. Beyond a trust fund of undisclosed magnitude, he owned ten rental properties valued between $190,000 and $250,000, which generated significant income. The settlement required him to transfer three of his most expensive homes to Amanda, while retaining seven others that would continue to yield lucrative returns.

Blue resided in a 10,000-square-foot mansion featuring five bedrooms, seven bathrooms, and a sloping roof design reminiscent of vintage Pizza Hut architecture. Constructed only a year prior, the property was sold in November 2022 for $7.6 million while he was already incarcerated. The buyer resold it for $8.58 million six months later, before its value dropped to $6.84 million by September 2023.

His asset list included $435,700 in shares, a 2017 Sea Ray 290 deck boat, and a Rolex Presidential watch with a diamond bezel. Although he declared an annual income of $144,000, the agreement noted that cash gifts from his parents were excluded from child support calculations.

Amanda, a healthcare worker earning approximately $40,000 annually, retained her 2019 Cadillac Escalade ESV and the rental income from three properties deemed sufficient for her self-sufficiency. The agreement mandated Blue pay $277,000 plus $500 monthly in child support for their 14-year-old daughter and son, who turns 10 next week. He was also ordered to cover $8,000 annually in childcare fees and an additional $800 for health insurance. His parents were already contributing $7,000 yearly for the eldest child's private Catholic education, a path the younger brother would subsequently follow.

Custody was to be shared equally with the children spending alternate weekends with each parent. The divorce decree was finalized in September 2021 while Blue was on bail awaiting trial, with no documentation indicating how his subsequent charges and imprisonment altered the terms.

The extent of Blue's remaining privileges is uncertain, yet victims' families anticipate his swift reintegration. Tom Schuneman, the father of one victim, told the Star-Tribune, "He doesn't need a job. He has a multimillion dollar trust waiting for him when he comes out. He has a support system, with family. That's what's tough."

Tom expressed fury that Blue would be eligible for work release, arguing the program was intended for those lacking support systems who require assistance to reintegrate, not for individuals like Blue. "This guy never had a job. He was a trust fund guy," Tom asserted.

To say that there is a need for him to go out and seek employment, well, that's interesting."

Had Blue served his entire sentence, he wouldn't be released until late 2029. Instead, he automatically serves the last third of his jail term on parole. The final year of his custodial sentence occurs on work release. Minnesota's work release program, which has existed since 1967, allows inmates to live in a secure halfway house. They work during the day while undergoing drug and alcohol testing. According to the Minnesota Department of Corrections, an average of 172 inmates participated each day during fiscal year 2025. Tom said his family was already reeling from the plea bargain giving Blue a 'slap on the wrist' instead of murder convictions. 'Now, to hear that has the ability to be further reduced? Are you kidding me? Why even go through the motions?' he said. Schuneman and Tom, who said his family was reeling from the plea bargain, face intense scrutiny. Motzko stood with his parents, Bob and Shelly Motzko, and members of his ice hockey team. Blue's lawyer, Michael Daub, insisted his client understood the gravity of his crime. However, the attorney felt his client was being unfairly singled out for criticism. 'James Blue meets the Minnesota Department of Corrections criteria for work release,' Daub said in a statement. 'It's not an "early" release. It's work release. He is not receiving any favorable or special treatment.' 'Work release helps people successfully transition from prison back into the community in a structured way,' Daub added. The program fully supervises participants under the department's oversight. Inmates with far more grievous offenses are granted work release. Daub said Blue told his story to others during rehab for alcoholism. He claimed it would save lives by deterring them from making the same mistakes. 'From the beginning, he's accepted the responsibility for the profound loss suffered by the family, and the harm that he caused,' the lawyer said. 'He's very aware of the grief experienced by the families, that it's immeasurable and that the absence of these two young men will be felt by the families forever.