Kentucky sheriff arrested in fatal shooting of district judge inside courthouse, state police say

By Cindy Von Quednow and Artemis Moshtaghian, CNN

(CNN) — A Kentucky sheriff has been arrested Thursday in connection with the fatal shooting of a district judge inside a courthouse, Kentucky State Police said.

District Judge Kevin Mullins, 54, was found with multiple gunshots and he was pronounced dead at the scene, state police said.

A preliminary investigation found Letcher County Sheriff Shawn M. Stines shot Mullins after an argument inside the judge’s chambers, according to state police.

Stines has been charged with one count of first-degree murder, state police added. CNN is trying to determine whether Stines has retained an attorney.

“There is far too much violence in this world, and I pray there is a path to a better tomorrow,” Gov. Andy Beshear said in a Facebook post.

The shooting took place at the Letcher County courthouse in Whitesburg, Kentucky, Kentucky State Police Trooper Matt Gayheart said at a Thursday evening news conference.

While other people were in the building at the time, no one else was inside the judge’s chambers and no other injuries were reported.

Stines turned himself in after the shooting and was arrested at the scene without incident. He is cooperating with authorities, Gayheart said. It is unclear who will take over as sheriff of the county following his arrest.

There are cameras inside the building and all witnesses will be interviewed, the trooper added.

“This community is small in nature, and we’re all shook,” Gayheart said about the shooting.

Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman indicated Thursday his office will work with Jackie Steele, the commonwealth’s attorney for the 27th Judicial Circuit, as special prosecutors on the case.

“We will fully investigate and pursue justice,” Coleman said.

As a result of the shooting, circuit and district courts, as well as the office of the circuit court clerk will be closed until operations can resume, Kentucky Courts officials said Thursday.

The Kentucky Court of Justice is aware of the “tragic” incident in Letcher County, the court said in a statement on Facebook.

“We are currently in contact with law enforcement agencies, including Kentucky State Police, and are offering our full support during this difficult time,” the statement read.

In a statement, Kentucky Supreme Court Chief Justice Laurance B. VanMeter said he was “shocked” by Mullins’ killing and the court was left “shaken.”

“My prayers are with his family and the Letcher County community as they try to process and mourn this tragic loss,” VanMeter said.

Matt Butler, commonwealth’s attorney for Letcher County, will be recusing himself from the prosecution of the sheriff because his wife is the sister of Mullins’ wife, Butler said in a statement Thursday evening.

“We all know each other here. For example, anyone from Letcher County would tell you that Judge Mullins and I married a pair of sisters and that we have children who are first cousins but act like siblings,” Butler said.

“Please pray for Judge Mullins’ family and my children. Ian and Ivy have cried and cried and begged to see their uncle,” he added. “My community is completely devastated.”

Butler said the prosecution will be handled by the Attorney General’s staff and Jackie Steele, the prosecutor for Laurel and Knox counties.

What we know about Mullins and Stines

Mullins served as a district judge for Kentucky’s 47th District Court in Letcher County since being appointed by former Gov. Steve Beshear in 2009, according to the Associated Press. He was elected a year later, then re-elected in 2014 and again 2022.

Before his judicial appointment, Mullins served as assistant commonwealth’s attorney in Letcher County and primarily focused on drug-related offenses, according to CNN affiliate WKYT. He was admitted to the bar in 1995.

The district judge started promoting substance abuse treatment for people involved in the justice system in 2010, according to Kentucky nonprofit SOAR. Hundreds have been sent to inpatient drug treatment centers through his help, the Associated Press reported.

Addiction Recovery Care, which provides residential and outpatient drug and alcohol addiction treatment in Eastern and Central Kentucky, began to work closely with Mullins in 2018 to provide accelerated access to treatment through a community liaison in the courthouse, according to SOAR. The program was adopted in at least 50 counties in Kentucky, the AP reported. He was also the founding member of an opioid recovery support team.

Stines was first elected as sheriff in 2018 and then re-elected in 2022. Earlier this month, the sheriff highlighted the agency’s work, including recent drug busts.

“Thank you to the awesome citizens of Letcher County, for allowing us to serve you and providing us with information to help catch fugitives and assisting us with getting drugs off our streets,” Stines wrote in a Facebook post on September 4.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

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CNN’s Shirin Faqiri and Dalia Faheid contributed to this report.