The wife of a Kentucky sheriff accused of shooting dead a judge in his own chambers has defended her daughter to deny she had any relationship with the married victim.
Letcher County Sheriff Shawn ‘Mickey’ Stines has been behind bars awaiting trial since the September 19 death of his longtime friend, District Judge Kevin Mullins.
Extraordinary video appeared to capture the moment a calm Stines shot Mullins dead inside his own chambers, but he has maintained his innocence and pleaded not guilty.
After the shocking incident, rumors swirled about Mullins’ connection to Stines’ minor daughter when her number appeared on his phone.
But the young girl and Stines’ wife Caroline vehemently denied the suggestions.
The duo told Kentucky State Police detectives that neither of them had ever had any relationship with Mullins, who was married with two children.
During grand jury testimony, State Police Detective Clayton Stamper maintained that the minor never had any contact with Mullins via text, social media, phone calls or in person.
But Stamper accepted her number did appear in Mullins’ phone.
District Judge Kevin Mullins (pictured sitting), 54, was killed while in his chambers at Letcher County Circuit Court in September of 2024, allegedly at the hands Letcher County Sheriff Shawn M. ‘Mickey’ Stines – his close friend
On September 19, 2024, just hours after having lunch together, Stines (pictured) entered the judge’s chambers, locked the door, and allegedly fired eight bullets into Mullins during a chilling private confrontation
He said Stines himself placed the call to his daughter from Mullins’ phone moments before shooting him dead. In the video footage, Mullins was seen handing over his phone before his death.
In the video, Stines makes the call from Mullins’ phone, but it is unclear if anyone answers.
Stamper said there were no other known calls between Mullins and the underage girl.
The court records – which were released and obtained by The Lexington Herald Leader before being sealed – also shed new light on Stines’ mental health immediately after the shooting.
A medical report from Leslie County Detention Center staff revealed he was still in a state of ‘active psychosis’ for days after the shooting.
The September 23 report read: ‘Upon evaluation of Mr. Stines, it appears that he is still in an active state of psychosis.’
‘He appears disoriented and is only aware of things jail staff tell him. He has no recollection of the recent past.’
During grand jury testimony, State Police Detective Clayton Stamper maintained that the minor never had any contact with Mullins via text, social media, phone calls or in person
On the day of the shooting, the courthouse went into lockdown as deputies arrived searching for an active shooter.
Stines walked straight past them, leaving the scene. At least one deputy asked him ‘where’s the shooter’, but Stines, with a ‘blank look on his face’, didn’t initially answer.
‘He casually walks in and pretty much casually walks out,’ Stamper testified.
Then, as deputies continued to search for the shooter, Stines said: ‘There’s nobody else. It’s me.’
Stines placed his pistol on the table and offered no further information to officers.
Since the fatal shooting, disturbing claims have emerged about Mullins – including one witness who told police he ran his chambers ‘like a brothel’ and was seen having sex with a ‘girl’ inside the office in Whitesburg, around 140 miles southeast of Lexington.
Months after the murder (pictured), audio recordings surfaced that seemed to reveal additional mounting allegations of a sex-for-favors scheme – one that stretched far beyond the courthouse, deeply entangling the small town of Whitesburg
It remains unclear when Stines’ (pictured) murder trial will begin, as prosecutors have indicated the discovery process could take ‘some time.’ For now, he remains in custody without bond
Stines and Mullins were longtime friends and lunchtime regulars together at the sports bar and on that fateful Thursday ordered their usual – both having the $13.99 wings with salad.
It remains unclear when Stines’ murder trial will begin, as prosecutors have indicated the discovery process could take ‘some time.’
For now, he remains in custody without bond.
