The man accused of shooting and killing a 20-year-old female passenger in a car that made a wrong turn in his Washington County driveway was denied bail on Wednesday and remains jailed.
Kevin Monahan is charged with second-degree murder in the shooting death of Kaylin Gillis of Schuylerville, police said.
Washington County District Attorney Tony Jordan argued the 65-year-old has proven to be impulsive, and Jordan believes Monahan could flee amid mounting pressure from the public and news media.
Monahan’s attorney disputed the claims, saying his client has been a longtime resident with too many ties to his community of Hebron.
It was a challenging day for friends and family in the courtroom who are mourning Gillis and still processing the tragic events from Saturday night.
Andrew Gillis, the father of Kaylin Gillis, unexpectadly spoke with reporters after Wednesday’s court hearing. While he supported the ruling, he was overcome by emotions.
“Our family is going through an awful, awful time at this moment," Andrew Gillis said. "Kaylin was an amazing young lady. We all loved her so much. She was so kind. We’re just at a loss at this moment.”
Police say Kaylin Gillis was riding in a car with friends Saturday night in rural Hebron, looking for a friend's house when they pulled into Monahan’s driveway on Patterson Hill Road in Hebron. It was the wrong driveway, according to authorities.
Neighbors told police the car had been in the driveway a short period of time and was leaving, but Monahan fired two shots at the vehicle.
Investigators say a bullet struck Kaylin Gillis. With limited cell service in the area, the group of friends quickly drove to an area five miles away, where they found cell phone service and called for help.
It was too late.
It’s unclear why Monahan decided to open fire. Washington County Sheriff Jeffery Murphy said neither Kaylin Gillis nor her friends exited the vehicle, and none exchanged words with Monahan.
"That evening and morning, 40-some members of law enforcement responded to assist in the investigation, so the amount of evidence that’s been gathered, the material that has to be reviewed and processed, is significant, and based on that, if appropriate, additional charges will be filed," Jordan said.