A 26-year-old former Canadian Armed Forces reservist and Mohawk College honours student charged with second-degree murder will learn Thursday whether he will be released on bail.

Assistant Crown attorney Jim Vincelli opposed bail for Peter Khill (pronounced Kay-Hill) in a full-day bail hearing Friday before Ontario Superior Court Justice Jane Milanetti.

Khill's counsel, Michael McArthur of Simcoe, Ont., is seeking the bail release of the mechanical technician and licensed millwright.

After hearing the evidence and submissions, Milanetti said she will deliver her decision Thursday. A publication ban prevents the evidence from being reported.

Khill was charged and placed in custody Feb. 4 in connection with the fatal early-morning shotgun shooting of Jon Styres, 29, of Ohsweken, outside the accused's rural Glanbrook home on Highway 56.

Police have said the shooting occurred after Khill intercepted a possible theft of his pickup truck from his driveway. Styres, a father of two young children, was pronounced dead on the scene.

The public got their first in-person glimpse of Khill on Friday.

He is about 6-feet-tall, with a medium build, weighing about 175 pounds. Khill has a dark complexion, short, black hair and medium-length sideburns. He wore a black windbreaker with the collar up and sported a day's worth of facial hair.

For the most part, he showed no emotion and faced straight ahead without acknowledging a dozen family members and friends in the gallery.

On the other side of the court sat a handful of Styres' family members and supporters.

Vincelli declined a chance to speak about the case outside of court.

McArthur said outside of court the case will be a "classic self-defence, defence-of- property" scenario.

"To me, this comes down to a moment-in-time type of case."

McArthur said the case is "absolutely tragic. It's tragic for the deceased; this isn't a situation where anyone is feeling good about what happened. It's probably a situation where there will be some real lessons to be learned her, probably on both sides of the fence."

McArthur said he "feels good" about the prospect of securing his client's release Thursday.

"We think it is in line with the case law. I think Peter has shown a real maturity and is a responsible individual, otherwise. I think he is just a fine young man," he said.

McArthur said jail "has been tough" for his client, who has no previous record, became a first-time homeowner last July, and has a stellar work record.

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"It's something he has never seen in life. To experience this is a real major dunk in the tank right now."

Speaking about his client's envious background as an award-winning student, respected neighbour, and ambitious employee, McArthur noted his client "is the son everyone wants."