Fugitive McAfee blogs on the run from Belize police

Mr McAfee has gone into hiding alleging harassment of his staff and friends

The founder of anti-virus software maker McAfee has gone on the run in Belize following a police investigation into the murder of his neighbour.

Protesting his innocence, Mr McAfee said via his blog that he had gone into hiding following police "harassment".

Belize police said Mr McAfee was a "person of interest" in the murder of Florida businessman Gregory Faull.

The authorities said they wanted to talk to him to help investigate the circumstances surrounding the death.

Mr Faull was found dead of a single gunshot to the head on 11 November. His Belize home sits next to the compound Mr McAfee maintains, on a tropical island. Mr Faull is known to have had a long-running row with Mr McAfee about the multi-millionaire fugitive's dogs.

On his blog, Mr McAfee said he was writing to publicise the treatment he had received at the hands of the police in Belize. Mr McAfee said he had nothing to do with the death of Mr Faull. Belize police said he should come forward to help them track down the killer.

Mr McAfee said he was hiding so he could keep an eye on his home and what the police did to investigate Mr Faull's death.

To go unnoticed, Mr McAfee revealed that he had changed his appearance by dying his hair and beard, stuck chewed bubble gum to his upper gums to fatten his face and stained his teeth.

He said he took these steps so he could stay close to his Belize home and conduct his own investigation into Mr Faull's death, adding that he had little faith that the island's police would find the murderer.

"My safety is contingent on the truth being discovered," he wrote.

In an interview with US TV station NBC, Mr McAfee offered a reward of $25,000 (£15,700) for the capture of the "person or persons" behind the killing.

On his blog, Mr McAfee said the blog would continue if he was captured as he had pre-written enough material for about 12 months of entries. In addition, he said, the blog was maintained by a friend, Chad Essley, who is writing and drawing a graphic novel about Mr McAfee's life.