Peter Khill faces a charge of second-degree murder in the death of 29-year-old Jonathan Styres of Six Nations, who was shot and killed at Khill’s home in Binbrook in 2016.
In court, Crown prosecutor Sean Doherty said he expects the evidence will establish that “Styres lost his life at the hands of Peter Khill over a pickup truck, an old pickup truck.”
Doherty told the jury that “bangs rang out” outside Khill’s home the night of the killing. He said “Khill looked out his bedroom window… there were lights on inside his truck.”
Doherty says Khill “then went and retrieved his shotgun, not his phone to call 911” but got his “shotgun, loaded it, still did not call 911” but “left through the back door to confront the man trying to steal his truck.” He said “moments later Mr. Styres was dead, lying on his back in the driveway” with “a shotgun blast to his chest and his right arm.”
In a brief address, defence lawyer Jeffrey Manishen told the jury “it is admitted by Mr. Khill” that “he shot Jonathan Styres twice with a shotgun” and that “Styres died as a direct result of injuries as a result of having been shot.”
The Crown introduced exhibits from the scene that will be used in evidence, including shotgun shells in the drawer of a nightstand beside the bed in Khill’s master bedroom.
A real estate business card was found in Styres pocket had Highway 56 written on it. The shooting happened on Highway 56 in Binbrook.
A door handle on the truck had been “punched,” with the ignition damaged as if someone was trying to steal it.
Judge Andrew Goodman also delivered opening remarks to the jury, telling them it’s “not Khill’s job to prove that he’s innocent.” Instead, the Crown must prove his guilt “beyond a reasonable doubt.”
A Hamilton police officer who was first on the scene testified Monday afternoon. He described getting down on his knees in the heavy mud of the driveway beside the pickup to give CPR to Styres, but it was fruitless. He says there was never a pulse from Styres as he lay beside the pickup with his injuries from the shotgun.
The judge is hoping this trial will be completed in three weeks.
