Man Who Killed Army Veteran Hiking Appalachian Trail Is Found Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity

A 32-year-old man accused of fatally stabbing an Army veteran hiking the Appalachian Trail in May 2019 has been found not guilty by reason of insanity, PEOPLE confirms.

On Thursday, a federal judge accepted a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity from James L. Jordan, who had been charged with murder in connection to the death of 43-year-old Ronald Sanchez Jr.

Both the prosecution and defense reached an agreement for Jordan to plead not guilty by reason of insanity after a sanity evaluation found that he suffered from schizoaffective disorder and concluded that he was "unable to appreciate the wrongfulness of his acts," Jordan's attorney said in a statement in court, obtained by PEOPLE

"Mr. Jordan is deeply remorseful for the profound sorrow he has caused. He regrets that his lifelong battle with mental illness ultimately resulted in this trauma and loss for innocent hikers and their families," the statement read.

Jordan has been committed to a psychiatric institution and "will not be released until a court finds by clear and convincing evidence that his release would not create a substantial risk of injury to anyone else," according to the statement.

"Mr. Jordan understands that continued treatment and medication will be required for the rest of his life," his attorney said. "Most importantly, he would like the victims and the family of Mr. Sanchez to know that he thinks about the damage he caused every day and that he would do anything to change the past if he could."

Sanchez — whose trail name was Stronghold — was killed on May 10, 2019 while out on a hiking trail in Virginia.

According to an FBI affidavit viewed by PEOPLE, Jordan — whose trail name is Sovereign — was acting "disturbed and unstable" when he first approached Sanchez and three other hikers on the trail in Smyth County.

Sanchez and his companions recognized Jordan from social media sites, where other backpackers warned that Jordan allegedly threatened hikers previously in Tennessee.

After encountering Jordan, Sanchez and his companions continued along the trail, making camp for the night in Wythe County. There, Jordan again approached the group, allegedly telling them he planned to "pour gasoline on their tents and burn them to death," FBI Special Agent Micah Childers wrote in the affidavit.

Jordan allegedly chased two of the hikers with a knife, Childers wrote, and returned to the camp, where he argued with Sanchez and a woman hiker.

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During the argument, Jordan allegedly stabbed Sanchez, who fell to the ground. The woman ran, but Jordan caught up with her and allegedly stabbed her until she "fell to the ground and played dead," according to Childers.

The wounded woman, who was not identified in the affidavit, hiked six miles in order to call 911.

Sanchez, meanwhile, managed to activate an emergency alert on his cell phone before succumbing to his wounds.

Sanchez had turned to the trail for "therapeutic effect" after several deployments in Iraq, former combat medic Sharon "MamaGoose" Smith, who hikes frequently, previously told PEOPLE.

"Instead, he lost his life in a senseless violent attack," Smith said.