Prosecutors have formally charged the partner of Finland’s first openly gay ice hockey player with the sports star’s murder.
Janne Puhakka, 29, who starred in the Finnish version of the Traitors, died in his home he shared with his Norwegian veterinarian partner, Rolf Nordmo, 66, in Henttaa, Espoo, on 13 October last year.
Nordmo, who is said to have shot his ex-lover twice with a hunting shotgun and was 37 years Janne’s senior, will reportedly serve a life sentence, which typically means less than 15 years behind bars in Finland, according to Yle.
The prosecutor suspects that the veterinarian had planned the shooting for two weeks, indicating that Nordmo may have carried out the shooting with deliberate intent.
The suspect admitted to being responsible for Puhakka’s death during the preliminary investigation, but denies murder, according to the Finnish paper.
The trial is due to start at Western Uusimaa District Court in Espoo on 13 March.
Before his death, Janne visited his former home to discuss the practical arrangements of the split with the veterinarian.
When the hockey player arrived at the property, Nordmo allegedly grabbed the gun. The former ice hockey player was shot twice in his chest shortly after he arrived at the Henttaa flat, investigators believe.
Prosecutors have charged Rolf Nordmo (pictured right) with murder following the death of Finland’s first openly gay ice hockey player, Janne Puhakka (pictured left)
A friend of the former sportsman found him dead in the apartment – a visit made after Janne failed to respond to calls and messages.
Matti Högman, who is leading the police investigation, previously told the Finnish paper that Puhakka had moved out of their home after the relationship ended ‘several weeks ago’.
Högman added that violence was used ‘more than necessary’ in the death.
‘The suspect denies any planning. I will not comment on any other details,’ Detective Inspector, who is leading the investigation, told YLE.
Tributes have flooded in for Janne, with the Finnish League for Human Rights, LGBTIQ-rights group Seta, and Helsinki Pride, organising a gathering last month to pay respects to the former ice hockey player.
Crowds gathered at Helsinki’s Senate Square to light candles in remembrance of the athlete.
The 29-year-old Finnish Traitors star (pictured left) was allegedly shot twice in his chest with a hunting gun
Rolf is said to have shot his former lover Janne Puhakka (pictured left), who was Finland’s first openly gay ice hockey player, twice on 13 October
The former couple had a 37 year age gap and kept their relationship a secret for years because they worried about the public’s reaction
According to YLE, Tommy Lindgren, who works with the Human Rights League’s sports branch, Team Human Rights, addressed the crowd, saying: ‘He drew attention to the structure of sports organisations, and reminded sports clubs and federations about their responsibilities about human rights.’
Sanna Marin, the former Finnish Prime Minister, is among those who have paid tribute to the athlete. She took to Instagram to share an image of the former ice hockey player with a broken love heart emoji.
It comes after The Traitors Finland has postponed airing the final episode of the second series following the murder of Janne, who was previously a contestant.
Janne was a contestant on the pre-recorded second series of Finland’s version of the show, and had reached the final alongside Green MP Fatim Diarra, YLE reported.
‘We have come to the decision that right now is not the right time to show the episode.
‘We will return to the question of the possible presentation of the episode later,’ a spokesperson from The Traitors said, according to the Finnish publication.
The 29-year-old functioned as a traitor in the final episode, working to trick the other players into winning the pot of cash.
Janne, who played for Espoo Blues and Espoo United before ending his career at the end of the 2017–2018 season, met Nordmo in 2014 and quickly fell in love after chatting online for one week.
A friend of the former sportsman found Janne (seen with Rolf) dead in a Espoo apartment, according to media reports
Detective Inspector Matti Högman, told news agency STT there was ‘reason to believe the suspect’s actions were deliberate and cruel’ and the ‘suspect and victim knew each other’.
On the evening Janne died, a bystander called the police to the couple’s apartment after suspecting a violent crime.
The 29-year-old was the first Finnish ice hockey player who openly discussed his homosexuality.
At the start of his career, he hid his sexual identity from friends for fear of being stigmatised.
Janne and Nordmo discussed their relationship in the Mirror in 2022, with the sports professional saying he kept his relationship private because he was ‘scared of the way I would be perceived in the ultra-masculine sporting world’.
After chatting online in June 2014, Nordmo flew three times from his home in Oslo to Helsinki, Finland, to see Janne.
At the time, Nordmo told himself that the relationship wouldn’t work because of their age gap, and told himself that it was ‘just a Summer fling’.
But the pair grew closer, and Nordmo went on to visit Janne while he was working in Canada.
Pictured: Candles and flowers were placed outside of the apartment where Janne was killed in tribute to the athlete
Finnish League for Human Rights, LGBTIQ-rights group Seta, and Helsinki Pride organised a memorial for Janne (pictured)
Janne stayed with a host family and told them Nordmo was his uncle so he could see him in his hotel.
‘It felt so weird to be hiding our relationship; I just wanted to say he was my boyfriend,’ Nordmo said.
When meeting publicly, the pair would pretend to be just friends or that Nordmo was Janne’s uncle.
Nordmo said onlookers often thought they were a ‘sugar daddy and baby or father and son’.
Janne previously said: ‘We both had to battle with ourselves to get to the point we are now. We love each other and that’s all that matters.’
He added that friends and family learned to understand that their relationship was ‘not strange’ and they ‘complement each other’.
Nordmo, who came out as gay at 40, was previously married to a woman for 17 years, with whom he has three children.
He told them about his relationship with Janne in February 2015, with them initially having mixed reactions.
Former Finnish Prime Minster Sanna Marin is among those who paid tribute to Janne online (pictured)
Janne started playing hockey at six, before claiming a place on the Finnish national youth team at 16, according to OutSports.
He hoped that by talking publicly about his sexual orientation, he would help other players in the future.
After his stint playing ice hockey, Janne went on to study international business in Haaga-Helia and worked in sportswear sales in a Amer Sport store.
He told Frenn: ‘When my sport career came to an end, I had to think what I would like to do next. Beside sports, fashion and clothing have always interested me.
‘So it was quite natural to combine these two elements. Sportswear business is a perfect place for me to use my past experience and develop my future career goals.’
He added: ‘Physical and mental well-being of my family is the corner stone in my life. I have always valued healthy lifestyle and that’s what I am working for also today.’