Just how do you know exactly when you are about to discover the next great breakthrough of anything?
It's kind of like the gang banger who is killed during a home invasion robbery. "He was just getting his life together"! They never tell you how.
It's been a part of every story about the murder. Obviously, researchers meticulously document everything they do, so even if he was leading the entire project, no data is lost. I guess it's more of a hook to get you to read/watch the story. News at 11!