History-Making Hockey Player Dead at 29

Finnish hockey player Janne Puhakka has died at the age of 29 in an apparent murder at his home. The prime suspect in his death is his own partner. 

According to Finnish news site Ilta-Sanomat, police were called to Puhakka's home on Oct. 13 after a bystander called emergency services out of concern for what they heard. Puhakka is believed to have died by shooting at the hands of his partner, 66-year-old Norwegian veterinarian Rolf Nordmo. It happened at the home they share in the city of Espoo outside Helsinki. 

"We have a reasonably good understanding of what has happened," crime commissioner and head of investigation Matti Högman told Ilta-Sanomat. "But, of course, we only suspect [Nordmo of murder] and the investigation is in the early stages."

Högman believes the possible murder was likely "particularly raw and cruel." Nordmo was arrested at the scene without incident and is now facing questioning. 

Puhakka started playing hockey as a child and won the bronze in the Under 18 World Championship in 2013. He got his professional start in 2015 and played for a variety of teams around the world including Canada's Chicoutimi Saguenéens, Finland's Espoo Blues, TUTO Hockey, and Espoo United, and France's Rapaces de Gap. 

Puhakka made history when he became the first Finnish major league hockey player to come out as gay. He published a memoir, Ulos Kopista (Out of the Booth), in 2022, and confessed that he opened up about his sexuality after retiring from hockey to avoid any scrutiny in the sports world. 

Rapaces de Gap mourned their former player's history in a touching Instagram post.

"It is with great sadness that we learned of the passing of Janne Puhakka," the statement read. "On the team during the 2017–2018 season, Janne showed the staff and his teammates his kindness and team spirit. We send our sincere condolences to his family, his relatives, and all his former teammates."