Letcher County Sheriff Mickey Stines, accused of killing Mullins, once served as a bailiff in the judge’s courtroom.

A Kentucky sheriff allegedly shot a judge early Thursday afternoon. Here's a look at the motive behind the Letcher County shooting.

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 was a graduate of the University of Kentucky and the Louis D. Brandeis School of Law at the University of Louisville.