Sheriff charged with murder in shooting death of Letcher County judge

Former Letcher County Sheriff charged with murder

Former Letcher County Sheriff Joe Engle is facing a murder charge in the shooting death of Kenton Hamman, a Letcher County family court judge, according to Letcher District Court records.

Engle, 57, was indicted by a grand jury on Thursday and is being held in the Pike County Detention Center.

Details of the shooting are still under investigation

Few details about the shooting have been released, although Kentucky State Police spokesman Scotty Sharp told local media that Hamman was killed at his home on Wednesday. It's unclear what led to the shooting, but court records show that Engle and Hamman had a history of disputes.

In 2019, Hamman ordered Engle to pay more than $200,000 in back taxes, penalties and interest. Engle had refused to pay the taxes, arguing that he was not subject to them.

Engle has pleaded not guilty

Engle pleaded not guilty to the murder charge on Friday. He is scheduled to appear in court for a preliminary hearing on Aug. 24.

If convicted, Engle could face life in prison.