Georgia -A Georgia state judge has died by suicide after shooting himself in his own courtroom on his last day in office.
Judge Stephen Yekel, 74, was found dead on Tuesday morning at the Effingham County State Courthouse, after losing his bid for re-election. Investigators believe he died either late Monday night or early Tuesday morning, and his death is under investigation by the Effingham County Sheriff’s Office and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
Yekel, who was appointed to the state court in 2022, had recently attempted to resign from his position, but Georgia Governor Brian Kemp had denied his request. Yekel’s death came amid personal and professional challenges. He was also facing a lawsuit from former court employee Lisa Crawford, who alleged wrongful termination. Crawford claimed Yekel fired her to bring in his own staff when he took office.
Sheriff Jimmy McDuffie expressed condolences to Yekel’s family, emphasizing the sorrow of the situation. “This is never good for anybody, the family’s distraught,” he said. “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.”
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Judge Yekel, a married father of four, had previously worked as an assistant district attorney in Chatham County and as a special agent for Georgia’s Alcohol & Tobacco Tax Unit.
The Effingham County Board of Commissioners also released a statement, offering condolences to his family and loved ones. The courthouse has been closed since the discovery of his body and is scheduled to resume normal business on January 2.
For those in the U.S. experiencing mental health crises, the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline offers free, confidential support 24/7 via call or text at 988. People in other countries can visit befrienders.org to find helplines, or in the UK, contact Samaritans at 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org.
