Kurt Ullman wrote:

Libel or slander was the reason we were told in J-School to use
alleged until the jury returned and the gavel went down.

The guy is dead. He's not going to sue.

And what's more, there will never be a determination (legal or
otherwise) that he was infact trying to steal the wire. He'll never be
tried or convicted of the crime.

The only public opportunity to label him or describe him as a thief, or
to say in a public venue that he died while thieving, was lost.