A New Jersey morgue attendant who shared confidential details about the deaths of NHL star Johnny Gaudreau and his brother, Matthew, in a group chat with fellow hockey players has officially lost his job for good, after state officials upheld his firing following a lengthy legal battle.

The Gloucester County Medical Examiner’s Office moved to fire Connor McGlynn, who worked as an assistant at the Gloucester County Medical Examiner’s Office, in September 2024, but he appealed the decision. In December 2025, an administrative law judge recommended a lesser penalty of a six-month suspension. However, the Civil Service Commission ultimately voted 3-2 in February to uphold his dismissal, with records of the decision posted online in Thursday, the Courier Post reported.

McGlynn sent a photo of his private notes about the deaths just hours after the fatal crash, exposing sensitive details such as the brothers’ birth dates, home addresses, specifics about the incident and the responding trooper’s cellphone number, according to court records reviewed by the outlet.

The message was initially sent to a small group of teammates, many of whom knew the Gaudreau family personally. However, one recipient later posted the image publicly on social media without McGlynn’s knowledge, triggering an internal investigation.

“McGlynn had no explanation for why he would send the picture in the text, other than that he was in disbelief and acted out of emotion,” the ruling said, according to the Courier Post.

The group chat consisted of friends who shared a passion for ice hockey, and McGlynn had not only played the sport with both victims but also looked up to them, the outlet says.

The case stems from an August 29, 2024, crash in Oldmans Township where Johnny Gaudreau, 31, and Matthew Gaudreau, 29, were struck and killed while riding bicycles single-file. Authorities say the driver, Sean Higgins, 45, was allegedly drunk at the time. The tragedy occurred on the eve of the brothers’ sister’s wedding, which was later postponed nearly a year.

Prosecutors reported that Higgins had a blood alcohol level of 0.087—slightly above New Jersey’s legal limit of 0.08—though he is contesting that result in court as he awaits trial. Authorities allege he admitted to drinking five or six alcoholic beverages before getting behind the wheel and was trying to pass slower vehicles when he struck the Gaudreau brothers.

Investigators also found that both Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau, who were married fathers, had blood alcohol levels of 0.129 or higher at the time of the crash.

Higgins has pleaded not guilty to multiple charges, including aggravated manslaughter and reckless vehicular homicide, after previously turning down a plea deal that would have sent him to prison for 35 years.

He now faces a potential sentence of up to 70 years behind bars if he is convicted on all counts. His case remains pending, with a court appearance scheduled for April 14.