The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker

A new Netflix documentary tells a dark tale of memes and murder.

As the talking heads in the documentary observe: “There was something funny about him, and kind of cute, sweet and innocent.” But authorities claimed his statements were inconsistent, that the sexual encounter was consensual and the violent murder premeditated. In the video interview, McGillvary said: “A guy that big can snap a woman's neck like a pencil stick. In February 2013, KMPH was sent out to cover what appeared to be the scene of an attack in Fresno, California. Kai was a have-a-go hero who, when the driver of the car he was travelling in smashed into a pedestrian and threatened a woman trying to help, jumped up, pulled a hatchet out of his bag and hit the guy with the blunt end over the head. The story was ripe for the internet.

The new Netflix documentary looks at how a 2013 viral star became the main victim in a murder inquiry just months after rising to fame.

[Sign up for Netflix from £6.99 a month](https://www.netflix.com/gb/). [subscribe now](http://radiotimes.com/magazine-subscription?utm_term=evergreen-article). It is also available on [Sky Glass](https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?id=489797&clickref=radiotimes-1765052&awinmid=11005&p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sky.com%2Fglass) and [Virgin Media Stream](https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?id=489797&clickref=radiotimes-1765052&awinmid=6399&p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.virginmedia.com%2Ftv%2Fstreaming). Whilst awaiting trial, McGillvary was imprisoned for over five years before he took to the stand in April 2019. It’s just a fact for survival on the streets." "I ran in, I grabbed the keys, he's sitting there like nothing even happened," he said in the video. [Documentaries](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/documentaries/) coverage or visit our [TV Guide](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/tv-listings/) and [Streaming Guide](https://www.radiotimes.com/streaming-guide/) to find out what's on. [a statement](https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/former-internet-star-kai-the-hitchhiker-found-guilty-of-murder/). [Netflix](https://www.radiotimes.com/streaming/netflix/). [Vocativ](https://www.vocativ.com/335097/kai-the-hatchet-wielding-hitchhiker/) in 2016. [Madoff: The Monster of Wall Street](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/documentaries/true-crime/madoff-monster-wall-street-netflix-true-story/) and heard the story of mob boss [Dawood Ibrahim](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/documentaries/true-crime/mumbai-mafia-true-story-dawood-ibrahim/) in Mumbai Mafia – but now the streamer is uncovering the dark side to a internet star in The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker. [learn more](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/commercial-links-on-radiotimes-com/))

Viral celebrity is, by its very nature, a fickle thing. We pump up a person with adoration and “likes” for a sliver of media — like a viral video — only to ...

[guilty of murdering Galfy](https://www.nj.com/union/2019/04/kai-the-hitchhiker-found-guilty-of-beating-73-year-old-nj-man-to-death.html). He alleged that the attorney, who offered him a place to stay after they met in Times Square, had drugged and sexually assaulted him before the attack at his Clark home. “Kimmel” even recruited him for movie review segments (the outtakes are something). The attack on the Fresno utility worker was being investigated as a hate crime. There was something unpredictable about him that put them on alert (maybe it was the whole hatchet thing ...). He had this kind of charm that made the harsh violence he was capable of (and proud of) somehow palatable — lovable, even — in the eyes of the public. The hitchhiker may have become a public figure, one who drew significant fanfare from people who recognized him on the street (and yelled out his “smash” refrain), but he didn’t have much regard for decorum. After Kai arrived in Hollywood, he made quick work of a hotel room bar, flashed a knife and was kicked off the premises for skateboarding. And he was always on the move. The hitchhiker, who was riding in the passenger seat of a man’s car, watched that man, [The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker](https://www.netflix.com/title/81436777),” a documentary directed by Colette Camden and released Tuesday, Jan. And that was just one part of the conversation.

Netflix's newest true crime movie The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker features a face you may recognise from a viral meme nearly 10 years ago, Kai Lawrence.

Kai said he didn't do anything about it and left the house, hoping to stay with a fan. During the drive he crashed into a pedestrian on the side of the road and Kai got out of the car to help the individual. However, when the fan didn't show up he called Galfy and asked to stay at his home. Kai then proceeds to get a hatchet out of his bag and attacks McBridge in the head. However, whilst admitting to the murder, Kai claimed it was in self-defence. The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker tells the story of Kai, a homeless man, who went viral in early 2013 for saving a woman's life by attacking the woman's assailant using a hatchet and "smashing" him around the head with it.

In February 2013, a seemingly normal news report about a car crash and alleged vehicular assault in Fresno, California, became one of the most viral videos ...

[Stream The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker on Netflix.](https://www.anrdoezrs.net/links/100412901/type/dlg/sid/cinemablend-us-4885584096616518000/https://www.netflix.com/title/81436777) (opens in new tab) While the documentary does include interviews with Kai Lawrence (from news stories, media appearances, and interrogations), the majority of the story is told by various reporters, Reality TV producers, and family members who spent a considerable amount of time with him. In the documentary’s description on Netflix, this rating was given due to there being multiple references to sexual violence, language, and smoking. When he's not writing about movies or television, Philip can be found being chased by his three kids, telling his dogs to stop yelling at the mailman, or yelling about professional wrestling to his wife. This portion of the documentary is told primarily by KMPH reporter Jessob Reisbeck, who first interviewed the hitchhiker and later uploaded the footage to However, there is a lot of information squeezed into that short runtime. If you haven’t heard about one of the most hard-to-believe [Netflix new releases](https://www.cinemablend.com/streaming-news/everything-new-and-coming-soon-to-netflix), or have questions before watching, don’t worry, because we’ve put together a quick list of things to know. But this was just the beginning. In the days, weeks, and months following the incident, the nomadic hero was sought out by reality TV producers, late night talk shows, and news stations around the world, who all wanted to tell his story. As is to be expected with a true crime documentary of this nature, The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker carries a TV-MA rating. [trending Netflix titles](https://www.cinemablend.com/streaming-news/trending-on-netflix-the-top-10-lists-for-movies-and-tv) like [the sprawling Madoff: The Monster of Wall Street](https://www.cinemablend.com/streaming-news/madoff-the-monster-of-wall-street-things-to-know-before-you-watch-the-netflix-true-crime-docuseries), The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker has a runtime of around 85 minutes, meaning you can watch it from beginning to end in less than two hours. While the early part of The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker focuses on how Kai Lawrence saved bystanders from a vicious attack, the final portion of the

The latest true crime phenomenon on Netflix (in a long, steady stream of true crime phenomenons) is a documentary about viral internet sensation turned ...

[‘Kai the Hitchhiker’ YouTube channel](https://www.youtube.com/@KaitheHitchhikerforreal) between what seems to be Kai and various people involved in the making of a Netflix documentary. Kai (or Caleb Lawrence McGillvary) was convicted of the murder of 73-year-old lawyer Joseph Galfy in May 2019, and sentenced to 57 years in prison. The appeal was unsuccessful, based around some tenuous arguments, such as Kai suggesting that he should’ve been allowed to call on the judge as a witness, and also claiming he was subject to racial bias from the black sheriff (who used “hostile body language” against him) and the jury, who were mostly people of colour. The Netflix documentary charts Kai/Caleb’s swift and violent rise and fall. Kai hit the man over the head three times with a hatchet to stop his assault, hence he was dubbed “The Hatchet-Wielding Hitchhiker.” The homeless hitchhiker sprung to fame in 2013, when he gave

Kai The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker (Caleb McGillvary) went viral in 2012. A Netflix doc looks at his story. Here's everything to know about where he is ...

McGillvary said he was acting in self-defense to try to fend off a sexual assault after meeting Galfy in Times Square, per the [Associated Press](https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-canada-011d9c525bbf105f604c8bbcca732954). He’s currently serving time in Trenton, N.J., according to At the time, claimed the verdict wasn’t justified by the evidence and that "prosecutors committed misconduct by mischaracterizing the evidence and McGillvary’s defense," the outlet said. McGillvary described to the reporter how McBride began threatening a woman who was trying to help the pinned man. McGillvary, who calls himself Kai, became a household name, and started to be referred to as “Kai, the [hatchet-wielding hitchhiker](https://www.womenshealthmag.com/life/g29028290/best-true-crime-shows/)." McGillvary then said McBride started claiming to be Jesus Christ and crashed into a pedestrian in an intersection, pinned him against the back of a parked truck. The victim had several blunt-force injuries to his face, head, neck, chest, and arms, along with three skull fractures, four broken ribs, and severe contusions, abrasions, and bleeding, CBS New York reported. McGillvary also accused the judge of "improperly allowing highly prejudicial expert testimony." ](https://www.nj.com/news/2019/05/kai-the-hitchhiker-sentenced-to-57-years-in-prison.html)He was was sentenced to 57 years in prison, according to [CBS News](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/kai-the-hitchhiker-caleb-mcgillvary-sentenced-to-57-years-beating-death-today-2019-05-30/). Here’s what you need to know: [KMPH](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16oUKdOUstU&t=0s) and [Fox26](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Xa0NfCdLk4&t=61s), where he described how he came to the rescue of some people after an altercation with a man who offered him a ride while McGillvary was hitchhiking. [shocked](https://www.womenshealthmag.com/life/a41722781/the-good-nurse-true-story-charles-cullen-amy-loughren/) to later learn that he was also going to prison for [murder](https://www.womenshealthmag.com/life/a42042587/texas-killing-fields-true-story-netflix-documentary/).

Netflix's tale of The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker shows how one viral sensation was hiding a secret. Here's what you need to know.

[Rolling Stone](https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-reviews/hatchet-wielding-hitchhiker-netflix-kai-caleb-mcgillvary-viral-murder-1234655636/) (opens in new tab) agrees, writing "It’s far more effective as an indictment against media rapaciousness, as well as their treatment of the homeless and mentally unwell." In 2013, Caleb "Kai" McGillvary got headlines for saving the day with his hatchet, in a big moment that turned him into a meme machine. And that's when the film shows us that McGillvary was arrested on murder charges. 3 in its third week, and then Netflix's latest big release, the Christian Bale-led mystery [The Pale Blue Eye](https://www.tomsguide.com/news/netflixs-the-pale-blue-eye-is-the-biggest-new-movie-of-the-week-watch-or-skip) is at No. That said, we've found enough to help you decide about it. And its title is so sensational that many will feel a need to watch. Behind it, you have [Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery](https://www.tomsguide.com/reviews/glass-onion-a-knives-out-mystery-review-one-of-the-best-netflix-movies-ever) at No. [best Netflix movies](https://www.tomsguide.com/news/7-best-new-netflix-movies-that-are-90-or-higher-on-rotten-tomatoes-jan-2023), it is currently rubbing elbows with big names. And it's got a twist that you may see coming. The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker doesn't have a [FlixPatrol's tracking](https://flixpatrol.com/top10/netflix/united-states/2023-01-11/) (opens in new tab), The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker is a new Netflix documentary film with a title that begs to be watched. In a single day, The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker became a household name on

TW: One brief mention of rape. It's been a while since Netflix released its last true crime – but luckily now we've got our fix with The Hatchet Wielding ...

To this day, Kai maintains he was lured, drugged and raped by the 73-year-old, after he offered him a place to stay for the night. “I was in the passenger side of this fucker’s car,” he recounted in the interview. Kai was arrested for the murder of attorney Joseph Galfy, which happened the night before. This is the entire true story behind Kai, the Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker. The backstory of Kai Lawrence, real name Caleb Lawrence McGillvary, is largely unknown. He became a beloved figure almost overnight, as well as the human representation of good, clean, pure vibes.