LONGVIEW, TX - A former doctor was found dead just three days before he was to be sentenced for child sex crimes against patients of his. According to the Blaze, 62-year-old Matt Elza Hipke pleaded guilty to the charges against him after being arrested in August of 2020.
He was accused of committing several child sex abuse crimes against his patients. In August of 2022, he was indicted on three counts of continuous sexual abuse of a child younger than 14, aggravated sexual assault of a child, and indecency with a child. On March 31st of this year, Hipke pleaded guilty to aggravated assault of a child before 188th District Court Judge Scott Novy.
On Tuesday, April 22nd, deputies with the Gregg County Sheriff's Office (GCSO) found Hipke dead in his home just three days before he was set to be sentenced for his sex crimes against children. In a statement, GCSO Chief Deputy Sheriff Craig Harrington said, "Upon arrival, the sheriff's office identified the deceased as Hipke."
Jail records show that Hipke had been out of the Gregg County Jail since June 9, 2022. Police confirmed that Hipke's former child patients were his victims. Two of his former patients, both boys under the age of 17, accused him of sexual assault. Charges against Hipke "alleged a pattern of sexual abuse in which police said he fondled the genitals of child patients on multiple occasions between 2018 and 2020."
Hipke's practice, Adolescent Care Team, has since closed due to the allegations of chld sex abuse. The Texas Medical Board also suspended his medical license.
Heather Jolicoeur, the mother of one of the children Hipke abused said, "It's with us every day, from extensive counseling to anxiety. It's a continual process." She added, "You know you took something else from me. Not being able to face him and tell him exactly how he has hurt us because those are wounds that don't go away. Won't ever go away."
According to WECT, Hipke was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities have not yet released the manner or cause of death, but an autopsy will be conducted. Police noted that there is no threat to the public.
In a separate incident, a doctor from Alexander County, North Carolina, is facing multiple charges of sex crimes against children in two counties. According to WCSO-TV, Richard Jordan was first arrested on April 4th on charges of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor. He was arrested a second time on Friday, April 18th on charges of indecent liberties with a child and first-degree sexual exploitation of a minor.
Arrest warrants state that the child was just two-years-old. Jordan most recently worked at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem as a resident.
The Alexander County Sheriff's Office (ACSO) worked with the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation to arrest Jordan on the charges mentioned above. ACSO says that he also faces seven counts of secret peeping in Iredell County. The investigation remains ongoing and more charges are possible. He was placed on a $595,000 bond.
