An upstate New York man was convicted of second-degree murder on Tuesday for shooting a woman who was in a car that mistakenly turned down the wrong driveway.
Kaylin Gillis, 20, was riding in a Ford Explorer SUV with three other people in Hebron, Washington County, on April 15, 2023. Her boyfriend, who was driving the vehicle, turned onto the wrong driveway before they realized the mistake and attempted to turn around.
As they were leaving, homeowner Kevin Monahan stepped onto the porch and fired a shotgun twice at the car, hitting Gillis once as she sat in the front passenger seat.
During Monahan’s trial, the defense unsuccessfully argued the shooting was an accident caused by a defective gun.
Monahan, 66, testified he felt his house was “under siege” when the caravan — two cars and a motorcycle — pulled into his driveway. He admitted to firing a warning shot but said the second fatal shot happened after he tripped and the shotgun hit the deck, causing an unintended discharged.
Prosecutors argued the opposite.
“He acted out of anger. That’s the only thing that can be inferred from shooting at people within 90 seconds of being on his property,” assistant district attorney Christian Morris said during closing arguments on Tuesday. “He grabbed his shotgun and intended to make them leave as fast as possible and he didn’t care if they were hurt or killed, just so long as they left.”
The jury delivered its verdict after less than an hour of deliberating. Monahan was also convicted of reckless endangerment and tampering with physical evidence.
Gillis’ death came two days after teenager Ralph Yarl was shot and wounded after knocking on the wrong door in Kansas City, Mo. The suspect in the teenager’s case was initially released but later charged with two felonies.
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