The Murder of Judge Kevin Mullins: The Silent Video and No Motive
On September 19, 2024, Letcher County District Judge Kevin Mullins and Sheriff Shawn “Mickey” Stines ate lunch with others in Whitesburg, Kentucky. The two men had worked together for years. Stines had once served as Mullins's bailiff, and people in the small Appalachian community knew them as colleagues and friends. Later that afternoon, they went to Mullins's chambers at the Letcher County Courthouse for a private conversation.
Less than 10 minutes later, Mullins was dead.
What the Video Shows and What It Cannot Explain
A security camera inside the chambers recorded the shooting. The video shows Mullins seated at his desk and Stines across from him before Stines fired at the judge. Stines later surrendered at the courthouse and is charged with murder of a public official.
The camera did not record audio. No one outside the room heard what Mullins and Stines said during the final minutes of their conversation. The silent footage establishes much of what happened, but it cannot explain why it happened.
The Days Before Kevin Mullins's Death
In the days before the shooting, people close to Stines had become concerned about his behavior. His defense has pointed to reports that he had not slept, was increasingly fearful about the safety of his wife and daughter, and appeared to be in crisis. A jail evaluation after the shooting described symptoms of psychosis. Stines has pleaded not guilty, and his attorneys are expected to rely heavily on evidence about his mental state and the possibility of extreme emotional disturbance.
The case has also drawn attention because a former deputy, Ben Fields, had been convicted of crimes involving women in Letcher County's home incarceration program. Some allegations involved Mullins's chambers, although there is no evidence that Mullins knew about or participated in Fields's crimes. The episode also addresses an online rumor involving Stines's daughter and the judge, which investigators found no evidence to support.
Where the Case Stands Now
As of September 2026, Stines remains in custody without bond. A judge granted a change of venue because of the intense local attention and has authorized an additional mental health evaluation. The trial will be held outside Letcher County, and no trial date has been announced.
We discuss Kevin Mullins's life and career, the private courthouse meeting that ended in violence, the silent surveillance video, and the questions that still remain for his family and community.
Sources:
Kentucky Sheriff Arrested in Shooting Death of Judge - The New York Times
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/274885088/kevin-russell-mullins
Kentucky sheriff charged in killing of judge at courthouse | The Hill
Judge grants change of venue for former sheriff accused of killing judge
Kentucky sheriff accused of killing judge in chambers appears in court | WJHL |
Wife, daughter of KY sheriff deny contact with slain judge | Lexington Herald Leader
Kentucky judge shot and killed in chambers, sheriff charged with murder: Officials
Ex-sheriff indicted in judge's killing pleads not guilty at KY courthouse where shooting erupted
Why was a Kentucky judge killed? So far, it remains a mystery
Kentucky sheriff fatally shot a judge in courthouse chambers, officials say
Ex-Letcher Co. sheriff in psychosis days after shooting judge, records say
Former KY sheriff accused of killing judge asks for indictment to be dismissed
Civil suit exposes sexual exploitation in Letcher County courts
Hearing reveals key details in civil case against Shawn Stines | Court TV
Civil suit exposes sexual exploitation in Letcher County courts
Chilling Detail Dropped in Sheriff Mickey Stines Judge Slaying
https://www.youtube.com/live/2iZ5pQzT_qk?si=K9OhRuPyOScR1Dd4
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Kentucky sheriff charged with killing judge was in ‘tense’ lawsuit testimony days before
Mickey Stines' Daughter Speaks Out | Sheriff Shoots Judge Murder Case
Letcher County, Kentucky | Advisory Council on Historic Preservation
https://www.weku.org/the-commonwealth/2024-12-09/plaintiff-in-letcher-county-civil-suit-says-she-saw-video-of-judge-having-sex-in-his-office
