Hoax, or pre-reality?
I think it's the first time someone died soon after a hoax was started about them. At least I can't remember another instance.
Elvin.
There was an actual hoax started about Elvin Jones being dead, or one of those rush to be the first to report someone is dead before it's officially announced....like what goes on here....was jumping the gun?
I don't think Elvin was gone yet. There's probably still a thread here. It was happening on USENET too, at the time.