Letcher County Sheriff Mickey Stines has been charged with first-degree murder after shooting and killing a judge in his chambers Thursday afternoon. The deadly altercation occurred at the Letcher County Courthouse in Whitesburg, a small Kentucky town.
Judge Kevin Mullins, 54, was found with multiple gunshot wounds by state police responding to a 911 call shortly before 3 p.m. Despite attempts to revive him, Mullins was declared dead at the scene. The Kentucky State Police provided an update, explaining that the shooting followed an argument between Stines, 43, and Mullins.
Sheriff Stines turned himself in to authorities immediately following the incident. He was taken to a local jail without resistance and has been cooperating with investigators. Trooper Matt Gayheart described the incident as isolated and assured the public there was no ongoing danger.
“This community is small in nature, and we’re all shook,” Gayheart stated, underlining the impact of the event on the close-knit town.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) responded to the shooting on social media, condemning the violence and urging for a solution to the rising incidents of violence. Attorney General Russell Coleman promised that his office would work alongside local prosecutors to seek justice for Mullins.
Judge Mullins had served the community as part of the 47th Judicial District since 2010 and had recently been named to a state mental health judicial commission. Sheriff Stines, who has been in office since 2018, was re-elected in 2022. Investigators are still working to determine the exact cause of the fatal dispute.
