My ball python just died in a matter of mere hours from....?

It sounds like your snake was not 100% healthy when you got him and his condition just worsened with time. A possibility that your snake may have been severely constipated to the point that his intestine ruptured. When this happens, the matter and fluids that are in the intestine will enter and aculate in the snake's lower body cavity giving a snake a somewhat swollen appearance. Snakes that suffer from this will not eat.