It is common in dictatorships without checks and balances to merely kill those that fall out of favor.
No Christian morality to check that simple solution. No court system not under the thumb of the dictator, no opposition party, no free press.
Stalin had a simple solution for most problems. If informed there was a problem with any man, just kill him.
No man, no problem.
Kinda like Vince Foster, Seth Rich, Ron Brown, etc.
Works every time.