What We Know About Shawn Stines and Kevin Mullins After Kentucky Sheriff Allegedly Kills Judge in His Chambers

CNN
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Investigators are trying to determine why a Kentucky sheriff allegedly shot and killed a district judge after an argument in the judge’s chambers, according to Kentucky State Police.

District Judge Kevin Mullins, 54, was found around 3 p.m. Thursday with gunshot wounds and pronounced dead at the Letcher County Courthouse in Whitesburg, Kentucky State Trooper Matt Gayheart said at a news conference Thursday evening.

Letcher County Sheriff Shawn M. Stines, 43, whose role made him responsible for the personal safety of judges, shot Mullins after an argument in the judge’s chambers, a preliminary police investigation showed. Stines is now charged with first-degree murder, state police said. CNN is trying to determine whether Stines has an attorney.

Stines surrendered to authorities after the shooting and was arrested at the scene without incident Thursday, authorities said. He is cooperating with authorities, Gayheart said. It is not yet known who will take over as county sheriff following the arrest of Stines, who has been sheriff for about eight years.

There are cameras inside the building and all witnesses will be questioned, he said.

“This community is small by nature, and we are all shaken,” Gayheart said.

The killing comes less than two weeks after a highway shooting left five people injured in Laurel County in southeastern Kentucky. And just three days ago, a Russell County deputy was killed in the line of duty, authorities said.

“There is far too much violence in this world, and I pray that there is a path to a better future,” Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said in a social media post.

Although other people were in the building when Mullins was shot, no one else was in the judge’s chambers and no other injuries have been reported. There is no threat to the public, Gayheart added.

Law enforcement has not yet released details about the argument that led to the shooting, and the motive remains under investigation, Gayheart said, adding that the incident was “isolated.”

Stines is incarcerated in neighboring Leslie County. It is unclear when Stines will make his first court appearance because indictments for Letcher County crimes are normally handled by Mullins, said Jackie Steele, the commonwealth’s attorney in the case.

“The last word I had from the court system was that they were looking for a judge to take the case and that the arraignment would take place next week, but the date and time are unknown at this time,” Steele told CNN via email Friday.

In Kentucky, sheriffs are responsible for security at courthouses — including the personal safety of judges — according to Jerry Wagner, a retired sheriff who is now the executive director of the Kentucky Sheriff’s Association.

“We have 120 sheriffs who work with our judges on a daily basis. We work more closely with them than any other elected official,” Wagner told CNN Friday.

“Nobody saw this coming,” Wagner added. “I don’t know how you prepare for this.”

Here’s what we know about the two men, the murder and the investigation so far.

What We Know About Mullins and Stines

Mullins, a Jackhorn resident, has served as a district judge for Kentucky’s 47th District Court in Letcher County since being appointed in 2009 by former Gov. Steve Beshear, the current leader’s father, according to the Associated Press. He was elected a year later and reelected in 2014, 2018 and again in 2022.

Prior to his appointment to the bench, Mullins served as an assistant district attorney in Letcher County, focusing primarily on drug offenses, according to CNN affiliate WKYT. He was admitted to the bar in 1995.

Mullins was known for promoting drug treatment for those involved in the justice system and helped hundreds of residents enter inpatient residential treatment, citing an agenda for a drug summit he spoke at in 2022, the Associated Press reported.

He also helped develop a program called Addiction Recovery Care, which provides peer support services at the courthouse, the AP reported. The program has been adopted in at least 50 Kentucky counties.

Mullins was also a founding member of the leadership team of Responsive Effort to Support Treatment in Opioid Recovery Efforts.

Stines, a McRoberts resident, was first elected sheriff in 2018 and re-elected in 2022. Earlier this month, the sheriff highlighted the agency’s work, including recent drug seizures.

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

An investigation into how the fatal shooting unfolded — and what the two men argued about — is ongoing, state police said Thursday.

“We know it was an argument between the two that led to the incident, but exactly what happened before the shots were fired are things we’re still trying to get answers to,” Gayheart said.

Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman said Thursday that his office would work with Steele as special prosecutors on the case.

“We will investigate thoroughly and seek justice,” Coleman said.

Mullins’ body will be sent to the medical examiner’s office, Gayheart said.

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

“My prayers are with his family and the Letcher County community as they work through and grieve this tragic loss,” VanMeter said.

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

He described the sheriff and the judge as “two men I worked with for seventeen years and loved like brothers.”

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

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

Because of the shooting, circuit and district courts, as well as the circuit court clerk’s office, will be closed until operations can resume, Kentucky court officials said Thursday. Letcher County schools and Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College were also briefly placed on lockdown after the shooting, according to The Associated Press.