Georgia state court judge Steve Yekel, 74, died by suicide at the Effingham County Courthouse on Monday night, leaving a resignation letter for Governor Brian Kemp. The Effingham County Sheriff’s Office reported that Yekel was found on Tuesday morning with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Yekel had planned to resign from his position as State Court Judge effective December 30, 2024, as indicated in a letter dated December 6. He reflected on his legal career of 45 years and mentioned winning two previous elections for his judge position. In the 2022 election, he won by over 1,400 votes. However, in a primary runoff on July 18, 2024, he lost to Melissa Calhoun by fewer than 400 votes after receiving 900 more votes than any other candidate.
In his resignation letter, Yekel expressed concern over low voter turnout, stating he felt the office should not be decided by only 6 percent of the eligible voters. Governor Kemp’s response, dated December 12, did not accept Yekel’s resignation, affirming that the election’s outcome should not be invalidated based on technicalities and acknowledging Calhoun as the elected candidate for the upcoming term.
Sheriff Jimmy McDuffie mentioned the letter to Kemp when asked about a possible suicide note. Before his appointment as a judge, Yekel had a diverse background, including roles as an assistant district attorney and special agent in Georgia’s Alcohol & Tobacco Tax Unit. His family is currently in distress, as noted by Sheriff McDuffie.
A spokesman for Governor Kemp conveyed condolences to Yekel’s family during this challenging time. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation will conduct an autopsy, while the sheriff’s office’s Criminal Investigation Division is handling the investigation into the incident.
Comments