A judge was discovered dead in a courtroom in Georgia on what was supposed to be his last day of work, according to the authorities who made the announcement on Tuesday.
On Tuesday morning, deputies from the Effingham County Sheriff’s Office located State Court Judge Stephen Yekel, who is 74 years old. The sheriff’s office has stated that it appears that he intentionally took his own life.
At the beginning of this year, Yekel, who had been appointed to the bench by Georgia Governor Brian Kemp two years prior, was unsuccessful in his attempt for election. On December 31, 2024, his term was supposed to come to a conclusion.
“The family’s distraught,” Effingham County Sheriff Jimmy McDuffie stated. “It’s supposed to be a happy time this time of year and now they’ve got this.”
At 10:20 in the morning, officials were called to the courthouse in response to a complaint of a suspected suicide. McDuffie stated that one of his deputies was the one who found Yekel’s body. There is a possibility that Yekel passed away on Monday night, he stated.
As stated by the sheriff, the court was not in session on Tuesday. Additionally, the sheriff stated that the Georgia Bureau of Investigation will be responsible for conducting Yekel’s autopsy.
Yekel was admitted to the state bar on June 14, 1976, and according to the records of the bar, he was in good standing at the time of his passing.
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Springfield, which is approximately 26 miles north of Savannah, was the location where he presided over preliminary criminal issues and other cases.
Yekel referred to his unsuccessful election campaign and asked Kemp to quit in a letter that was sent to Kemp on December 2nd, according to a copy of the memo. In May, Yekel was victorious in the first round of voting, but she then lost in the runoff.
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According to a copy of the memo, Yekel requested that the date of effectiveness of his resignation be set for December 30, which is one day before to the conclusion of his tenure.
“I feel that the office of State Court Judge of Effingham is too important to be decided by only 6% of the eligible voters of Effingham County,” he stated.
According to Kemp, the results of a fair election “should not be nullified on the basis of manufactured legal technicality.” Because of this, his plea was denied.
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“Judge Yekel’s family and loved ones are in all of our thoughts and prayers during this difficult time,” said a spokesperson for Kemp, declining to comment on the probe and citing an ongoing investigation as the reason for their refusal.