The “fur died at Pulse” claim was a hoax for attention, and here’s how the troll did it.

by Patch O'Furr

After the shooting tragedy at Pulse in Orlando, claims came out that a fellow furry named “Kodakoda Coyote” was among the victims.  I thought, how sad… people need to hear.  I did basic checking and saw a FurAffinity account for that name.  There was no content but the name was 4 years old and not obviously recent. It was filling with comments of sympathy from other furs.

The original claims came from two places at the same time.  (1) A tweet from “SebastianLoFR” and (2) a Reddit comment from “Deg The Wolf“. Both seemed to be established accounts from separate people.

I took the bait like a dummy.  The “Kodakoda” story went out in record time for this site.  It got a lot of sharing. I doggedly repeated the two-source thing for a bit.  The sympathy came before I posted, but my article spread the hoax a little – thanks for taking me to school, all of you.

SebastianLoFR was called out for being shifty.  He put out an incredibly stupid cover story that he got “trolled” from a 4-hour-old account “EOStudlover”.  (Hmm, who made that?)  After a while, tweets and accounts were deleted.

That turned attention to Deg The Wolf on Reddit.  See here – his most-upvoted comment about losing his friend is deleted now, but there’s a lot of others that gave him “hugs” for it. (Look suspiciously at u/popprocks and u/What_Is_EET.)

I sent hugs and asked for his comments to help add to the story and honor his “friend”.  Next day came private messages.

Trolling

[–]From Patch to DegTheWolf sent 1 day ago

I’m getting many people saying this is fake based on Sebastian on Twitter acting like a moron. Your account doesn’t strike me as a troll, at all. Would it be too much to ask you for a little verification, if only to make sure your friend is honored? I hope you’re OK.

[–]from DegTheWolf sent 1 day ago

I can try to find something I guess. Someone asked me if it was koda but it wasn’t him. So i’ll try and find something if that helps…kinda not cool that people wanna say my dead friend doesn’t exist. He never had much fan art comissioned. But i’ll look.

[–]From Patch to DegTheWolf sent 1 day ago

Thanks! I’m glad that some fucking asshole on Twitter isn’t going to get to dishonor your friend. Let’s prove those people wrong so you don’t have to deal with your loss this way. I’ll check in with you tomorrow if I don’t hear from you first.

[–]from DegTheWolf sent 1 day ago

“The Freedom Family has a tradition of coming together in times of adversity. Orlando has fallen victim to a terrible tragedy, a senseless shooting, and an act that left us with an unprecedented amount of casualties. It is with great sorrow to inform everyone that one of Freedom’s own has lost his life in this terrible attack. We remember him for his Honor, and Excellence; with our Tradition.

RIP Juan Ramon Guerrero – 22 years old”

http://imgur.com/qlbG7hyhttp://imgur.com/YA2VCsL

Once I got past crying from seeing his pic, I uploaded screenshots from our old highschool’s facebook page as proof.

[–]From Patch to DegTheWolf sent 1 day ago

God I’m so sorry – makes me want to cry too 🙁 Can you help me write up a more detailed rememberance of Juan? What was his regular fur name?

[–]from DegTheWolf sent 1 day ago

I have to look it up again. Also, does I have to give his fur name? I would rather people know him by his real name. I will look for the fur name. I just know he wasn’t super open about being a furry. Not out of shame or anything, just wasn’t. So i don’t think he has it on social media.

[–]From Patch to DegTheWolf sent 1 day ago

Yup, it’s essential for a furry story! I’ll make sure his real name isn’t fully given and won’t use his real picture, only the furry ones you send – that’s how I typically post about people. I’m so happy to honor him and not let him be forgotten, and I hope this makes you feel a little less sad. -hugs-

[–]from DegTheWolf sent 1 day ago

It does. I haven’t done much research on where he’s known on the internet. But his fur name was Johnny FluffyTail. I’ll keep looking, again he wasn’t very open about it. I met him/knew him irl so I didn’t have him added on like furaffinity, etc. I asked a friend who told me his fur name.

[–]From Patch to DegTheWolf sent 1 day ago

This is very helpful, I did find his FA but it seems like his friends don’t know yet 🙁 Poor guy. I’ll make an extra nice post with the info to let them know. I’ll be careful not to add too many details that might reveal fur stuff to his RL friends. What was he like in high school?

[–]from DegTheWolf sent 1 day ago

Oh man. Nicest guy you’ll ever meet. A bit shy, but once he opened up to you he was a whole different person. Always had a smile on his face, always brought happiness to his friends. There was never a dull moment with the guy. Straight A student. Gamer at heart.

[–]From Patch to DegTheWolf sent 1 day ago

Thanks so much for this, and I will actually put in a link so people can send flowers to his family as they are asking on Facebook with his name. I’ll just ask that they not reveal it’s coming from furs. Are you going to be part of the vigil?

[–]from DegTheWolf sent 1 day ago

Yes, i’ll be there with a few other alumni from my class.

[–]From Patch to DegTheWolf sent 1 day ago

Oh man, are you going tonight or tomorrow? Reason I ask is if you go tonight, please send me pics and I’ll hold the post so I can put it out as breaking news. Or if you go tomorrow, I’ll put it out right away so I can put in the info about sending flowers, then you can get pics of the flowers with the family for the senders to see. Or will you go to both?

[–]from DegTheWolf sent 1 day ago

I’ll be going tonight. I can’t do both. I don’t think I have strength to do it again. I’m shaky now just thinking about it. But I have friends who are picking me up. I’ll try to take pics, if not, i’ll get them from other people. I don’t know if I’ll be able to do much other than cry and pray that he’s having fun in heaven. (My apologies if you aren’t religious)

[–]From Patch to DegTheWolf sent 1 day ago

It’s OK. Stay strong. All right then if you’re going tonight, can I paypal you to cover some flowers for them right away?

[–]from DegTheWolf sent 1 day ago

It’s fine, you don’t have to pay, I’ve already paid for some for their family. I’m honestly glad my friends are taking me, as much as I wanna go, I wouldn’t be able to drive with the state i’m in. Too shaky/teary to drive ya know? Thank you for the offer though.

[–]From Patch to DegTheWolf sent 1 day ago

I’m glad, what kind did you get for them? That’s so sweet, I hope it makes you feel better. I’ll hold the post until you send the pics later tonight.

[–]from DegTheWolf sent 1 day ago

A Bouquet of Roses, because he loved the phrase “A rose by any other name is just as sweet.” Damn I miss that guy. If it were anyone else he would’ve had me smiling and laughing even if I was crying. He always found a way.

[–]From Patch to DegTheWolf sent 1 day ago

That is super sweet. Please make sure to send a pic of you with the roses at the vigil, I don’t think there’s anything that could better show how much he should mean to everyone. You’re a true friend.

[–]from DegTheWolf sent 1 day ago

I’ll do my best and ask if his family will bring them.

[–]From Patch to DegTheWolf sent 22 hours ago

Hey, please send the pics! People are waiting for this post, and I’m holding it so you can contribute the last part it needs. Hope the vigil went OK, it must have been a very trying experience.

[–]from DegTheWolf sent 21 hours ago

Waiting on my friend to send me any pics he took. I honestly couldn’t take any pictures.

[–]from DegTheWolf sent 20 hours ago

Ffidv06Soooo…this happened..http://m.imgur.com/Ffidv06 :c He later said they just didn’t want any pics of the of the family. Nothing i can really do…

[–]From Patch to DegTheWolf sent 18 hours ago

OMG that must have been awkward, but whose vigil were you at?

[–]From Patch to DegTheWolf sent 15 hours ago

Sorry, had the dates messed up, the vigil is tomorrow. Whose did you go to? And are you going to the actual one?

[–]from DegTheWolf sent 13 hours ago

I went to a mini vigil with the family themselves. I can’t make it to anything else.

[–]From Patch to DegTheWolf sent 12 hours ago

Wow, they must really like you to invite you to their private event. I’m glad you touched their lives that much. How did his boyfriend take it? Sorry to be a pest, since there’s no pics I just wanted to add a different detail to wrap up the story for tomorrow.

[–]from DegTheWolf sent 12 hours ago

Hey it’s alright. Giving more details is the least I can do. His boyfriend…was confirmed dead from what I heard. I believe his name was drew…I didn’t know drew as well, but was a good kid. Loved Juan more than anything.

[–]from DegTheWolf sent 11 hours ago

http://m.imgur.com/gg6vsxi

Here’s a screenshot.

[–]From Patch to DegTheWolf sent 11 hours ago

That is so sad… sorry to hear. I can’t imagine how hard it must be to lose two people at the same time. Was juan’s rememberance all you could handle or will you go to drew’s funeral too?

[–]from DegTheWolf sent 11 hours ago

I’ll see if I can make it to drew’s. Due to financial troubles, I can’t take too many days off of work…Also, i’m fine now. The vigil was hard, but i’m okay. I know Juan would want me to cheer up and remember the good times. Not his death.

[–]From Patch to DegTheWolf sent 10 hours ago

Wow so Drew must have been very special to get two funerals. The news says his service is with Juan. Well thanks for letting me interview you seb and do cheer up. The article about this is going out soon.

[–]from DegTheWolf sent 10 hours ago

Ah, well, his family, like Juan’s, wants a seperate small one. But I can’t make it. I sent them flowers too though. But you’re very welcome.

[–]from DegTheWolf sent 10 hours ago

Seb? I’m Deg or Daniel. Whichever you prefer. Deg Ookami or Daniel.

[–]From Patch to DegTheWolf sent 10 hours ago

So seb, when this article about you goes out, are you going to delete this account and those other alts too?

[–]from DegTheWolf sent 10 hours ago

I don’t have alts. And i’m not seb. I don’t know what you’re talking about…

[–]from DegTheWolf sent 10 hours ago

I’m not deleting anything because I don’t know who seb is…and I don’t have alts. Just my own account. Was there something I said to make you think I’m seb? I’ve never gone by seb..

[–]from DegTheWolf sent 10 hours ago

Also, if I was seb, don’t you think I would’ve deleted all my accounts related to this story? Not just twitter. I’d like to understand why you think i’m this seb guy. Cause I went to the article and clicked the link for seb and nothing came up.

[–]From Patch to DegTheWolf sent 9 hours ago

Yeah you deleted Sebastian. The “Eduardo” account had really shitty fake writing, and the name “Johnny Fluffytail” is dumb as shit too. Trolling for attention like this, and sending hugs to yourself from alts, how desperate can you get?

[–]from DegTheWolf sent 9 hours ago

I didn’t…I really didn’t dude. I don’t understand what you’re saying. I said it was his furry name. I didn’t follow his social media other than facebook. I was trying to troll…

[–]From Patch to DegTheWolf sent 9 hours ago

“”Did you hear what Deg did today? Check out what all these people are saying about how he exploited dead people to troll for sympathy.””

[–]from DegTheWolf sent 9 hours ago

Whatever dude. Have fun hurting someone who was already hurt from losing a friend.

[–]from DegTheWolf sent 9 hours ago

Don’t know what else I can do to prove i’m not this seb dude.

[–]From Patch to DegTheWolf sent 9 hours ago

You made up some bullshit to use other people’s tragedy, and made up a bunch of fake internet accounts for it. Way to go! Oooh, you even bought “roses”. LOL it’s too late to pretend you don’t know that account after you already let out a detail from it. Just wondering at what point do you stop faking?

Gross. I’m not surprised if this douche was playing along as much as me but I also wouldn’t be surprised if they were just very stupid.  So don’t go witch hunting now by relying on anything above, including the name “Deg Ookami”.  There are Facebook accounts with a real person with the name.  That person has a lot of pics and SebastianLoFR has a lot of face pics too but they aren’t the same person.  One thing that the accounts (including the likely alts) do have in common is a lot of posts about gaming with the same games, like Overwatch.

Suspect shitty kids trolling together and/or misdirecting a witch hunt to someone innocent (but SebastianLoFR and Deg on Reddit aren’t innocent.)

EDIT – more evidence of lying. 

Deg claimed to be so intimate that he was invited to a special private family event.  He told me “Someone asked me if it was koda but it wasn’t him”, and gave the ridiculous “Johnny FluffyTail” name.  Compare those lies to this: