A Georgia 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.
Yekel 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.
Officials told WSAV that he fatally shot himself, but an autopsy will be carried out by The Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
The courtroom has been closed and will resume normal business on January 2.
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.
He was appointed to the state court in 2022 and reportedly had tried to resign from his position, but was prevented from doing so by Governor Brian Kemp.
Georgia judge Stephen Yekel has taken his own life inside his courtroom
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.
‘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.
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