Content warning: this article mentions suicide and self-harm.

The emulator developer Near--a highly-respected luminary in the fan emulation scene--has died, according to social media posts from a close friend. Several friends of the developer grew concerned when Near posted a photo of themselves along with several messages that seemed to suggest suicidal ideation.

Then, on June 27, notable hacker Hector Martin posted a Google document that he said was authored by a close friend of Near's, which contains explicit details of Near's death. Later, on June 28, Martin said that he spoke to the police department in charge of the investigation, who confirmed that Near died on June 27. The Google doc has been accepted by many as proof of Near's death, in part due to the hacker's intensely private nature.