Lehigh County inmate convicted of child rape dies by suicide while awaiting sentencing
PHILADELPHIA - Kevin Esterly, a Lehigh County man who was recently convicted of child rape, died by suicide at a Lehigh County prison while awaiting sentencing, prosecutors announced Monday.
What we know:
Esterly was discovered in his cell before 1:30 a.m. and was pronounced dead less than an hour later. The Lehigh County Coroner's Office later ruled his death a suicide.
Esterly was alone in his cell because his cellmate had recently been moved to another area of the jail, according to the district attorney. Officials said there was no indication Esterly was taking medication for or diagnosed with a mental health issue.
The backstory:
Esterly was convicted of all charges related to a child rape investigation and was awaiting sentencing scheduled for June 30, 2026. He faced a possible sentence of 43.5 to 87 years in state prison and would have been required to register as a sex offender for life.
Esterly had previously been convicted in 2018 of corruption of minors involving the same victim and was sentenced to 2.5 to 5 years in prison. The victim, whose name is not being released, was first introduced to Esterly at age 8 and reported repeated abuse, including rape at age 14.