Finland’s first out gay pro hockey player murdered by 66-year-old ex-boyfriend

Janne Puhakka Photo: YouTube screenshot

Janne Puhakka, a 29-year-old who made history as Finland’s first out gay professional ice hockey player, was shot to death in the home he had shared with his Norwegian veterinarian partner, 66-year-old Rolf Nordmo. Nordmo reportedly confessed to the murder — the two broke up a few weeks ago, ending their decade-long relationship.

Puhakka, who publicly came out upon retiring from hockey in 2018, reportedly moved out of their shared apartment several weeks ago. Last Sunday night, Puhakka returned to the residence — located in the city of Espoo, outside of Helsinki — to discuss “practical matters” with Nordmo. Nordmo then used a hunting shotgun to kill Puhakka.

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A friend of Puhakka arrived at the scene after being unable to contact him. Upon discovering the murder, he called the police, the Finnish news outlet YLE reported. Police arrived and arrested Nordmo, who later confessed to the killing.

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Police initially charged Puhakka with manslaughter but upgraded the charge to murder because “the act is suspected to have been committed with premeditation and in a particularly brutal and cruel manner,” a police statement said.

“Based on an interview with the suspect, the motive for the crime was the end of the relationship between the victim and the suspect,” Detective Inspector Matti Högman added.

Puhakka began playing hockey at age six and played on the Finnish national youth team at 16, around the same time that he became aware of his homosexuality. He began playing in the Finnish pro league at age 20 and played for Canada’s Chicoutimi Saguenéens, Finland’s Espoo Blues, TUTO Hockey, Espoo United, and France’s Rapaces de Gap teams.

Though Puhakka came out to his team captain and a few teammates while playing professionally, he later admitted that he laughed off anti-gay “jokes” from his teammates and felt bothered by the fact that his peers could openly mention their wives and girlfriends in public. He worried he wasn’t a good enough player to be kept on the team if he came out, Outsports reported.

Nevertheless, Puhakka publicly came out in 2018, saying that he hoped that his openness might help other players come out. Despite this, he said he knew no other gay pro hockey players in Finland and was previously “scared of the way I…