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Florida pastor and Christian radio host accused of raping teenage girl for years kills himself while out on bond

59-year-old Reverand Bryan Fulwider, who had been out on bail since October 17, was found dead at his residence Sunday night

A Florida pastor and popular Christian radio show host has committed suicide after being charged with raping a teenage girl.

Altamonte Springs police spokeswoman Michelle Sosa said the Reverand Bryan Fulwider was found dead at his residence Sunday night, according to the Orlando Sentinel.

The death was subsequently ruled a suicide by the Medical Examiner's Office for Seminole County. At the time of his demise, Fulwider was out on a $700,000 bond. 

On October 2, authorities arrested the 59-year-old pastor after a young woman told detectives he had been abusing her since 2014, when she was just 14 and he was a senior minister at the First Congregational Church of Winter Park.

According to the alleged victim, Fulwider told her he loved her.

The Reverand was heard in a call recorded by police telling his accuser there was "never anything salacious or bad about it and you were always too damn mature for your own good and I have always loved you."

Fulwider was a popular figure. He had co-hosted 'Friends Talking Faith', a weekly broadcast that featured himself as one of the 'Three Wise Guys' alongside a rabbi and an imam.

Jacob V. Stuart Jr., Fulwider's attorney, previously stated his client had vehemently denied all the accusations and had not committed any crime.

Now, Stuart Jr. has said Fulwider was treated unfairly by the media, the legal system, as well as the community, adding that he should have been presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Following his arrest, the First Congregational Church released a statement saying the church and its community were "deeply pained" by it. That said, Fulwider had resigned from the church more than seven years ago.

"At this time, we have no information about this matter, but we pray that any victim associated with this be given privacy in order to move forward and heal" First Congregational Church of Winter Park senior minister, the Rev. Shawn Garvey, said in the statement.