Kevin Monahan: NY man who shot dead woman who mistakenly entered his driveway gets 25 years in prison
Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers’ discretion is advised.
SRATOGA COUNTY, NEW YORK: A man from New York, received a sentence of 25 years to life in prison for shooting and killing a woman who accidentally entered his driveway.
According to Dailymail, Kevin Monahan, 66, was found guilty of second-degree murder for the death of Kaylin Gillis on April 20, 2023.
Kaylin Gillis was in a group of two cars and a motorcycle trying to leave after mistakenly entering Monahan’s driveway while searching for a party at someone else's house in the town of Herbon.
What happened in courtroom?
On Friday, the prosecutor requested a 25-year to life prison sentence for Kevin Monahan, with added time for tampering with the murder weapon.
The defense sought leniency, while Monahan chose not to speak. Prosecutors claimed that Monahan acted out of irrational anger towards trespassers.
After less than two hours of deliberation, the jury returned guilty verdicts in January against Monahan for murder, reckless endangerment, and tampering with physical evidence.
Judge Adam Michelini asserted, “I think it’s important for people to know that it’s not ok to shoot people and have them killed for turning down your driveway.”
He emphasized the importance of keeping Monahan incarcerated to prevent further harm to others.
Kaylin Gillis' friends realized their mistake
On the night Kaylin Gillis died, the friends realized their mistake and were turning around when Monahan fired a second shot, hitting Gillis in the neck while she sat in the front passenger seat of an SUV driven by her boyfriend.
Monahan claimed the fatal shot was accidental and blamed the shotgun's defect.
He also stated he thought intruders were attacking the house about 40 miles north of Albany and fired a warning shot to scare the group away while his wife hid inside.
How did Kaylin Gillis’ loved ones react?
Andrew Gillis, father of Kaylin Gillis, described his daughter as a lover of animals who aspired to be a marine biologist or a veterinarian during Monahan's sentencing.
“Every day we wake up to the harsh reality that that she´s no longer here. We will never see her beautiful face, hear her laughter,”
Blake Walsh, her boyfriend, was driving the SUV that night. 'I will never forgive you,' he said to accuse Kevin Monahan, who remained expressionless.
