Kevin Monahan Convicted of Second-Degree Murder Following Fatal Shooting of Kaylin Gillis

A man from New York has been convicted of second-degree murder after fatally shooting a young woman who accidentally drove onto his rural property. Kevin Monahan, 66, was found guilty in the death of 20-year-old Kaylin Gillis, as reported by the Associated Press.

The incident occurred last April when Ms Gillis and her friends, who were lost and trying to find another house, mistakenly drove into Monahan’s driveway near the Vermont border. As they attempted to leave the property, Monahan stepped onto his porch and fired two shots from a shotgun at the vehicle. One of the shots struck Ms Gillis in the neck while she was seated in the front passenger seat of the SUV her boyfriend was driving.

Monahan’s defence team argued that the shooting was unintentional, claiming the firearm was faulty. The lead attorney, Art Frost, suggested during the trial that “[Monahan’s] gun will fire even when no one pulls the trigger.” Furthermore, defence attorney Kurt Mausert filed a motion for a mistrial, alleging bias in favour of the prosecution and limitations on his ability to cross-examine witnesses. The judge dismissed the motion, remarking that Mausert had a “pretty odd way of interpreting things.”

After the guilty verdict was delivered, District Attorney Tony Jordan addressed the media. He spoke about the emotional toll the case had taken on the victim’s family, saying, “We wanted them to know that we believed in what they were saying… our hope is today that they can begin to find that little bit of faith and justice that they can begin to move forward, to heal.”