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Georgia Judge Stephen Yekel, 74, Dies by Suicide in Effingham County Courtroom on Last Day

Dec 31, 2024, 11:34 PM

State Court Judge Stephen Yekel, 74, was found dead in a courtroom in Effingham County, Georgia, on what was to be his last day in office. Authorities believe Yekel died by suicide from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, with his body discovered around 10 a.m. on Tuesday by Effingham County Sheriff Jimmy McDuffie's deputies. Yekel, who was appointed to the bench by Governor Brian Kemp in 2022, had recently lost his re-election bid in a runoff election and his term was set to end on December 31, 2024. He had attempted to resign prior to his term's end, citing a low voter turnout of only 6% in a letter dated December 6, but his resignation was rejected by Kemp. Court was not in session at the time of the incident. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is set to perform an autopsy to confirm the cause of death.