Sheriff Tommy Bryant (Photo: WFAA) 
 
 STEPHENVILLE -- An Erath County sheriff was found dead inside his Stephenville home early Tuesday morning. 
 
 According to the local newspaper, citing unnamed county officials, Sheriff Tommy Bryant died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. But Texas Rangers,who are now in charge of the death investigation, would only confirm Bryant's death and said their investigation has just begun. 
 
 Tuesday in Stephenville, friends and colleagues reacted to the news that the sheriff, a fixture in the community for more than 20 years, may have taken his own life. 
 
 Bryant served as the lead investigator into the shooting death of "American Sniper" Chris Kyle. 
 
 “Sheriff Bryant was a good sheriff,” said local attorney Jim Keene. “He did his best to run law enforcement in this county well.” 
 
 His death comes less than a week after it was revealed he was under investigation by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement for allegedly having someone else take his continuing education courses for him. 
 
 “It’s a very sad situation, very tragic when you lose a colleague and a friend like that” said Erath County Judge Tab Thompson, who worked alongside Bryant for more than 20 years. “Our thoughts and prayers from the county go out to Sheriff Bryant’s family his wife and son. Very sad time for them and for us as well.” 
 
 Early Tuesday afternoon, the county judge and commissioners met in an emergency session to decide who will serve as the temporary sheriff. It was a difficult task since many of them consider the sheriff their friend. They opted for the District Attorney’s Office investigator Matt Coates to serve the rest of the year. And, as required by law, they will reconvene at the start of the year to appoint him to serve out the remaining two years of Bryant’s term. 
 
 Meanwhile, a painful investigation begins. 
 
 “Tommy was well liked, recently re-elected, very popular sheriff,” Thompson said. “So I know that lot of hearts are heavy here in Erath County.” 
 
 Copyright 2016 WFAA ||||| Texas authorities say a man has been charged with murder in the deaths of former Navy SEAL and author Chris Kyle and another man at a Texas gun range. 
 
 In this April 6, 2012, photo, former Navy SEAL and author of the book “American Sniper” poses in Midlothian, Texas. A Texas sheriff has told local newspapers that Kyle has been fatally shot along with... (Associated Press) 
 
 Sgt. Lonny Haschel with Texas Department of Public Safety said in a news release Sunday that 25-year-old Eddie Ray Routh of Lancaster was arraigned Saturday on two counts of capital murder. 
 
 Haschel said Erath County deputies responded to a shooting at the Rough Creek Lodge at about 5:30 p.m. Saturday and found the bodies of 38-year-old Chris Kyle and 35-year-old Chad Littlefield. 
 
 Police said they believe Routh shot the two men at about 3:30 p.m. and fled. Routh was found at about 8 p.m. Saturday at his residence in Lancaster, police said. 
 
 THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below. 
 
 Former Navy SEAL and "American Sniper" author Chris Kyle was fatally shot along with another man Saturday on a central Texas gun range, a sheriff told local newspapers. 
 
 Erath County Sheriff Tommy Bryant said Kyle, 38, and a second man were found dead at Rough Creek Lodge's shooting range west of Glen Rose, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and Stephenville Empire-Tribune. Glen Rose is about 50 miles southwest of Fort Worth. 
 
 Bryant did not immediately return phone calls to The Associated Press seeking comment late Saturday and early Sunday. A woman who answered the phone at the lodge where the shooting occurred declined comment and referred calls to the sheriff's office. 
 
 Investigators did not immediately release the name of the second victim, according to the newspapers. 
 
 Witnesses told sheriff's investigators that a gunman opened fire on the men around 3:30 p.m. Saturday, then fled in a pickup truck belonging to one of the victims, according to the Star-Telegram. The newspapers said a 25-year-old man was later taken into custody in Lancaster, southeast of Dallas, and that charges were expected. 
 
 Lancaster police did not immediately return calls for comment. 
 
 The motive for the shooting was unclear. 
 
 Kyle wrote the best-selling book, "American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History," detailing his 150-plus kills of insurgents from 1999 to 2009. 
 
 Kyle was sued by former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura over a portion of the book that claims Kyle punched Ventura in a 2006 bar fight over unpatriotic remarks. Ventura says the punch never happened and that the claim by Kyle defamed him. 
 
 Kyle had asked that Ventura's claims of invasion of privacy and "unjust enrichment" be dismissed, saying there was no legal basis for them. But a federal judge said the lawsuit should proceed. Both sides were told to be ready for trial by Aug. 1.
– Sad news from Erath County, Texas: Sheriff Tommy Bryant, the lead investigator in the 2013 murders of American Sniper author Chris Kyle and another man, was found dead at his home early Tuesday. The Dallas Morning News reports that authorities believe Bryant died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. According to the Stephenville Empire-Tribune, state authorities were investigating Bryant for allegedly cheating on his continuing education training by having a deputy take a course for him. Documents obtained by the paper state that Bryant was one of 190 Texas law enforcement personnel reprimanded earlier this year for failing to complete the 40 hours of training intended to keep them up to date with changes in the law. Bryant, sheriff since 1997, was re-elected this year with around 70% of the vote. The Texas Rangers division of the state's Department of Public Safety say the death is being investigated. Friends and colleagues say Bryant was a good sheriff and he'll be missed. "It's a very sad situation, very tragic when you lose a colleague and a friend like that," Erath County Judge Tab Thompson, who worked alongside Bryant for many years, tells WFAA. "Our thoughts and prayers from the county go out to Sheriff Bryant's family, his wife and son. Very sad time for them and for us as well." (Earlier this year, the Navy revised Kyle's medal count downward.)