A Philadelphia man who objected to having a gay person in the family home – which he referred to as a “house of God” – is on trial for shooting his stepfather to death.

Christian A. Smith, 23, is on trial for murdering Dennis McKenzie, 43, in Woolwich Township, in Gloucester County, in the eastern US state of New Jersey on 9th October.

The defendant was temporarily staying with his mother and stepfather and a celebration was taking place on the day of the killing. according to local media outlet NJ.

Assistant Prosecutor Dana Anton is quoted by the newspaper as saying that one of Smith’s relatives brought a friend to the house, with the defendant objecting to the unnamed friend’s sexual orientation. The prosecutor added: “He made it known to his stepfather that he did not approve of that person coming into their house … that their house was a house of God.”

The prosecutor also said that the defendant had used an anti-gay insult at the time and an argument had broken out between McKenzie and Smith.

Anton added: “The stepfather took a swing at Mr Smith and, I believe, maybe superficially hit him.

“In response to that, Mr Smith took out a Glock 19 that was in his waistband and shot him three times.”

The prosecutor also said that “This argument that preceded the murder, it started over an act of bias and an act of bias intimidation where he is using a slur about somebody’s sexual orientation.”

The next court date, a pre-indictment hearing, is set for 2nd December.