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The teenage daughter of a former Kentucky sheriff, accused of fatally shooting a small-town judge, is expressing frustration towards online sleuths for spreading “gossip” about her father.
Lila Stines, the daughter of former Letcher County Sheriff Shawn “Mickey” Stines, took to TikTok recently to criticize the flood of rumors circulating on the internet since her father’s arrest for the 2024 courthouse murder of 54-year-old District Judge Kevin Mullins.
“On September 19th, a little over a year ago, many lives, including mine, were altered forever. I won’t delve into details or discuss it further, but I have one question: Don’t you have anything better to do than engage in gossip?” Stines questioned in her now-viral post.
Shawn Stines, 44, was reportedly captured on security footage entering Mullins’ chambers and allegedly shooting him in what was described as a courthouse ambush, shaking the Appalachian community. He faces murder charges and is currently in custody, awaiting trial.

District Judge Kevin Mullins was reportedly killed by Letcher County Sheriff Shawn M. Stines. (Kentucky Court of Justice; Letcher County Sheriff’s Office)
Lila didn’t mention the case directly, but she had plenty to say to the “gossips” discussing the case.
“You are taking my pain and making it your pleasure,” she continued. “You’re taking our stories and turning them into big entertainment pieces, jokes.”

This booking photo provided by Leslie County Detention Center in Kentucky on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024 shows Letcher County Sheriff Shawn M. Stines. (Leslie County Detention Center via AP)
She then told spectators to “get a job” and “do something meaningful,” accusing true-crime creators and TikTok commentators of cashing in on her family’s “tragedy.”
“And for that matter, you’re making it, your income. Since when did that become OK? So my advice to the people doing that, get a job. Do something meaningful with your life, and contribute to society in a positive way.”
The clip struck a nerve among viewers, with some calling her “brave” and others dismissing it as an attempt to deflect attention from her father’s alleged crime.
WATCH: Video shows phone exchange between sheriff and judge moments before fatal shooting
The shooting was caught on camera in the judge’s chambers and was first shown in Stines’ preliminary hearing in October 2024.
The video, with no audio, showed a man identified by police as Stines pulling out a gun and shooting the judge as he sat at his desk. The man walked around the desk, pointed the gun at the judge — who had fallen to the floor — and fired again.
Mullins died from multiple gunshot wounds, Kentucky State Police said.
Stines has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder charges.