Just a note (and please tell me if its OT/inappropriate), but with these types of events, people often concentrate on the 'what' that made it happen. However, the way a man dies does not define him. It is his work and contribution, which James had a ton of. I personally think celebrating James' contributions to open source, and his talks, and writing does him much more justice than speculating at a cause of death. RI…
This is very true, however many people also achieve understanding and closure through details. It allows them to absorb what at first blush seems incomprehensible. Is there something they could have done, should they have known if he was ill, etc. We want to understand how this could have happened. You're right, it doesn't define the person though, but it helps frame the reality of the shock.