UNITED STATES NEWS

Woman shot after wrong turn had hopes, dreams, father says

Apr 19, 2023, 2:52 PM | Updated: 5:52 pm

FORT EDWARD, N.Y. (AP) — The father whose 20-year-old daughter was fatally shot after she and her friends got lost and drove to the wrong house in rural upstate New York raged Wednesday at the man who pulled the trigger.

“For this man to sit on his porch and fire at a car with no threat is just … it angers me so badly,” said Andrew Gillis, whose daughter Kaylin Gillis was killed Saturday. “And I just hope to God that he dies in jail.”

The anguished father spoke at the courthouse after a hearing in which the man accused of killing Kaylin Gillis, Kevin Monahan, was denied bail by a judge. Monahan, 65, appeared in court with a jacket, tie and shackles. He answered questions from the judge, but mostly sat quietly.

“My daughter was an honor student. She had hopes and dreams of … becoming a marine biologist or a veterinarian,” Andrew Gillis told reporters, his voice cracking with emotion. “She loved animals. And this man took that away from us.”

Gillis, her boyfriend Blake Walsh and their friends got lost while going to another friend’s nearby house. They were driving two cars and a motorcycle when they turned into Monahan’s long, dirt driveway in the town of Hebron, near the Vermont border.

As they realized the mistake and turned around, Monahan fired with a shotgun, authorities said.

Andrew Gillis said Walsh, who wanted to marry his daughter, blamed himself for the tragedy.

“The first time I saw Blake after this happened, he said, ’It’s all my fault,'” he said. “And I said, ‘No, it’s no one’s fault except for that man that pulled the trigger. You guys had no idea that something that bad could happen on a backcountry road.’”

Assistant District Attorney Christian Morris described Monahan in court as “confrontational and hot-tempered.” He said Monahan recently caused a scene at a local department of motor vehicles office. Monahan also had a 1980 misdemeanor and a 2001 aggravated assault with a weapon charge in Vermont that was later dismissed, the prosecutor said.

Morris said other charges are possible against Monahan, including attempted murder.

Monahan’s attorney, Kurt Mausert, told the judge the 1980 misdemeanor was for a driving while intoxicated and that his client had no penal law convictions. He said his client should not be judged on rumor and innuendo.

Mausert has previously called law enforcement’s version of the events a “superficial, simplistic” account of what actually happened.

After court, Andrew Gillis said the loss of Kaylin is being felt by his wife and Kaylin’s two younger sisters. He also recalled his daughter leaving that day, grabbing her bathing suit with plans to go in the hot tub at her boyfriend’s house that night.

“If anything I’m thankful for,” he said, “is that I got to tell her that I love her before she walked out the door.”

United States News

Associated Press

The US is restricting visas for nearly 300 Guatemalan lawmakers, others for ‘undermining democracy’

MIAMI (AP) — The Biden administration announced on Monday that it would impose visa restrictions on nearly 300 Guatemalan lawmakers, private sector leaders and their families it accuses of “undermining democracy and the rule of law.” Guatemala faces mounting criticism by world leaders and watchdogs accusing it of attempts to block progressive president-elect Bernardo Arévalo […]

26 minutes ago

Associated Press

Texas woman who sought court permission for abortion leaves state for the procedure, attorneys say

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A pregnant Texas woman who sought court permission for an abortion in an unprecedented challenge to one of the most restrict bans in the U.S. has left the state to obtain the procedure, her attorneys said Monday. The announced came as Kate Cox, 31, was awaiting a ruling from the Texas […]

1 hour ago

Associated Press

Ramaswamy was the target of death threats in New Hampshire that led to FBI arrest, campaign says

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — A New Hampshire man has been accused of sending text messages threatening to kill a presidential candidate ahead of a scheduled campaign event Monday, federal prosecutors said. The U.S. Attorney’s office did not name the candidate. However, a spokesperson for Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy said Monday that the texts were directed […]

2 hours ago

Associated Press

Man filmed wielding folding chair in riverfront brawl pleads guilty to misdemeanor

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — A man filmed swinging a folding chair during an Alabama riverfront brawl this summer pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor disorderly conduct charge Monday. The guilty plea resolved the last of the charges brought in connection with the brawl. The man was ordered to perform community service and given a suspended sentence. […]

2 hours ago

Associated Press

Bronze top hat missing from Abraham Lincoln statue in Kentucky

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Abraham Lincoln’s top hat is missing from a bronze sculpture along the Ohio River in Louisville, Kentucky. The sculptor, Ed Hamilton, posted photos of his artwork at Waterfront Park on Facebook on Saturday and said someone stole the hat from the sculpture. “They had to be strong and determined to pry […]

2 hours ago

Researchers from NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center inspected a 52-foot-long female fin whale ...

Associated Press

52-foot-long dead fin whale washes up on San Diego beach; cause of death unclear

SAN DIEGO (AP) — A 52-foot-long (16-meter-long) dead fin whale washed up on a San Diego beach over the weekend and officials said there was no obvious sign of the cause of death. The young female whale was found Sunday in Mission Beach and was later towed out to sea, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported. […]

2 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

Follow @KTAR923...

Valley residents should be mindful of plumbing ahead of holidays

With Halloween in the rear-view and more holidays coming up, Day & Night recommends that Valley residents prepare accordingly.

...

Dierdre Woodruff

Interest rates may have peaked. Should you buy a CD, high-yield savings account, or a fixed annuity?

Interest rates are the highest they’ve been in decades, and it looks like the Fed has paused hikes. This may be the best time to lock in rates for long-term, low-risk financial products like fixed annuities.

Follow @KTAR923...

West Hunsaker at Morris Hall supports Make-A-Wish Foundation in Arizona

KTAR's Community Spotlight this month focuses on Morris Hall and its commitment to supporting the Make-A-Wish Foundation in Arizona.

Woman shot after wrong turn had hopes, dreams, father says