Kentucky sheriff accused of murdering judge; community in shock

LETCHER COUNTY, Ky. (WYMT/WKYT) - An eastern Kentucky community is in a state of shock: their sheriff accused of murdering their district judge.

Police say the motive is still under investigation, but people in the town of Whitesburg say it's simply unreal to them what happened, with many knowing both the victim and the suspect.

Kentucky State Police tell us 43-year-old Sheriff "Mickey" Shawn Stines shot and killed 54-year-old District Judge Kevin Mullins inside the courthouse.

Stines is currently being held in the Leslie County Jail.

One man we spoke to told us he cut Mullins' hair, and he has known him for 10 years and cannot believe this happened to him. Another woman, who wanted her identity concealed, said she went to high school with Sheriff Stines.

"It has devastated our whole community. Both are high-profile people in the area," she said. "And in people's lives daily here. To know that both are not here, not a present, is awful."

We spoke with Special Prosecutor Jackie Steele, who said that had the sheriff been accused of killing anyone else, Judge Mullins would have presided over the case because he is the only district judge in Letcher County.

Sheriff Stines will not be arraigned until next week, and they are trying to find a special judge to preside over this case. Steele also said that it's likely a change of venue will be requested at some point in this case.

Governor Andy Beshear also addressed the situation Friday morning during a press conference for another matter:

This is a developing story.