A Georgia state judge has taken his own life inside his courtroom.
The body of Judge Stephen Yekel was discovered inside the Effingham County state court room on Tuesday morning.
Yekel, 74, had recently lost a bid for re-election and was found by a deputy on what would have been his last day on the bench, WSAV reports.
Officials said that he fatally shot himself, but an autopsy will be carried out by The Georgia Bureau of Investigation to determine the exact cause of death.
Effingham County Sheriff Jimmy McDuffie said Yekel was discovered between 10am and 10.30am, but it appeared he had shot himself Monday night.
Yekel was appointed to the state court in 2022. He had tried to resign from his position, but was prevented from doing so by Governor Brian Kemp.
McDuffie said he understood Yekel had sent a note to the Governor’s office, but did not disclose its contents.
The courtroom has been closed and will resume normal business on January 2.
Georgia judge Stephen Yekel has taken his own life inside his courtroom
Yekel was a former assistant district attorney in Chatham County and practicing lawyer with more than 45 years of experience.
He previously held roles as a special agent with the state’s Alcohol & Tobacco Tax Unit and was an investigator at the Cobb County District Attorney’s Office.
In May, Yekel’s ex-wife Lisa Yekel shared a post on Facebook which outlined several issues reportedly plaguing his re-election campaign.
She dismissed rumors their divorce the year before was due to infidelity and denied that he had asked a police officer not to give him a citation following a car accident.
‘His best friend who passed away recently had Steve’s car in his shop for repairs and loaned him a vehicle to use, which is the reason he was not driving his car when he was involved in the accident,’ she wrote.
‘He was on the way home after visiting our daughter who had just moved into her apartment in Pooler.
‘The Steve Yekel I know never would have asked the police officer not to give him a citation. He has always taken responsibility for his actions.’
She also hinted at financial problems the couple had faced over a failed daycare business.
‘He did everything he could to avoid bankruptcy,’ she added. ‘Unfortunately, I had used his life savings to keep the daycare open.
Yekel had recently lost a bid for re-election and was found by a deputy on reportedly what would have been his last day on the bench
Yekel was discovered inside the Effingham County state court room
He had lost a bid for re-election earlier this year and had asked Governor Brian Kemp if he could resign but the request was denied
Effingham County Sheriff Jimmy McDuffie said he was found between 10am and 10.30am on Tuesday
‘In my defense, I was too lenient on parents who couldn’t pay their bills and they eventually left owing thousands of dollars, again that’s my fault, not Steve’s.’
She concluded the post by stating her ex-husband was, ‘one of the most respectful, honest, and caring people I know’ and urged people to re-elect him.
Yekel ultimately lost his re-election bid to Judge Melissa M Calhoun.
The late judge was also facing a lawsuit from court employee Lisa Crawford who claims she was wrongfully terminated from her position by Yekel, WTOC reports.
Crawford was seeking $10,000 in damages amid claims Yekel fired her in order to bring in his own staff when he assumed office.
An email reportedly submitted as part of the lawsuit from Yekel to Crawford accused her of being part of a ‘conspiracy scheme’ to help people charged with DUI reduce or dismiss their charges.
This is a breaking news story, please check back for updates…