Who is Kevin Monahan? New York Man convicted in wrong-driveway shooting of Kaylin Gillis 

Kevin Monahan, a 66-year-old New York man, was found guilty of second-degree murder of 20-year-old Kaylin Gillis, who was fatally shot after she mistakenly drove into his driveway in April 2023.

As per NBC News, on Tuesday, January 23, 2024, Monahan, who pleaded not guilty to charges of second-degree murder, reckless endangerment, and tampering with physical evidence, was found guilty on all counts within hours of deliberation.

Kaylin Gillis, a graduate from Schuylerville High School in 2021 who held the position of “flyer” on the cheerleading team, pulled into Monahan's rural New York driveway in the town of Hebron on April 15, 2023, with a group of friends trying to find a friend’s house for a party.

As the group realized they were on the wrong driveway they started to leave as Monahan fired two shots from his porch — one of which struck Gillis in the neck and killed her.

According to USA Today, during the closing argument on Tuesday, prosecutors contended that Monahan, motivated by anger, acted recklessly when he shot the victim. Shortly after, the jury came back with a verdict against Monahan.

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Kevin Monahan is a former motorcycle racer

Kevin Monahan, a former motorcycle racer, lived with his wife, Jinx Monahan, at the Patterson Hill Road house in the small town of Hebron, about 55 miles northeast of Albany, for about 30 years.

Per NBC News, during the trial, Monahan told the court that he felt like he and his wife were under siege when a group of people pulled into his driveway in multiple vehicles. Monahan alleged that he was motivated by an innate compulsion to protect his wife Jinx when he grabbed the weapon and went out to the front porch.

Prosecutors alleged during the trial that Kaylin Gillis and her group of six friends were heading to a friend's home party on the night of the incident. They accidentally turned into Monahan's lengthy dirt driveway while driving two cars and a motorbike.

After realizing their mistake, partly attributed to spotty cell service in the area, the group was pulling out of the driveway when they were met with gunfire. Prosecutors revealed Monahan had fired two shots and the second bullet hit Gillis, who was in the front passenger seat of an SUV driven by her boyfriend, Blake Walsh.

Gillis' panicked friends then reportedly drove to the neighboring town of Salem before calling 911, who dispatched the Emergency crew. Gillis was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities said when officers responded to Monahan's residence, he was uncooperative and refused to come out of his house.

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Kevin Monahan alleged he tripped on the deck causing his gun to accidentally fire at Kaylin Gillis

According to CNN, Kevin Monahan told the jury last week on the night of the incident he and his wife fell asleep early while watching a movie in his upstairs bedroom and were awakened by the sound of three vehicles in his driveway. Monahan allegedly told his wife to hide in their closet before loading his 20-gauge pump-action shotgun. He then went outside and fired a warning shot in the air.

Monahan alleged when he saw the vehicles slowly pulling out of his property, he moved back on his deck to get a better look at his driveaway when he tripped on some nails and the gun accidentally went off, striking Gillis in the neck.

However, Assistant District Attorney Christian Morris, focusing on the timeline of the events, alleged Monahan, who fired both shots within 20 seconds, couldn’t possibly have tripped as he asserted to the jury. Kevin Monahan was also unable to point out the nails that caused him to lose his balance on his deck in the photograph

Shortly after the verdict was announced, District Attorney Tony Jordan told reporters he would seek a maximum sentence of 25 years to life. Kevin Monahan will be sentenced on March 1, 2024.