Netflix's latest documentary, Running with the Devil: The Wild World of John McAfee, which premiered on August 24, includes a startling claim from the late John McAfee's former girlfriend, Samantha Herrera. She asserts that McAfee is not dead but alive and hiding in Texas, having paid off individuals to simulate his death.
Ex-Girlfriend's Bombshell Claim
According to the New York Post, Herrera told filmmakers that McAfee called her two weeks after his reported suicide in June 2021. She quoted him as saying, "It's me, John. I paid off people to pretend that I am dead, but I am not dead." Herrera added that McAfee claimed only three people in the world knew he was still alive. The Post attempted to reach Herrera for verification but received no response.
Director and Widow Voice Doubts
Charlie Russell, the BAFTA-winning director of the documentary, shared his uncertainty in an interview with Esquire. "I don't know what I think and I don't think she does," Russell said. "She says it, then she looks at the camera, and I can't work out whether she thinks it's real or not. She's someone who was very angry at John. He promised them a life together and I think they were genuinely in love... then he literally ditched her at the border."
Janice McAfee, John McAfee's widow, publicly dismissed the claim. Sharing the New York Post story, she tweeted, "Oh how I wish this were true. If John were alive I'm pretty sure he would not be hiding out in Texas." She added, "Texas is awesome, for sure, but John was being held in a Spanish prison because of trumped-up charges from the IRS. I doubt he would choose to hide out in America."
Body Lingers in Spanish Morgue
The claim comes amid ongoing controversy over McAfee's death. His body has remained in a Spanish morgue for over a year, as Janice McAfee fights for an independent autopsy. The Spanish High Court has blocked a third-party examination, fueling speculation and conspiracy theories about whether McAfee truly died by suicide in his prison cell in Catalonia. John McAfee, aged 75 at the time of his death, was awaiting extradition to the United States on tax evasion and cryptocurrency-related charges.