A Georgia state judge has died by suicide after shooting himself in his own courtroom.
Judge Stephen Yekel, 74, was found dead by a deputy on Tuesday, his last day on the bench, after he lost a bid for re-election, according to WSAV.
Yekel was found inside the Effingham County State Courthouse around 10 a.m. Tuesday. But investigators believe he died sometime late Monday night or early Tuesday morning.
His death is being investigated by the Effingham County Sheriff’s Office and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
Yekel was appointed to the state court in 2022. He recently attempted to resign from his position, but was denied by Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, according to WJCL.
Sheriff Jimmy McDuffie offered his condolences to Yekel’s family.
“This is never good for anybody, the family’s distraught. This is supposed to be a happy time this time of year, and now they’ve got this. I can’t imagine. If they have anything they need from us, we’ll be available,” he said.
According to WTOC, he was also facing a lawsuit from court employee Lisa Crawford who claims she was wrongfully terminated from her position by Yekel. She claimed in the suit that Yekel fired her in order to bring in his own staff when he took office.
Yekel, a married father-of-four, was a former assistant district attorney in Chatham County and previously worked as a special agent for Georgia’s Alcohol & Tobacco Tax Unit.
The Effingham County Board of Commissioners released a statement on Yekel’s death.
“The Effingham County Board of Commissioners and staff are deeply saddened by the tragic death of Judge Steve Yekel at the Effingham County Courthouse today and we offer our condolences to his family and loved ones.”
The courtroom has been closed since the judge’s body was found. It will resume normal business on January 2.
If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call or text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org to access online chat from the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you. In the UK, people having mental health crises can contact the Samaritans at 116 123 or jo@samaritans.org
