Court delays execution of inmate who slipped through cracks

126775565_web1_126775565-9f7a67dbf0974eb18fdc58e1e99c0781

Biden making new moves on guns, including naming ATF boss

WEST PITTSTON — Homicide suspect Peter Jonathan Gillis’ home surveillance camera recorded him fatally shooting Robert Francis Kile Sr. at the end of his driveway on Route 92 on June 19, 2020.

The video was played during Gillis’ preliminary hearing before District Judge Joseph Carmody Thursday.

While several trees obscured the video, it clearly shows Gillis, 57, shooting Kile, 57, three times with a .223-caliber rifle before discharging seven more rounds into the body.

Was it self defense as Gillis claims or an intentional shooting?

A jury will decide as Carmody forwarded an open count of criminal homicide and a single count of reckless endangerment to Luzerne County Court.

Gillis’ attorney, Bernard Brown, believes the case, at best, should be voluntary manslaughter as he claims Kile repeatedly threatened to “shoot” Gillis over a longstanding property dispute.

State police Trooper Shaun Flynn testified an autopsy revealed Kile suffered 10 gunshot wounds, which Brown suggested some wounds were caused by bullets ricocheting.

Kile was an Exeter Township supervisor and second assistant fire chief at Mt. Zion Bicentennial Fire Company at the time of his death.

<strong>Witness testimony</strong>

Nicholas Hosier said he was driving with his boss on Route 92 and noticed Kile on the side of the road with his hands in the air and another person holding a rifle.

“I witnessed Mr. Kile getting shot, Mr. Kile had his hands in the air,” Hosier said.

Hosier said his boss turned around and they reported the shooting to police.

Exeter Township Police Chief William Knowles, now retired, testified he responded and found Kile on the ground with his stepdaughter kneeling over him. Knowles said he took Gillis into custody while police Sgt. Charles Neff recovered the rifle from inside Gillis’ residence.

Knowles said Gillis and Kile, who lived across from each other on Route 92, were engaged in a property dispute.

Flynn testified Kile purchased property from Gillis’ brother, Eric Gillis, but Gillis would not let anyone onto the property despite the change in ownership.

On the day Kile was killed, Kile was splitting wood when Gillis confronted him.

<strong>Footage shown</strong>

Assistant district attorneys Thomas Hogans, Carl Frank and Kyle Scanlon played footage recorded by Gillis’ surveillance camera showing him driving away to confront Kile. Flynn testified during the playing of the video.

Gillis returns and enters his residence as the video recorded Kile parking his pickup truck at the end of Gillis’ driveway.

Kile exits his truck and walks in front of the vehicle when Gillis emerges, shooting him, Flynn said.

On cross examination by Brown, Flynn acknowledged that a tree obscures Kile’s hands — that Brown believes were “on something” before he raises his arms when Gillis approached him with the rifle.

After the shooting, a family member of Kile moved his truck from Gillis’ driveway but Flynn said the truck was moved to make way for emergency responders.

No weapon was found on Kile or in his truck, Flynn said, noting a closed pocket knife was located in Kile’s pocket.

Knowles said when he took Gillis into custody, Gillis uttered, “He wouldn’t leave the property. I had to shoot him.” Flynn said Gillis invoked his right to an attorney that ended an attempt to question him at the state police barracks.

As Flynn walked out of the interview room, he said Gillis stated, “He had to act in self defense.”

Gillis remains jailed at the county correctional facility without bail.

Fatal shooting of Exeter Township supervisor recorded by suspect’s surveillance camera