Boyfriend’s Heart-wrenching Testimony Unfolds in Trial of Man Accused of Fatal Driveway Shooting

Boyfriend’s Heart-wrenching Testimony Unfolds in Trial of Man Accused of Fatal Driveway Shooting

In a chilling testimony that unfolded in the murder trial of Kevin Monahan, Blake Walsh, the boyfriend of the late Kaylin Gillis, recalled the harrowing moments leading up to her death. Last April in Hebron, some 40 miles north of Albany near the Vermont border, the couple and their friends had mistakenly pulled into Monahan’s long, snaking driveway. As they were turning around to leave, Gillis was fatally shot in the neck.

Walsh described the chaos that ensued among the group as a shot pierced through the car and they noticed Gillis slumped over in the passenger seat. “Frantic in the car … people were screaming,” Walsh recalled, fighting back his tears. Monahan, 66, is accused of the shooting, facing charges of second-degree murder, reckless endangerment, and tampering with physical evidence.

This tragic incident echoes a similar case in Kansas City where 16-year-old Ralph Yarl, who is Black, was wounded by an 84-year-old white man after he went to the wrong door while trying to pick up his brother. The trial has raised questions about fear, homeowners’ rights, and the consequences of misunderstandings in rural communities.

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Monahan’s defense attorney, Arthur Frost, argued that Monahan was acting out of fear due to the group of strangers arriving late at night at his remote home. Frost described the shooting as a “terrible accident” involving a defective gun during cross-examinations. Meanwhile, District Attorney Anthony Jordan maintained that Monahan acted with intent, citing a lack of signs of distress or attempts to seek help after the shooting.

The death of Kaylin Gillis has left an indelible mark in the small town of Hebron, sparking conversations around community safety and the importance of preventing further tragedies. The trial will continue as Blake Walsh and the other witnesses share their pieces of the story in hopes of finding justice for Kaylin.

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