In the small Appalachian town of Whitesburg, Kentucky, a chilling event unfolded within the very halls of justice, leaving a community in shock and mourning. On September 19, 2024, the life of 54-year-old District Judge Kevin Russell Mullins was abruptly ended. The male judge was fatally shot inside his own chambers at the Letcher County Courthouse.
The man arrested and charged with the murder was a familiar face in the courthouse and the community, Letcher County Sheriff Shawn M. 'Mickey' Stines, who was 43 at the time. The preliminary investigation indicated that the shooting followed an argument between the two men. According to reports, Stines and Judge Mullins had been seen eating lunch with a group of people just hours before the fatal encounter. Later that day, security footage reportedly shows Stines entering the judge's chambers. After others left the room, Stines closed the door, and minutes later, the shooting occurred.
In the immediate aftermath, Stines surrendered to the police at the scene without incident. He was charged with one count of first-degree murder and later indicted on a charge of murder of a public official. He has since pleaded not guilty. While the motive remains officially undisclosed by investigators, Stines' attorney has suggested the shooting was not premeditated and happened in the 'heat of passion.'
The incident has left the community searching for answers, trying to comprehend how a dispute between two of its prominent public servants could escalate to such a tragic conclusion. Just days before the shooting, Sheriff Stines had been deposed in a federal lawsuit involving a former deputy accused of sexual misconduct that allegedly took place within the judge's chambers. However, Judge Mullins was not a party to this lawsuit. Following the shooting, Stines resigned from his position as sheriff.
