The boyfriend of Kaylin Gillis, who was shot and killed last April after driving into the wrong driveway on her way to a party in upstate New York, testified Thursday at the suspect's criminal trial about the “frenzied” scene.
Washington County authorities have charged Kevin Monahan, 66, with the crime. second degree murderreckless endangerment and tampering with evidence in connection with a shooting that occurred outside a home Saturday evening.
Gillis' 20-year-old boyfriend, Blake Walsh, described the moment Gillis, also 20, was shot in court Thursday, saying he was “crazy in the car…people were screaming. ” he said.
Gillis and her boyfriend were headed to a party in two cars and two motorcycles, but with no cell phone service or sunlight, they ended up pulling into the wrong driveway.
New York woman shot dead by homeowner after driving into driveway
Kaylin Gillis, 20, died of gunshot wounds in April 2023 after driving down the wrong driveway with friends in rural upstate New York, authorities said. (GoFundMe)
Monaghan's lawyers said the shooting was a contributing factor to a “terrible attack'' in which the 66-year-old became frightened in the middle of the night when he heard people coming up the driveway toward the rural home he shares with his wife. It was an accident.'' A gun that misfires.
Lawyers claim the gun went off after Monaghan tripped over something in the dark, causing the defective gun to go off.
Kaylin Gillis killed in driveway shooting: father says he hopes suspect 'dies in jail'
Kevin Monaghan, 66, center, shot and killed Kaylin Gillis, 20, after he and some friends accidentally parked their car in her driveway in rural Hebron on the night of April 15, 2023. He has been charged with suspicion. He is charged with second-degree murder, reckless endangerment and tampering with physical evidence. (Will Waldron/Albany Times Union via AP, Pool)
Jacob Haynes, who was in the backseat of Walsh's car when Gillis was shot, said when the group of friends pulled up to the house, there were no lights on and they were “trying to figure out where they were.” I was trying to do it,” he said.
“We knew we weren't in the right house,” Haynes testified Thursday.
The group of friends said they heard a loud bang as they started backing out of the driveway. One friend said he heard a gun, and another saw a man with a gun through the back window of a car from his porch.
Reserve photo Kevin D. Monaghan. (Washington County Sheriff's Office)
Walsh said he heard two gunshots and asked his friend if he was OK. Hayes and Alexandra Whiting, who was sitting in the back seat, were unhurt, but Gillis slumped over and was unresponsive.
Kaylin Gillis Driveway Shooting Death: Boyfriend Turns Right in New York Woods, Details Immediately Later
They were only able to call for help when cell phone service was restored several miles away after the turnaround. Hayes said he put his hand on Gillis' neck to try to stop the bleeding where he had been shot.
Kaylin Gillis was in a car that turned off into the wrong driveway in upstate New York in April 2023 when the homeowner allegedly opened fire. The former high school cheerleader from nearby Schuylerville died from gunshot wounds. (Kaelynn Gillis, Schuylerville University Cheerleading/Facebook)
While waiting for authorities to arrive, dispatchers advised CPR over the phone, but medical personnel were unable to revive her by the time they arrived on scene.
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The defense pointed out that the group did not see any private property signs leading to Monaghan's property. Some of them had been drinking alcohol or smoking marijuana before driving to the party, according to testimony.
Gillis' shooting came days after a similar incident in Kansas City. In this incident, an 84-year-old white man shot and killed 16-year-old Ralph Yahr, a black man. Brother. These two incidents attracted national attention.
FOX News' Michael Lewis and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
