A state court judge in Georgia was found dead in a county courtroom on Tuesday morning from a suspected self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to a local sheriff.
Judge Stephen Yekel, 74, of the Effingham County State Court was discovered by a sheriff’s deputy in the courthouse between 10:00 and 10:30 a.m. The court was not in session at the time of the incident.
Sheriff Jimmy McDuffie said initial evidence suggests Yekel likely took his own life the previous night.
“There was a note sent to the governor’s office,” McDuffie said during a press briefing, though he said details about the note’s contents were still being investigated. A copy of the note has reportedly been circulating on social media, but authorities have not verified its authenticity.
Yekel, appointed by Gov. Brian Kemp in June 2022, served as a state court judge for nearly two years.
In his Dec. 6 resignation letter to Kemp, Yekel said he would resign on Dec. 30. In response, Kemp wrote on Dec. 12, “Your resignation is not effective unless and until I accept it ... I must decline to do so.”
“While we are unable to provide comment on an open investigation, Judge Yekel’s family and loved ones are in all our thoughts and prayers during this difficult time,” Kemp’s office told WSAV News 3.
McDuffie extended his condolences to the Yekel family, adding that the tragedy has deeply affected the local legal community.
“This is never good for anybody,” McDuffie said. “The family is distraught. It’s supposed to be a happy time of year, and now they’ve got this.”
The Effingham County Sheriff’s Office is leading the investigation into Yekel’s death, with assistance from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) for the autopsy.
“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 statement posted on Facebook reads.
A crisis response team has been made available at the Effingham County Administrative Complex, with additional support services offered to employees in the coming days.
The Epoch Times contacted Kemp’s office for comment but did not receive a response by publication time.
