Argument preceded deadly confrontation between sheriff and judge he allegedly shot

The proceedings were heard in the office of the late District Judge Kevin Mullins moments before he was allegedly shot and killed by Letcher County Sheriff Shawn M. Stines on Thursday.

“We know it was an argument between the two that led to the incident, but exactly what happened before the shots were fired is something we’re still trying to get answers to,” Kentucky State Police Trooper Matt Gayheart said.

Mullins, 54, died at the scene and Stines, 43, surrendered without incident.

On Monday, Stines was deposed in a lawsuit accusing him of “deliberate indifference by failing to properly train and supervise.” In the lawsuit, a woman alleged that one of Stines’ deputies, Ben Fields, raped her in the now-deceased judge’s chambers for more than six months. The sexual interaction was in exchange for getting out of jail, according to ABC News.

Stines fired the deputy sheriff for “conduct unbecoming” after he pleaded guilty to raping the woman. ABC News reports that Fields was sentenced to six months in prison with six and a half years of probation. He was charged with rape, sodomy, perjury and tampering with a prisoner monitoring device. Fields was previously scheduled to succeed Stines as Mullins’ courtroom security guard.

There was a second plaintiff, but she died of a drug overdose shortly after the 2022 lawsuit was filed, according to The Mountain Eagle.

As previously reported on CrimeOnline, Stines entered Mullins’ field office around 3 p.m. and told court employees and others gathered there that he needed to speak with Mullins privately.

Mullins and Stines entered his private office and closed the door. Those who remained in the outer office reported hearing gunshots before Stines came out with his hands in the air and surrendered.

Kentucky State Police later confirmed the judge’s death and said Stines had been charged with first-degree murder. Authorities have not specified a motive for the killing, though social media commenters have speculated widely.

According to WKYT, Mullins was an assistant commonwealth’s attorney before then-Governor Steve Beshear, the current governor’s father, appointed him to the position in 2009. He was elected to the position the following year. Stines was elected Letcher County sheriff in 2018 and re-elected in 2022.

Stines was booked into the Leslie County Detention Center. It is unclear whether he has been provided with an attorney.

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(Featured Image: Mickey Stines/Letcher County Sheriff’s Office and Kevin D. Mullins/47th Judicial District)