The John McAfee murder accusations, for those of you who haven’t heard about them, are so utterly insane I would believe any new development in the case. McAfee is known as an anti-virus pioneer, but he’s also a crazy person who became an expatriate in Belize and worked to develop sinister-sounding psychoactive drugs. McAfee is currently a “person of interest” in the case of the murder of his neighbor in Belize, a fellow expat named Gregory Faull.
VICE has a tendency toward sensationalism, so it’s no surprise they are very engaged in McAfee’s story. What’s amazing is the level of access the magazine has had; McAfee fled to Guatemala with VICE right by his side, and the VICE YouTube channel has been posting regular updates about McAfee’s status, including a recent video documenting McAfee’s detainment by Guatemalan authorities (who hope to extradite him back to Belize).
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VICE’s coverage here is interesting on several levels. I’m amazed the video crew is allowed to document a wanted fugitive in such an exhaustive manner without getting charged with obstruction of justice. I’m impressed a YouTube channel is afforded such close contact with McAfee while everyone else is speculating from the other side of the Gulf of Mexico. I’m intrigued by the fact that VICE’s accidental reveal of McAfee’s location apparently played a part in his eventual capture, showing off the power of the media. Most importantly, I’m fascinated by McAfee himself, who makes for a great subject because he’s goofy, bizarre, and could very well have leaped off the deep end (if he is guilty).
The videographer involved in this story is Robert King, who has also released footage from Syria as part of VICE’s Ground Zero: Syria feature. His penchant for sensational footage is turning VICE into the New York Post of YouTube: a wild news source that isn’t afraid to examine stories in a unique light and present them in the most salacious (and fascinating) way possible.
