A family, a sheriff’s office, and a Kentucky community are left to carry an absence that cannot be repaired. Deputy Sheriff Richard Coyle, 58, died from gunfire after being shot while serving emergency guardianship paperwork at a residence on KY 365 in Sturgis. His End of Watch was April 30, 2026. The facts are stark, but they cannot measure the life behind them: a public servant who devoted 30 years to law enforcement and spent his final two years with the Crittenden County Sheriff’s Office. His death is a loss of presence, partnership, and years that should have remained his to live.

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