No, the normal software noticed all the missing or misbehaving systems and began to throw warning and exception. That title sounds like he was targeted. Clickbait.

Spoiler alert!

> Soon after, the Model 3 began throwing service warnings and appearing to tighten up its behavior. Evans openly worried that Tesla might effectively blacklist the car once it realized how much of it had been stripped away.

Skimmed this slop and it does not say anywhere that it was "shut down." He got some warnings and "openly worried." That's it. Nothing else is said. Boo.