Report: Retired NHL Player Who Died Of Apparent Overdose Was Victim In Child Rape Case
Follow KDKA-TV: Facebook | Twitter
BOSTON (KDKA) -- A child rape case has been dropped because the chief witness and victim, a retired NHL player, died of an apparent overdose in Pittsburgh back in April.
Former NHL player and minor league coach Dave Gove was found dead at the Bethlehem Haven rehab facility on April 5. He was 38. Stamp bags of heroin were allegedly found near Gove's body, and it appeared he died of an overdose.
Watch Ralph Iannotti's April 6 report --
The Boston Globe reported Saturday that said a Boston hockey coach, Robert G. Richardson, allegedly raped Gove repeatedly over several years, starting when Gove was 13 years old.
According to the Globe, Gove was scheduled to testify against the coach, who was facing three counts of child rape, in June. He was set to be the chief witness against Richardson, but because of Gove's death, the charges have been dropped and there will be no trial.
The Globe says Richardson was acquitted of raping another youth hockey prospect 12 years ago.
Gove was the head coach of the Wheeling Nailers, a Pittsburgh Penguins minor league affiliate, until April of 2016.