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Coquitlam piano teacher facing sex charges is dead

Monday, Coquitlam RCMP said police would not be releasing details into the death of Dmytro 'Dmitri' Kubyshkin but Cpl. Mike McLaughlin said it is not considered suspicious.
Dmytro 'Dmitri' Kubyshkin
Dmytro 'Dmitri' Kubyshkin

A Coquitlam piano teacher accused of sexually assaulting and sexually interfering with his students during private lessons died last Thursday.

Monday, Coquitlam RCMP said police would not be releasing details into the death of Dmytro 'Dmitri' Kubyshkin but Cpl. Mike McLaughlin said it is not considered suspicious.

Mounties have since forwarded the file to the BC Coroner’s Service, whose spokesperson, Andy Watson, said the agency wouldn’t be confirming or releasing the circumstances related to the death, for privacy reasons.

Dan McLaughlin, communications counsel for the BC Prosecution Services, told The Tri-City News the 15 charges against Kubyshkin have since been “abated.”

“There will be no further proceedings,” McLaughlin said in an email.

Lawyer Troy Anderson said he was no longer representing Kubyshkin and he was unaware he had died.

The 68-year-old man was due to have his second pre-trial conference in Port Coquitlam provincial court June 21 after he pleaded not guilty to the offences last fall and elected to proceed to trial; a 12-day hearing was set for this summer and fall.

The charges involved 11 individuals at their homes in Coquitlam, Richmond, Surrey and Delta between 1998 and 2016, Coquitlam Mounties said.

Kubyshkin, who operated DM Piano School for more than 20 years, faced nine charges of sexual assault, four counts of touching for a sexual purpose and two invitations to persons under the ages of 14 and 16 to touch him.

Coquitlam RCMP, which repeatedly made public calls for other victims to come forward, said ongoing support will be provided to Kubyshkin’s alleged victims as required.