EVERQUEST GUIDE SUICIDE AN ELABORATE HOAX? [Author: lum]
Adrenaline Vault is reporting today that KanOkla, the ISP that the posts by “Sheyla”, the EQ guide who supposedly killed herself last weekend, were traced to, point to the suicide story being a hoax.
The Adrenaline Vault, working with representatives of KanOkla, the Internet service provider which had provided modem service for the person identified as \’e2\’80\’9cLeza,\’e2\’80\’9d has established that the person, who claimed she was living in Colorado, was actually dialing in from northern Oklahoma. The login used actually belonged to another KanOkla customer in the Kansas area, which ISP staff believe may have been used without the actual account-holder\’e2\’80\’99s knowledge.
The alleged suicide on Saturday was initially reported by a person who had previously claimed to be the subject\’e2\’80\’99s \’e2\’80\’9csister,\’e2\’80\’9d and was confirmed later in the week in e-mails, web posts, and Internet chats by her \’e2\’80\’9cmother\’e2\’80\’9d and \’e2\’80\’9chusband.\’e2\’80\’9d ISP staff say a real-life person matching the “husband’s” name, who has been traced to the same location in northern Oklahoma as “Leza” was dialing from, previously held a dial-in account with their company. That account was recently discontinued by KanOkla for unrelated violations of a service agreement. The same person\’e2\’80\’99s phone line was also recently discontinued.
None of the communications from any of the supposed relatives are otherwise traceable, and repeated attempts to reestablish communication with them have failed. As well, a personal website belonging to \’e2\’80\’9cLeza,\’e2\’80\’9d containing pictures and information about her EverQuest guild, was deleted in full two nights ago, a full four days after her alleged death. Police in the town where this dial-ins were traced to say there have been no incidents in their area that could match the alleged suicide in the last several weeks.
The journalist who broke the story, \’e2\’80\’9cLum the Mad,\’e2\’80\’9d said he was still uncertain about the story\’e2\’80\’99s veracity. \’e2\’80\’9cI still haven\’e2\’80\’99t been able to confirm or deny the story, and am still trying to determine if it actually happened,\’e2\’80\’9d said Lum, a frequent and vocal critic of Verant Interactive, the company behind the massively popular EverQuest fantasy game. In the ensuing week, the comment boards on Lum\’e2\’80\’99s site have been filled with eulogies and poetry to the departed \’e2\’80\’9cLeza.\’e2\’80\’9d
My own sources who previously assured me that they had spoken to “Leza’s” relatives and confirmed her death are backpedaling furiously. I also have been unable to locate Sheyla or any of her relatives, either in Colorado or Oklahoma.
If she wanted attention, she certainly got it.