(NewsNation) — A longtime judge in a rural county courtroom that deals with mostly minor crimes was shot and killed in his chambers Thursday. Kentucky State Police arrested the sheriff for the county in which they both served at the scene.

Who is Kevin Mullins?

Kevin R. Mullins, 54, had been a district judge in Letcher County, Kentucky, for 15 years. Before that, he was a prosecutor in Letcher County, starting in 2001. The official title is assistant commonwealth’s attorney. He graduated from the University of Kentucky and the Louis D. Brandeis School of Law at the University of Louisville.

As a district judge in the 47th Judicial District, Mullins handled juvenile cases, misdemeanors, issues involving city and county ordinances, traffic offenses, probate of wills, arraignments, small claims, civil cases involving $5,000 or less, mental commitments and cases involving domestic violence.

How was Kevin Mullins killed?

Letcher County Sheriff Shawn M. “Mickey” Stines, 43, allegedly walked into the judge’s outer office, then told court employees and others gathered there that he needed to speak with Mullins alone, according to The Mountain Eagle. Shortly after the two walked into the judge’s chambers, shots were heard. Then, Stines walked out with his hands up and surrendered to police.

State police say measures were made to attempt to save Mullins’ life but none were successful. No other injuries were reported, according to NewsNation affiliate WJHL.

Who is Shawn ‘Mickey’ Stines?

Stines was first elected in 2018, then reelected in 2022. His department was hit with a scandal in 2022 when a former deputy, Ben Fields, pleaded guilty to raping two women who were on home arrest, according to The Mountain Eagle.

In a pending civil suit against the former deputy, the home monitoring service that employed him and Stines, the women say Stines did not sufficiently train and supervise Fields. In August, Fields was sentenced to serve six months in the same jail where he used to work.

The judge in that case was not Mullins, but rather a judge from nearby Pike County.

When did Kevin Mullins become a judge?

Mullins was appointed in 2009 by Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear and was elected in his own right a year later, according to The Mountain Eagle. He has been reelected ever since. Mullins’ death was confirmed by the current governor, Andy Beshear, son of Steve Beshear.

Beshear posted on X that there is “far too much violence in this world, and I pray there is a path to a better tomorrow.”

Where did Kevin Mullins die?

Letcher County, Kentucky, is deep in the hills of the eastern corner of the state, bordering Virginia and sandwiched between Tennessee and West Virginia. It has a population of around 21,000. The county seat is Whitesburg, which has a population of fewer than 2,000.