Jefferson County Sheriff John Aubrey has died at the age of 86, according to a statement from the Kentucky Attorney General.

Aubrey, a Democrat, was first elected in 1999, serving more than two decades at the helm of the Sheriff's Office. He announced in March that he was not planning to run for an eighth term, saying “it became pretty clear” that it was time to retire.

Before winning his first election, Aubrey was a member of the Louisville Police Department for nearly three decades, retiring as the acting chief of police.

The National Sheriff’s Association honored Aubrey with the 2025 Sheriff of the Year award in February.

In a statement, Republican state Attorney General Russell Coleman called the late sheriff “a true Kentucky lawman.”

“He became my friend when I served as Presiden

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