A Kentucky sheriff was charged Thursday with the murder of a district court judge in his chambers.
Kentucky State Police received a 9-1-1 call from the Letcher County Courthouse in reference to shots being fired inside the building.
Lechter County Sheriff Mickey Stines surrendered to police following the shooting death of District Court Judge Kevin Mullins at the County Courthouse in Whitesburg.
Witnesses said the sheriff walked into the judge’s outer office and requested to speak to Judge Mullins alone.
Stines and Mullins entered the judge’s inner office, closed the door and those outside heard gunshots.
Stines walked out with his hands raised and surrendered to officers.
The Sheriff was charged with first degree murder, with Judge Mullins pronounced dead at the scene.
Stines was elected as the Sheriff of Letcher County in 2018 and reelected in 2022.
Letcher County is located on the Kentucky-Virginia border about 150 miles southeast of Lexington.
