Anti-virus software guru John McAfee was detained by Guatemalan police on Wednesday for illegally entering the country, interior minister Mauricio Lopez Bonilla said.
McAfee's lawyer said he would be held until it could be determined if he entered the country legally, according to NBC News' Fabiola Lacayo.
McAfee crossed into Guatemala to evade authorities in Belize who want to question him in connection with the murder of his neighbor. There is no international arrest warrant for McAfee.
McAfee smuggled himself and his girlfriend, who he calls Samantha, across the porous land border that Belize shares with Guatemala. He stayed at a hotel in a national park before heading for Guatemala City on Monday evening.
On Tuesday, McAfee said he would seek political asylum in Guatemala. "I have no plans much for the future now. The reason I chose Guatemala is two-fold," McAfee told Reuters by telephone from Guatemala's Supreme Court, flanked by his lawyer, former attorney general and lawyer Telesforo Guerra.
"It is a country bordering Belize, it is a country that understands the corruption within Belize and most importantly, the former attorney general of the country is Samantha's uncle and I knew that he would assist us with legal proceedings."
McAfee has denied involvement in the murder and told Reuters on Monday he would not turn himself in. He posted repeatedly on his blog while on the run, describing how he would constantly change his disguise to elude capture.
On Tuesday, McAfee appeared with his hair and goatee dyed black, and wearing a dark suit and tie - a far cry from the surfer-style blonde hair highlights, shorts and tribal-tattooed bare shoulders he sported in Belize.
"(Guerra) is now attempting to get political asylum for myself and for Sam. I don't think there will be much of a problem. From here I can speak freely and safely," McAfee said.
Reporter's iPhone photo reveals John McAfee's location
He was traveling with a photographer from Vice magazine, which revealed his location by posting a photo of the two together under the headline, “We are with John McAfee right now, suckers.”
Reuters contributed to this report.
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