John McAfee, the creator of McAfee security software is reportedly wanted by Belize police as the prime suspect in the murder of builder Gregory Faull ,who was found shot to death on Sunday.
Update: McAfee has been talking (from hiding), and says he’s innocent.
Gizmodo reports:
Antivirus pioneer John McAfee is on the run from murder charges, Belize police say. According to Marco Vidal, head of the national police force’s Gang Suppression Unit, McAfee is a prime suspect in the murder of American expatriate Gregory Faull, who was gunned down Saturday night at his home in San Pedro Town on the island of Ambergris Caye.
Gizmodo shares an official police statement:
On Sunday the 11th November, 2012 at 8:00am acting upon information received, San Pedro Police visited 5 ¾ miles North of San Pedro Town where they saw 52 year old U.S National Mr. GREGORY VIANT FAULL, of the said address, lying face up in a pool of blood with an apparent gunshot wound on the upper rear part of his head apparently dead. Initial investigation revealed that on the said date at 7:20am LUARA TUN, 39years, Belizean Housekeeper of Boca Del Rio Area, San Pedro Town went to the house of Mr. Faull to do her daily chores when she saw him laying inside of the hall motionless, Faull was last seen alive around 10:00pm on 10.11.12 and he lived alone. No signs of forced entry was seen, A (1) laptop computer brand and serial number unknown and (1) I-Phone was discovered missing. The body was found in the hall of the upper flat of the house. A single luger brand 9 mm expended shells was found at the first stairs leading up to the upper flat of the building. The body of Faull was taken to KHMH Morgue where it awaits a Post Mortem Examination. Police have not established a motive so far but are following several leads.
The San Pedro Sun is reporting that McAfee is wanted for questioning:
The police are yet to make an arrest but are looking for John McAfee, who they believe may be able to assist them in their investigation. The incident took place in the Mata Grande area some six miles north of San Pedro Town and the victim has been identified as 52-year-old Gregory Viant Faull, a retired American of state of Miami, Florida USA. Faull was found by a housekeeper inside his living room with an apparent gunshot wound to the back of his head.
That report later says:
Residents in the area told The San Pedro Sun that Faull had a misunderstanding with a neighbor in the area and believe that the dispute may have escalated. According to the neighbors, Faull’s concerns as it related to the person in question were shared by other residents of the Mata Grande area. Those concerns had to do with armed security intimidating residents along the beach and according to the neighbors in the area, the issue was brought up to the San Pedro Town Council.
Interestingly, this all comes several days after a report from Gizmodo discussing a police raid on McAfee’s property in Belize back in the Spring. The piece described him as “a kind of final-reel Scarface” complete with armed guards.
The writer points to a message board where McAfee had apparently been talking about attempts to purify the chemicals/drugs known as bath salts (which we’ve heard plenty of horror stories about this year).
McAfee had been arrested in Belize earlier this year, when the Gang Suppression Unit broke down his door after being tipped off about a weapons cache.
SFGate points to an article from a few days ago from 7 News Belize, talking about McAfee donating weapons and various equipment to the San Pedro police.
McAfee, age 67, was one of the first people to design anti-virus software. He worked for NASA, Xerox and Lockheed before founding McAfee. Intel bought the company a couple years ago. Since then, he’s been leading quite the interesting life, based on Gizmodo’s account of his lifestyle.