I thought you meant that as an off-key joke, and wasn't sure how to respond.

He did strongly hint in advance (as in with a tattoo) that it wasn't suicide. But faking his own assassination sounds like a McAfee thing to do. I guess we'll never know.

Sometimes I envy these high flyers with this reality distortion superpower, and sometimes I don't.

Not a joke, I used to keep up with him years ago and I apparently missed the news that he had killed himself. Honestly sounds like a lot easier way out than being tortured by Columbian cartel members.