Yes, I think it's a coping mechanism. We all cope differently, some swing to blame of the person or other people or events, some use the feelings to reinforce themselves (say, by attributing the outcome to the person having not done something that they feel is critically important to them). It's always sad and tragic. I've known quite a few suicides over the years, and I remember one in particular where I did demonize the person because he put many people including me through a lot of grief. It was my coping mechanism, it felt better to be angry than sad. Now, many years later, and having been quite suicidal towards the end of my drinking days (I think the only reason I'm alive now is that I was too drunk to take action, it was easier to just get more drunk), I view things differently.