Man with Lewis County ties identified as victim of fatal assault at White River Amphitheatre concert

A 31-year-old man with ties to Lewis County has been identified as the victim in a fatal assault at the White River Amphitheatre in Auburn on Aug. 27.

Brandon Richard Godsey died at Harborview Medical Center one day after the assault, which was reported to the King County Sheriff’s Office just before 11 p.m. on the night of the concert.

The King County Medical Examiner’s office identified Godsey as the victim on Aug. 29. The cause and manner of death are pending.

Sheriff’s office spokesperson Brandyn Hull told the Kent Reporter that anyone with video, pictures or any information related to the death should contact the sheriff’s office.

The case remains open. No other official details have been released.

Charro Vatne, Godsey’s mother, has launched a GoFundMe.com crowdfunding campaign. 

“On Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2025, Brandon attended a $uicideboys$ Grey Day Tour at White River Amphitheater with his long-term girlfriend Brandy and two of their friends,” the campaign states. “As they were leaving the venue, Brandon was viciously assaulted and was airlifted to Harborview Trauma Center in Seattle. Despite the doctor’s best efforts, Brandon’s injuries were too severe, resulting in the loss of his life. This was the worst day of our lives. Brandon was loved by many who knew him. Brandon leaves behind his life partner, Brandy, and her son. We would like to send Brandon off with a great farewell. All donations will be used to assist with funeral arrangements, medical expenses and to support Brandy and her son during this difficult time. Thank you for your consideration and support.”

The campaign had raised $4,095 of its $16,000 goal by Monday morning. Learn more and donate at https://tinyurl.com/y3d9euv3. 

Vatne published a letter addressed to the unknown assailant on Facebook last Friday.

She subsequently contacted The Chronicle and asked that the letter be published.

The full letter follows:

To the person who took my son’s life:

I want to believe that you didn’t know the power of your own strength. I want to believe that your impulsive actions were fueled by alcohol or drugs and that you are a better person than that.

At the end of the day, you ran like a coward while my son was airlifted to Harborview. You made jokes and insults acting like a tough man. Does that make you feel good?

While you were fleeing, I was making the 90-minute drive to Harborview, praying that my son, his name is Brandon by the way, was still alive. I was bargaining with God to take me instead.

Brandon was one of the most loving people I know. He loved people and he was always helping those around him. He was put into a lot of challenging circumstances during his life and he endured a lot of hardship, but he held that inside and kept moving forward, continuing to help some that had hurt him.

To know the adversities in Brandon's life and to know that he lost his life at the hands of a bully, which is the nicest thing I can call you, is a heartache I will never heal from.

You murdered my son while his partner in life, Brandy, was there. She will never be free of the trauma and images of seeing her beloved person taken from her so violently. The child they were raising will also be impacted by the loss of his person forever.

You had to know the severity of your actions by the sirens, flashing lights and helicopter. Do you know I have received images of the last moments of my son's life where Brandy is screaming in agony? No parent should ever experience such a senseless tragedy. Those images will forever replay in my mind.

Do you have a mother? Can you imagine her sobbing over your body, knowing that you were violently and senselessly taken from her? When I said goodbye to my son, there was blood on his body, on the very hand I held. That is on you. His blood is on your hands.

There are vicious rumors out there about my son that are not true. Brandon was proud of his work for the State of Washington, and he took the privilege of earning his CDL seriously. He wouldn’t even have a beer at family gatherings because he didn’t want to risk losing it. He was not under the influence. He was not attacking other people. If you heard his voice that night, you heard him asking security not to separate him from Brandy during the mad rush of people exiting to the parking lot. Once again, he was doing the right thing for someone he loved. You weren’t involved, you had no idea what was happening, yet you inserted yourself in the situation that frankly was none of your business.

My mission in life now is to seek justice for my son. Rest assured that I will never stop until that day comes as my love for Brandon, my daughters, and Brandy is stronger than any force on this earth. I’ll be there in your dreams until the day comes to see you face to face. In addition, I will use my pain to help change safety and security measures so that these events Brandon loved so much will live on and carry his legacy forward. I have the support of Brandon’s large, extended family and 4.3 million $B/G59 family standing right beside me.

You have one chance to do something right in this situation and that’s to come forward and take accountability for your actions. Based on your actions and behavior, I doubt you have the courage and integrity to do that. Prove me wrong. We know what Brandon’s legacy is. What will be yours? What will you tell God on judgement day?