Mugshot/GoFundMe Kevin Monahan (l) and Kaylin Gillis (r)
Kevin Monahan is the homeowner accused of shooting 20-year-old Kaylin Gillis to death on April 15, 2023, in the Town of Salem, New York, after the car she was in mistakenly turned into the wrong driveway, according to the Washington County Sheriff’s Department.
The Washington County Sheriff’s Department identified the suspect as Kevin D. Monahan, 65.
The department gave his address as Patterson Hill Road Hebron, New York. “Monahan was arrested and charged with Murder in the 2nd degree. He was then transferred to the Warren County Jail to be held,” a Sheriff’s Department news release says.
“Kaylin A. Gillis, 20, left this world far before her time, her hopes and dreams left with her, due to a senseless act, on Saturday, April 15, 2023,” Gillis’s obituary reads. “Kaylin lit up any room she was in, and she was the glue of her family. She was loyal, outgoing, beautiful, and smart, it was a part of her natural instincts to always do the next right thing.”
The shooting bears some similarities to an unrelated shooting in Kansas City, Missouri, in which a homeowner, Andrew Lester, is accused of shooting a teenager, Ralph Yarl, whose family says he mistakenly came to the wrong house and rang the doorbell while picking up his siblings. Yarl survived his wounds, and Lester, 84, has also been criminally charged.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. The Sheriff Says 911 Calls Reported That Shots Were Fired ‘From a Residence’
According to Sheriff Jeffrey J. Murphy, in a news release, on April 15, 2023 at approximately 9:53 p.m., the Washington County Sheriff’s Office “responded to a report of a female that had possibly been shot near Cemetery Road in the Town of Salem.”
“As patrols responded to the scene, additional 911 calls came in reporting that shots had been fired from a residence on Patterson Hill Road in the Town of Hebron,” the news release continued.
“Upon arriving at the first scene on Cemetery Road, Deputies discovered a female who had been in a vehicle and was a victim of a gunshot wound. She was identified as Kaylin A. Gillis, age 20 of Schuylerville, New York. She was pronounced deceased at the scene.”
2. Authorities Accused Kevin Monahan of Firing Shots After a Vehicle Kaylin Gillis Was In ‘Mistakenly Pulled Into the Driveway’
Through the preliminary investigation, the sheriff’s release says, “it was learned that the vehicle the victim was in mistakenly pulled into the driveway at the Patterson Hill Road address. The homeowner fired at least two shots, one of which struck the victim while she was a passenger in a vehicle,” the release says.
“Through investigative efforts it was determined that the person who fired the shots was Kevin D. Monahan,” the release says.
“Monahan was uncooperative with the investigation and refused to exit his residence to speak with police. He was later taken into custody with the assistance of the New York State Police Special Operation Response Team after several hours.”
3. A GoFundMe Page Says Kaylin Gillis Was ‘Traveling With Friends When They Mistakenly Turned Into the Wrong Driveway’
GoFundMeKaylin Gillis
On Saturday, April 15, 2023, Kaylin Gillis “lost her life in a tragic shooting in Upstate NY,” the GoFundMe said.
“Kaylin just turned 20-years-old. She was traveling with friends when they mistakenly turned into the wrong driveway. As they were leaving in the vehicle, the homeowner opened fire upon their car and Kaylin was struck and killed,” the GoFundMe page says.
“On behalf of the Gillis family, we would like to thank everyone who has offered their love and prayers as they embark on this incredibly difficult journey of grief and healing,” it says.
“The dollars raised through this fund will go directly to the Gillis family for use toward Kaylin’s funeral expenses and any immediate financial needs,” according to the GoFundMe page.
“Again, thank you for your support of this incredible family. Your kindness, prayers and love are felt by the Gillis family and everyone in the community that has suffered this tragic loss,” the page says.
4. Kevin Monahan Owns a Construction Business
News Channel 13 reporter Tessa Bentulan wrote on Facebook that Monahan “purchased the land for his Hebron home in 1987.”
She noted: “He built the house in 1989. He owns a construction business called, Kevin Monahan Construction.”
In 2001, Bentulan wrote, “he sued a couple for $100K after he claimed the couple did not pay him for construction work. He’s married.”
5. Kaylin Gillis, Who Loved Disney, Art & Animals, Wanted to Be a Marine Biologist
Andrew Gillis wrote on Facebook, “Friends, family, media and to those who have shown support: Kaylin was a kind, beautiful soul and a ray of light to anyone who was lucky enough to know her. She was a big sister, much loved daughter, devoted friend, and partner to her loving boyfriend.”
He wrote:
She was just beginning to find her way in the world with kindness, humor, and love. Kaylin was a talented artist, an honor student, a Disney fanatic, and loved animals. She was looking forward to starting college in Florida to pursue her dream of becoming a marine biologist. She was taken from us far too soon, and we are devastated. Our family will never be the same but we will be guided by Kaylin’s positivity, optimism, and joy as we learn to live with her loss.
Our family would like to send sincere thanks to the thousands of other people and other families who’ve expressed their support in this difficult time. Your well wishes and prayers are deeply appreciated, have been heard and will carry us through this difficult journey. We ask for privacy as our family grieves the loss of our beloved daughter, and focuses on celebrating her short but beautiful life.
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