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	Accused Preacher Dies of Gunshot Authorities Say Stephen Whittaker, Facing Sexual Abuse Charges, Apparently Shot Himself By Connie Baggett Press-Register April 4, 2007 http://www.al.com/news/mobileregister/index.ssf?/base/news/1175678144225320.xml&coll=3 Range -- A part-time preacher charged last month with sexually abusing an 11-year-old girl apparently shot and killed himself Tuesday at his father's house in Conecuh County, authorities said. Shortly after 11 a.m., investigators were called to a residence near Interstate 65 and Alabama 41, north of Brewton, where they found Stephen Lyle "Steve" Whittaker dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to Conecuh County Sheriff Edwin Booker and District Attorney Tommy Chapman. Whittaker, 40, had been working for a trucking company in Evergreen for a few days and had been living in a travel trailer parked in the yard of his father's residence for about a week, according to Booker. Booker said Whittaker parked his truck near his father's south Conecuh County home, just after 10 a.m. Tuesday, having told his supervisors he had a family emergency. Whittaker went to the camper trailer, where he spoke with his father and sister, saying he would join them later at the house for coffee, the sheriff said. A few minutes later, after they returned to the house, the father and sister heard a gunshot from the trailer, where they found Whittaker dead, Booker said. "I guess it was all just too much for him to bear," Booker said. "He left a note saying who to contact, where he wanted to be buried, funeral plans. We recovered a firearm at the scene." Whittaker, who lived in Brewton, served as pastor of Beaver Creek Southern Baptist Church in Baker, Fla., until he was charged March 12 with felony sexual abuse of an 11-year-old girl. The church has 33 members, according to a Florida Southern Baptist Convention Web site. The Press-Register could not contact anyone with the congregation Tuesday. Whittaker was released on $5,000 bond and was awaiting trial at the time of his death, according to authorities. "We just got the news a little while ago," said Brewton Police Sgt. Eric Suarez, the investigator of the Brewton case. "It shocked us, I guess, really." Whittaker surrendered to Brewton police after the girl's mother reported her suspicions to authorities, Suarez said. Suarez said the girl's mother called after her daughter told schoolmates she had been abused repeatedly by Whittaker, who was well-known to the child. The students told their parents, and one girl's mother called the alleged victim's mother, Suarez said. "She called police, and we went to her house and got information from the 11-year-old's mother and from the child and others (who said) that Whittaker had touched her inappropriately. Whittaker was contacted by phone, and he said he was out of town but would turn himself in." Suarez said Whittaker did surrender at the police station, and "after a brief interview admitted touching the child several times." Whittaker, however, told investigators the touching was accidental and "happened as they were playing," Suarez said. The child also told police that the incidents happened as the two played, authorities said. Both Whittaker and the child told investigators that the incidents happened many times over recent months. Whittaker leaves behind a wife and one child.
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