Janice McAfee: Two years after John McAfee's mysterious death, she's still seeking answers

It has now been over two years since Janice McAfee has been waiting for answers about the exact circumstances of her husband’s death, the founder of the eponymous antivirus, in a prison in Barcelona. Although a Catalan court officially ruled it a suicide in September, the widow remains convinced that crucial pieces are missing from the case. Confined in a secret location in Spain, relying on help from friends and living off small, occasional jobs, Janice McAfee remains determined to uncover the truth — a truth that authorities refuse to share despite her repeated requests.

A $100 Million Fortune That Disappeared

When John McAfee stepped away from the antivirus company in 1994, his fortune was estimated at over $100 million. However, by the time of his arrest and incarceration, his official assets had shrunk to only $4 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. The decline continued: in 2019, John McAfee claimed he had no funds left to face a $25 million wrongful death judgment.

The following year, U.S. authorities arrested him for tax evasion, alleging that he and his team had pocketed $11 million promoting cryptocurrencies. Even from his cell, via Twitter, he insisted he had no hidden digital assets. “I have nothing, but I have no regrets,” he told his millions of followers.

According to Janice McAfee, her husband left neither a will nor an estate plan. Legal proceedings in the U.S. have rendered any financial inheritance virtually nonexistent. Rumors of secret stashes and mysterious documents have circulated, but John intentionally kept his wife in the dark to protect her from potential danger. Today, she survives by taking temporary jobs, with no clear prospects for financial improvement.

Janice McAfee Confronts Uncertainty and Unanswered Questions

From the first day her husband was incarcerated near Barcelona until his death, Janice and John spoke daily. This close contact makes the mystery surrounding his death all the more painful. “I don’t believe it ended the way they say,” she explains. “I don’t know if he really committed suicide.”

Janice McAfee’s doubts are based on several troubling details in the prison report. According to prison documents, John still had a pulse and was breathing faintly when he was discovered, with a ligature around his neck. Yet, first responders reportedly did not remove the obstruction before beginning resuscitation — an unorthodox medical practice. A trained nurse, Janice raises legitimate questions: “If someone has something around their neck, that’s the last thing you want to do. The first step is to remove the obstruction. How did that not happen?”

These inconsistencies have fueled her doubts about the official conclusions. She is not seeking justice — she admits that such a thing “no longer exists on earth” — but simply the truth about what happened.

The Quest for an Independent Autopsy: An Exorbitant Cost

Janice McAfee’s journey since her husband’s death has been blocked by administrative and financial dead ends. To move forward, she requests an independent autopsy, a process that Spanish authorities refuse to facilitate. “For more than two years, I’ve not only had to face John’s death but also live with the impossibility of obtaining the results of his autopsy,” she confides.

The cost of a private autopsy reaches €30,000 — an impossible sum for someone surviving on small jobs. “I just want to see his body with my own eyes and know that it really happened,” she says with a sense of despair. Her interview becomes a way to raise public awareness, hoping someone might help cover the costs of this crucial investigation.

John’s Last Wish: A Body Still in the Morgue

John McAfee told his wife he wanted to be cremated if he died. It wasn’t just a personal preference: he knew some wanted to harm him and believed that cremation would prevent further disturbances. Yet, two years after his death, his body still rests in the morgue of Barcelona’s prison, for reasons Janice McAfee does not understand.

“Two years ago, I had the money for an independent autopsy. Now, I don’t,” she reveals. This reality weighs heavily: she cannot honor her husband’s last wish, nor can she discover the exact circumstances of his death. For Janice McAfee, each day without answers is a source of ongoing suffering. “John is the victim. I am not a victim,” she states, determined to tell her story.

The Netflix Documentary: Between Sensationalism and Reality

In 2025, Netflix released a documentary titled “Walking with the Devil: The Wild World of John McAfee,” portraying the couple as fugitives on a frantic run. However, Janice McAfee disputes this narrative. She says the filmmakers prioritized sensationalism over the true story — which explains why John became a fugitive and why she chose to stay by his side.

“Journalists try to depict a public figure through a dramatic story, but they miss the point,” says Janice McAfee. She regrets that the documentary doesn’t focus on the real reasons for their flight, nor on John’s deeper motivations amid the U.S. legal pursuit.

“People forget quickly. The world moves very fast today. I just hope they remember him properly — that’s the least he deserves,” she concludes, aware that media narratives often shape historical reality.

A Personal Testimony: Meeting the Power of John McAfee

The journalist conducting this interview first met John and Janice McAfee at a blockchain conference in Malta in 2018. At that time, the crypto world was chaotic, but there was a certain magic in that turbulence. During a stage interview, something emanated from John — a kind of magnetic charisma — that even affected those who approached him.

Janice was always by his side, protecting him from thousands eager to speak with him. His calm, serenity, reflected a quiet strength amid the chaos. Later that evening, after helping a team of filmmakers meet John, the journalist was invited to his luxury suite, where John welcomed him warmly.

“It’s you again! Oh my God!” he exclaimed upon recognizing the journalist. This friendship, born from unexpected circumstances — notably that the journalist was “the only one not smoking,” according to John — grew stronger over months, including during an interview conducted during the pandemic.

Today, reaching out to Janice McAfee on Twitter/X for this exclusive interview, she agreed because she knew John would have wanted her to. That’s why she speaks: to honor his memory and finally bring the truth to light. “Everyone deserves a chance to move forward. Janice McAfee more than anyone,” concludes the journalist.