There is a MidrashHalacha about one unique Cohen remaining in Eretz Yisrael and the consequence were he to commit a crime.
I am seeking the original source as I only have a translation:
If there was only one Cohen in the country, and if that unique Cohen would have committed a crime, you would deprive the Temple of his servant rather than let a crime go unpunished.
It may relate to Exodus 21:12, where it states, "Anyone who strikes a person with a fatal blow is to be put to death." This principle of retributive justice applies to all individuals, regardless of their priestly status.