Peter Khill murder trial day 3

Jon Styres was within a few feet of Peter Khill’s truck when he was hit, at close range, by the two shot gun blasts that killed him. The t-shirt Styres was wearing that night show a two inch hole in the chest where he was hit by the shot gun blast and his hoodie shows the other shot, to the back of his right shoulder.

A firearms expert told the jury today, “the shot was close”. Saying the shotgun was less than 12 feet from Styres when it was fired.

The jury also heard from blood pattern expert Collin Hoare, a retired detective from Niagara. He testified that even though Styres was wearing 5 layers of clothing that night, he found almost 90 small blood stains on the back passenger door of Khill’s truck and across the passenger seat and floor. He said the pattern indicates Styres was within 4 or 5 feet of the truck, in the open doorway and was fully or partially turned towards the inside when he was shot.

The jury has already heard evidence from Melinda Benko, Khill’s wife who said a loud noise woke her up around 3 in the morning on February 4th 2016. When she looked out the bedroom window she saw someone in the passenger seat of the truck and Khill went outside with his shotgun.

Styres body was found lying in the muddy driveway next to the 15-year old pickup truck, the passenger door was open, the lock punched in and the ignition damaged. A knife was found clipped to the inside of Styres jeans pocket.

The jury has heard in the 911 call from that night that Khill say that it was pitch black and it looked like Styres was going to shoot him, so he shot him. Styres did not have a gun.

The jury is back Monday and will hear testimony from a pathologist.