OCALA, Fla. (Court TV) — Former Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputy Leslie Boileau took the stand to testify about the night he says he unintentionally killed his girlfriend, Polina Wright, with a single gunshot wound to the head in his home.
Boileau, 33, who worked as a patrol deputy for eight years before being terminated following the incident, told the jury he and Wright had been dating for two years after meeting on a dating app. He described Wright as a great person who was modest, respectful and loyal, and said she encouraged him to be a better person.
Former deputy Leslie Boileau testifies in his manslaughter trial on Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025. (Court TV)
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Boileau testified that on September 19, 2024, he and Wright spent the day together, going to lunch at Longhorn Steakhouse, shopping at Target and TJ Maxx, and then returning home. That evening, they went to a Mexican restaurant where they consumed three alcoholic drinks each during a two-for-one special.
After returning home around 8:30 p.m., Boileau said he began cleaning his AR-15 rifle while Wright sat nearby wearing only a blanket. He testified that Wright became curious about the firearms, and he began showing her how to handle his service handgun, demonstrating dry-fire exercises and basic operation.
Boileau told the court he was performing a function test on the rifle when the fatal shot occurred. He testified that he was cradling the weapon in his arms, listening for a clicking sound as part of the test procedure, when he pulled the trigger a second time.
The former deputy said he was looking at the television, not at Wright, when the gun discharged. He immediately called 911 after realizing Wright had been shot.
Under cross-examination, prosecutor Assistant State Attorney Tucker O’Neill pressed Boileau on his handling of the loaded weapons. Boileau acknowledged that the rifle was in his possession and control when it fired, that he intentionally pulled the trigger, and that he was familiar with basic firearm safety rules from his law enforcement training.
When asked by his lawyer if he intended to shoot Wright, Boileau responded that he did not. He also said he did not intend to discharge the weapon and thought it would only click.
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The medical examiner previously testified that the bullet’s path went into Wright’s forehead and out the back of her head. She also had a gunshot wound on her hand, suggesting the round went through her hand before it entered her head.
Former deputy Leslie Boileau testifies in his manslaughter trial on Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025. (Court TV)
During jury questioning, Boileau said he didn’t know why she raised her hand. He also clarified that he had consumed three drinks, not six, and that he had never cleaned guns in front of Wright before that night. He also testified that pointing guns at each other was not part of law enforcement training.
A juror also asked Boileau why he initially told police he forgot his rifle was loaded if he now says otherwise. Boileau said he didn’t recall telling police he knew the firearm was loaded and said he may have misspoke while trying to make sense of what happened.
Another juror asked what he meant when he said he “knew better” and “shouldn’t have let this happen.”
“I should have changed something to not let this happen,” Boileau responded, like he shouldn’t have been sitting across from her.
The defense rested its case following Boileau’s testimony.
This story was reported by Emanuella Grinberg and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
