Janne Puhakka, a former professional ice hockey player, was found dead on 13 October 2024 in his apartment in Espoo, Finland.
Puhakka, 29, gained national attention in 2019 when he became the first player in Finland’s top hockey league, the SM-liiga, to publicly come out as gay. He had played for teams such as Espoo Blues and Rapaces de Gap, and recently appeared on the Finnish reality show “Petolliset” (Traitor), the final episode of which has been canceled following news of his death.
Emergency call
Police responded to a distress call after a concerned friend of Puhakka’s arrived at his apartment and discovered the scene. Puhakka had been fatally shot with a hunting shotgun. The police later confirmed that the cause of death was a gunshot wound.
According to police reports, the shooting occurred following the end of a personal relationship between Puhakka and his partner. The suspect in the case has admitted to the shooting during police questioning, stating that it was motivated by the breakup. Finnish authorities have since upgraded the charge to premeditated murder, describing the act as deliberate and cruel.
Puhakka had been living with his partner, Rolf Nordmo, a 66-year-old Norwegian veterinarian and executive in the aquaculture industry.
Nordmo, who has admitted to the shooting during police questioning, reportedly acted after the end of his relationship with Puhakka. Finnish authorities have upgraded the charge from manslaughter to premeditated murder, citing the “deliberate and cruel” nature of the act.
Who is the suspect?
Rolf Nordmo, a well-known figure in Norway’s aquaculture industry, trained as a veterinarian and has held various leadership roles in aquaculture businesses.
He worked as station manager in the development of the Veso Vikan research station in Namsos and has served as managing director of Biotec Animal Health and Biorigin Scandinavia/Europe, working on R&D and global sales of immunostimulating products for production animals, including fish.
In addition to his work with Biotec and Biorigin, Nordmo has served as managing director of AquaGen and as a veterinary inspector in the Norwegian Ministry of Agriculture.
Nordmo is currently in custody as the investigation continues.
