On Dec. 30, 2018, Kinser was shot and killed during a home invasion at his apartment on North First Street. A 14-year-old also was injured in the shooting.
During the trial, the defense argued that Gillilan was legally defending himself at the time of the shooting. They said Kinser was a drug dealer and fired at Gillilan first after a drug deal fell through.
Three other men were charged in the home invasion. Jason Churchill and Daniel Simone were charged with murder, felonious assault, aggravated robbery, aggravated burglary, possession of criminal tools and having weapons while under disability charges, according to court records. Simone was charged with improper handling of a firearm in a motor vehicle as well.
Dante English was charged with tampering with evidence, insurance fraud, possession of criminal tools and arson.
During the sentencing hearing Friday afternoon, Kinser’s mother spoke to the judge and said her son was a piece of her heart that is now gone forever. She said that Kinser was a caring, funny person and that he is missed by his friends and family.
She asked Judge Richard Skelton to sentence Gillilan to the maximum sentence — more than 55-years-to-life in prison. The minimum Gillilan faced after the conviction was 21 years to life in prison.
Gillilan also spoke during the hearing, saying that he was sorry to the victims and their families.
Skelton said during the hearing that he had trouble getting past that Gillilan, who was not legally allowed to carry a gun, brought a firearm to a marijuana drug deal and said that it’s possible he went into the apartment with bad intentions.
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