The 18-year-old daughter of a former Kentucky sheriff accused of fatally shooting a small-town judge is speaking out against online speculation surrounding her family.
Lila Stines, daughter of former Letcher County Sheriff Shawn “Mickey” Stines, addressed the situation on TikTok, criticizing those spreading “gossip” about her father following his arrest for the 2024 courthouse killing of District Judge Kevin Mullins, 54.
“On September 19th, a little over a year ago, a lot of people’s lives changed forever, including mine,” she said in the now-viral video. “I’m not going to go into detail, I will not be talking about it, but I just have one question — do you all not have anything better to do than to sit and gossip?”
Authorities say Stines, 44, was caught on courthouse security footage storming into Mullins’ chambers before allegedly shooting him in an ambush that shook the Appalachian community. He remains in custody, charged with murder and awaiting trial.
Although Lila didn’t refer directly to the case, she condemned those using her family’s situation as entertainment. “You are taking my pain and making it your pleasure,” she said. “You’re taking our stories and turning them into big entertainment pieces, jokes.”
She went on to urge online commentators and true-crime creators to “get a job” and “do something meaningful,” accusing them of profiting from her family’s tragedy. “You’re making it your income,” she said. “Since when did that become OK? 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 TikTok clip drew mixed reactions: some praised her courage, while others saw it as an attempt to shift focus from her father’s alleged actions.
Surveillance footage of the incident — shown during Stines’ preliminary hearing in October 2024 — reportedly captured a man identified as Stines pulling a gun and shooting the judge as he sat at his desk. The man then walked around the desk, pointed the gun at the fallen judge, and fired again.
Mullins died from multiple gunshot wounds, according to Kentucky State Police. Stines has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder charges.
