Crown challenges Peter Khill

We start with the second-degree murder trial of Binbrook man Peter Khill. The defence began its case today in Hamilton with Khill taking the stand.

He told jurors his side of the story, saying he acted in self defense when he shot and killed Jon Styres twice with a shotgun.

Speaking calmly from the witness stand Peter Khill said his training as a military reservist kicked in, as he loaded his shotgun and went outside as he put it “to neutralize a threat”.

Much like he did in that 911 call, Peter Khill describes it as a life or death situation, telling jurors “I felt that I was being threatened”.

He says when he heard a noise in the middle of the night and saw a light in his truck, he got his shotgun from the bedroom closet removed the trigger lock and loaded two shells.

It was three in the morning in February 2016 and dressed in boxer shorts, a t-shirt and bare feet. He went outside and around the back of his pickup truck.

Saying he could only make out a silhouette in the darkness in the open passenger doorway

Demonstrating loudly for the jury how he yelled “Hey hands up”

Khill says that’s when Jon Styres turned around and as soon as he thought he had a gun he fired twice aiming at “the centre of mass” as he was trained to do.

One shot gun blast hit Styres in the middle of the chest, the other in the back of his right arm. before entering his chest.

As he says he thought Styres trying to steal his 15 year old pickup truck.

Khill’s defense lawyer telling jurors “This is a case about self defense. It wasn’t a matter of going outside to protect a truck, he acted to protect his life”

Under cross examination, the crown asked why Khill didn’t just call 911, saying it would have been the reasonable thing to do.

Khill said that it was “instinctive”, that was falling back on his military training. Saying he was worried someone could get into the house within seconds.

The crown challenging him, saying the victim could have been teenager, and that it was more likely Khill had startled Styres, saying “the moment he started to move you shot him”