As residents of a small town in southeast Kentucky mourn the loss of a prominent district judge, they’re looking for answers about the argument that authorities say led up to his killing inside the judge’s chambers and the sheriff’s arrest in his death.

Investigators are searching for a motive after a Kentucky sheriff was arrested for allegedly gunning down a judge in his chambers, officials said. Letcher County Sheriff Shawn Stines has been charged with first-degree murder for allegedly shooting and killing Kentucky District Judge Kevin Mullins at the Letcher County Courthouse Thursday afternoon,

The two men were seen getting ready to go to lunch on the day of the shooting. Hours later, Judge Kevin Mullins was dead from multiple gunshot wounds.

Kentucky State Police are searching for motive as they investigate the fatal shooting of a district judge by a sheriff after the two had an argument inside the judge’s chambers, according to police.

A judge in a rural Kentucky county was shot and killed at the local courthouse on Thursday, and the local sheriff was charged in the shocking slaying, police said.