Alternate theory, we don't know whether the gods are choosing people based on the contents of their past life at all, beyond the whole, people that died too soon thing. For all we know they can't pull over the vast majority of people that die on earth and are literally just pulling through whoever they can. 

There's also the thing about the deaths having to be random, which is just a little sus, either we're not being told everything and they're actively interfering to causing some of these deaths for whatever reason, or there are in fact rules regarding who can be brought over, and somewhat random cause of death happens to be a qualifying factor. Honestly, I'm leaning towards the first theory, it seems a bit strange that something like stabbing would be a qualifying factor, but only if the attack wasn't premeditated, that is unless the gods were in some way able to manipulate fate but not outright manipulate minds in which case it makes a bit more sense. 

Alternatively, I don't have enough information right now and my wild speculations are way off base. Actually, it's almost certainly that last one.