Waynesville — Candidates for Haywood County sheriff traded sharp criticism and defenses Wednesday evening at a Smoky Mountain News forum about how the sheriff's office handled a December shooting at the county landfill that is now the subject of civil litigation.

Host Kyle Perotti asked each candidate how the office could reduce exposure to costly lawsuits. Republican challenger Mark Meese said the sheriff’s office should have 'came out immediately and talked about the situation' instead of waiting weeks until the matter surfaced on social media, adding that early, transparent communication helps 'set the narrative' and lower litigation risk.

Democrat Tyler Howell echoed a call for transparency and said career-track training and better equipment could reduce on-scene risk. Howell said leaders should 'get out in front' of incidents and 'be transparent with the community about what happened.'

Incumbent Sheriff Bill Wilkie said he could not comment on litigation but repeatedly emphasized protecting due process and investigative integrity. Wilkie said 'there is body cam footage that involves all of our deputies' and that investigators, including the SBI, are examining the December 21 incident. He warned against rushing to judgment based on social-media clips and said disclosing certain facts too early could jeopardize civil and criminal proceedings.

Wilkie framed his approach as protecting the process that leads to truth, saying: 'When it matters, we come together' and that speaking prematurely can 'jeopardize the due process rights of everybody at that scene.' Meese and Howell disputed that withholding information for weeks met the public's expectations for transparency.

Beyond the landfill incident, candidates discussed body cameras, training and community engagement. Wilkie pointed to body-worn camera programs and said the footage will be part of the transparency that eventually emerges; Meese and Howell said the office should be more proactive in telling victims’ families and the public what can be shared.

The forum did not include any formal votes or official actions. The SBI investigation and ongoing litigation remain active; Wilkie declined to provide further details during the forum.

Next procedural step: the litigation continues in court and the sheriff’s office said it will follow investigative and legal guidance before releasing additional material.