A judge from Georgia has died by suicide after shooting himself in the head in the courtroom where he served.
Judge Steven Yeakel, 74, died yesterday on his final day in office after losing his re-election bid, WSAV reported. A sheriff’s deputy discovered his body around 10 a.m. at the Effingham County State Courthouse. Investigators believe he died late Monday night or early Tuesday morning.
The Effingham County Sheriff’s Office and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) are investigating his death.
Yeakel, who was appointed to the state court in 2022, had recently attempted to resign from the position, but Georgia Governor Brian Kemp denied his request, WJCL reported.
Yeakel was also facing a lawsuit from former court employee Lisa Crawford, who alleged she was wrongfully terminated. She claimed Yeakel fired her to hire his own staff after taking office.
A married father of four, Yeakel previously served as an assistant district attorney in Chatham County and as a special agent for the Georgia Bureau of Alcohol and Tobacco.
The courthouse has been closed since Yeakel’s death, with normal operations set to resume on January 2.
