John McAfee's widow says he was not suicidal after losing extradition fight

Janice McAfee claims his last words were, 'I love you and I will call you in the evening'

John McAfee, founder of McAfee Antivirus, appears via videoconference during his extradition hearing at Audiencia Nacional court, in Madrid, Spain. EPA

McAfee speaks during the China Internet Security Conference in Beijing, 2016. He was found dead in a prison cell near Barcelona this week. AFP

McAfee speaks during an interview in Havana, Cuba, 2019. Reuters

McAfee speaks at the Malta Blockchain Summit in St Julian's, Malta, 2018. Reuters

McAfee announces his candidacy for president in Opelika, Alabama, 2015. Opelika-Auburn News via AP

McAfee is escorted by immigration officers to the airport in Guatemala City, 2012. Reuters

McAfee talks on his mobile phone as he walks on Ocean Drive in the South Beach area of Miami, Florida in 2012. AP

McAfee speaks during an interview with Reuters in Guatemala City, 2012. Reuters

The widow of software mogul John McAfee blamed US authorities on Friday for his death in a Spanish prison, where he was awaiting extradition to America, and said he was not suicidal.

Janice McAfee said she wanted a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of the 75-year-old, which occurred in his prison cell on Wednesday in what the authorities said was an apparent suicide by hanging.

Speaking outside the Barcelona-area Brians 2 jail, where her husband had been held since October, she said she had last spoken to him a few hours before he was found dead.

"His last words to me were 'I love you and I will call you in the evening'; those words are not words of someone who is suicidal," she said, holding back tears.

"I blame the US authorities for this tragedy. Because of these politically motivated charges against him, my husband is now dead," she said.

Calling her husband a fighter who "had hope things would work out", Ms McAfee added: "I don't believe he did this. I will get answers."
The US embassy has said it is monitoring the Spanish investigation into his death.

"We are closely monitoring local authorities' investigation into the cause of death, and stand ready to provide all appropriate assistance to the family. Out of respect to the family during this difficult time, we have no further comment," a representative said.

British-born McAfee, who launched the world's first commercial antivirus in 1987, was detained last October at Barcelona airport, after living for years on the run from US authorities.

He was indicted in Tennessee on tax evasion charges and was charged in a cryptocurrency fraud case in New York.

McAfee's lawyer, Javier Villalba, said the family was awaiting the results of an official autopsy, but he would request a second, independent autopsy on instruction from the McAfee family.
"Even though he was born in England, America was his home," Ms McAfee said. "He came there when he was a child. He had his first girlfriend there, his first case, you know, his first job.
"He made his first millions there and he wanted to be there. But, you know, politics just wouldn't allow for that to happen.

"All John wanted to do was spend his remaining years fishing and drinking," his widow said
"He was just so loving. He had a big heart and he just loved people and he just wanted to have peace in his life," she added. "My prayers are that his soul has found the peace in death that he could not find in life."