Kaylin Gillis trial: Boyfriend of woman shot dead after driving into wrong house describes 'frantic' scenes

Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers’ discretion advised.

WASHINGTON DC: During the suspect's criminal trial on Thursday, the boyfriend of Kaylin Gillis—who was shot and killed in April of last year after pulling into the wrong driveway while heading to a party in upstate New York—tried to describe the "frantic" scene.

Following the Saturday night shooting outside his home, Kevin Monahan, 66, was charged by Washington County authorities with second-degree murder, reckless endangerment, and tampering with evidence.

The shooting was a 'terrible accident'

The moment Gillis, also 20, was shot was described by Blake Walsh, her boyfriend, in court on Thursday.

"Frantic in the car... people were screaming," Walsh said. After losing cell service and sunlight, Gillis, her boyfriend, and the others were traveling to a party in two cars and on two motorcycles when they turned up in the wrong driveway, CBS News reported.

According to Monahan's attorneys, the shooting was a "terrible accident" that happened partly as a result of a misfired gun.

The 66-year-old was afraid when he heard the group of people approaching his driveway toward the rural home he shares with his wife late at night.

His lawyers contend that Monahan tripped over something in the dark, setting off the malfunctioning firearm, which caused it to go off.

The friends were "trying to figure out where" they were when they pulled up to the house, which had no lights on, according to Jacob Haynes, who was in the back seat of Walsh's car when Gillis was shot.

Haynes stated in her testimony on Thursday, "We knew we were not at the right house." A loud noise was reported by the group of friends as they started to back out of the driveway.

Blake Walsh claimed trying to save girlfriend's life

A friend reported hearing gunfire, while another used the back window of the car to see a man brandishing a gun from the porch of the house.

Walsh said he heard two gunshots and inquired about the safety of his friends. Slumped over and silent, Gillis was not responding, but Hayes and Alexandra Whiting, who was also seated in the back seat, seemed fine.

They had to turn around and get cell service again several miles down the road before they could call for assistance. According to Hayes, he attempted to halt Gillis' bleeding at the site of her gunshot wound by placing his hand against her neck.

While they waited for authorities to arrive, a dispatcher gave them CPR instructions over the phone; however, by the time they arrived, medics were unable to revive her, as per Fox News.

The defense argued that no signs were directing the group to Monahan's property on private property. Testimony indicated that before they started driving to the party, a few of them had been either drinking or smoking marijuana.

Only a few days had passed since a similar incident in Kansas City, where 16-year-old Black Ralph Yarl was shot and killed by an 84-year-old White man after Yarl went to the wrong house to pick up his younger brother. There was national interest in the two cases.