Georgia judge found dead in courtroom on final day of term

Effingham County

state court

Judge Stephen Yekel

was found dead in a courtroom on Tuesday morning, the day marking the end of his judicial term, as reported by WJCL.
Authorities confirmed his death was the result of a

self-inflicted gunshot wound

.
The Effingham County sheriff’s office reported that Yekel’s body was discovered between 10.00 am and 10.30 am by a deputy.

Sheriff Jimmy McDuffie said that investigators believe the incident occurred the previous night.
Yekel, who served in the legal profession for over 45 years, had been appointed to the state court by Georgia

governor Brian Kemp

in June 2022. However, after losing his re-election bid earlier this year, Yekel attempted to resign from his position but was denied by Kemp.

Officials confirmed that a note was sent to the governor’s office, but the contents have not yet been disclosed. Sheriff McDuffie addressed the tragedy, offering 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,” McDuffie told local ABC affiliate WJCL

The Effingham County Sheriff’s Office is leading the investigation, while the

Georgia Bureau of Investigation

will conduct an autopsy.
In addition to his judicial role, Yekel had a distinguished career as a lawyer, special agent, and investigator. He served in various legal and enforcement positions, including as an assistant district attorney in Chatham County.