Tragic

Tragic Murder Shocks Finland: Partner (66) Shoots Janne Puhakka (†29)

Janne Puhakka was the first openly gay ice hockey player in Finland - now he is dead. His partner, 37 years his senior, is said to have shot him.

Finnish ice hockey player Janne Puhakka is dead
His boyfriend is said to have murdered him
The violent story

Janne Puhakka, the first Finnish ice hockey player to speak openly about his homosexuality, was found dead in his home in Espoo on Sunday evening. The 29-year-old lived there with his partner, 66-year-old Norwegian veterinarian Rolf Nordmo.

The Finnish newspaper 'YLE' reports that Nordmo has confessed to the murder of his partner. The murder weapon is said to have been a hunting rifle.

Ice hockey player murdered by his partner

The investigation is being led by Chief Superintendent Matti Högman, who explained that Puhakka had already moved out of the shared apartment a few weeks ago after the relationship ended. During a visit, Nordmo allegedly grabbed a gun and used violence "more than necessary", according to the report.

According to local outlets, "66-year-old veterinarian Rolf Nordmo told police he and Puhakka, 29, split a few weeks ago and Janne had moved out of their Espoo apartment." He was returning to the home "for practical matters" and that's when the tragedy struck.

Högman told the news agency 'STT' that there was "reason to believe the suspect's actions were deliberate and cruel." Nordmo is said to have a license that allows him to carry a weapon in Norway. He is still in custody.

Deadly love story

Puhakka and Nordmo met online in 2014 and quickly fell in love. Despite the 37-year age difference, they developed a close relationship. Puhakka, who ended his career in 2018, struggled with coming out for a long time.

"We both had to battle with ourselves to get to the point we are now," he once said, according to the 'Daily Mail'. The relationship was often misunderstood, and the two would pretend to be uncle and nephew in public.

Former Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin paid tribute to Puhakka on Instagram with a broken heart emoji. Puhakka's career began at the age of six. He later played for the Espoo Blues and Espoo United. After his sports career, he devoted himself to studying international business and worked in the sportswear industry.