The criminal case against ex-Team USA Gymnastics coach John Geddert is as good as dead -- because officials know there's no point in prosecuting a deceased person.
Geddert had just been hit with 24 criminal charges -- including 20 counts of human trafficking and 2 counts of sexual assault -- when he took his own life Thursday afternoon. State officials in Michigan say they believe it was a self-inflicted gunshot.
If convicted on all counts, Geddert was facing life in prison.
Prosecutors clearly felt they had enough evidence to get a conviction -- but the case can never get off the ground now that Geddert is dead.