Investigators are working to uncover the motive behind the fatal shooting of District Judge Kevin Mullins by Letcher County Sheriff Shawn M. Stines following an argument in the judge’s chambers, Kentucky State Police report.
Judge Mullins, 54, was found with multiple gunshot wounds around 3 p.m. on Thursday at the Letcher County courthouse in Whitesburg, Kentucky. He was pronounced dead at the scene, according to Kentucky State Police Trooper Matt Gayheart. Preliminary findings indicate that the altercation between Mullins and Stines, 43, escalated, leading to the shooting. Stines has been charged with first-degree murder.
Stines surrendered immediately after the incident and was arrested without resistance. He is cooperating with the investigation, though it remains unclear who will take over as sheriff during his absence. Stines has served as Letcher County sheriff for about eight years.
“This is a close-knit community, and we’re all shaken,” Gayheart said during a press conference, emphasizing that no one else was in the judge’s chambers during the incident, and no additional injuries were reported. Law enforcement believes the shooting was an isolated event, and there is no ongoing threat to the public.
Authorities have yet to disclose the nature of the argument that led to the shooting, with the investigation ongoing. “We’re still trying to get answers about what triggered the confrontation and what happened just before the shots were fired,” Gayheart added.
This tragedy comes just weeks after southeastern Kentucky was struck by a shooting along an interstate in Laurel County, where five people were wounded. Only days before the courthouse shooting, a Russell County deputy was killed in the line of duty.
“There is far too much violence in this world, and I pray for a better tomorrow,” Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said in a statement.
Profiles of the Two Men Involved
Judge Kevin Mullins, a resident of Jackhorn, had served as the district judge for Kentucky’s 47th District Court since his appointment in 2009 by former Governor Steve Beshear. After his initial appointment, Mullins was elected to the position in 2010 and subsequently re-elected in 2014, 2018, and 2022.
Prior to his time on the bench, Mullins served as an assistant commonwealth’s attorney, primarily focusing on drug-related offenses. He was admitted to the bar in 1995. Since 2010, he had been a strong advocate for substance abuse treatment programs within the justice system, helping send hundreds of individuals to inpatient drug treatment facilities. He was also instrumental in launching an opioid recovery support initiative.
Mullins worked closely with Addiction Recovery Care, a nonprofit providing addiction treatment in Eastern and Central Kentucky. In 2018, he helped introduce a program allowing faster access to treatment, which was later adopted in over 50 counties across the state.
Sheriff Shawn M. Stines was first elected to his role in 2018 and re-elected in 2022. He was an active leader in the community, particularly in drug enforcement. Just earlier this month, Stines praised his department’s efforts in multiple drug busts, writing on Facebook, “Thank you to the awesome citizens of Letcher County for helping us capture fugitives and get drugs off the streets.”
As investigators continue to piece together what led to this tragic event, the community is left mourning two prominent local figures whose lives have been forever altered.