We'd need to know more about the rape and the girl involved to go ahead with that theory. But it does match the MO for groups that are trying to cover this type of stuff up.
Make a heinous accusation that is usually a projection of what the accusers are actually doing. Then give a reasonable explanation on why he died; "suicide"/car accident/robbery gone wrong etc..
No public sympathy therefore no questions, on top of the "conspiracy theory" stigma. It then becomes buried.