Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker

2023 - 1 - 11

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Image courtesy of "DualShockers"

Where Is Kai, The Hatchet-Wielding Hitchhiker, Now? (DualShockers)

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

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Where Is Kai 'The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker' Now? All About ... (Women's Health)

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/).

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Image courtesy of "Tom's Guide"

The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker just hit No. 2 on Netflix — stream it ... (Tom's Guide)

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

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This is the full story behind Netflix's new true crime, The Hatchet ... (The Tab)

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.

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Stream It Or Skip It: 'The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker' on Netflix ... (Decider)

Violence marks this doc about a good samaritan-turned-murderer. But is viral fame the real killer?

As one online commenter posts in the wake of Kai’s murder conviction, “fame is a double-edged hatchet.” What Hatchet feels most interested in is how the forces at work in viral fame can become insidious, or a propellant that fuels an inferno, whether or not that was ever the intention of the social media tumult. [Leave Britney alone!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqSTXuJeTks)”, a YouTube clip that’s actually referenced in The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker as an example of this entirely normalized phenomenon? Just as Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker is more about the personality and viral spectacle that connects two acts of violence, it also features Convicted despite his claims of rape and self-defense, the people Kai encountered during his proverbial fifteen minutes of fame are left to wonder if their endorsements and encouragements contributed to his rapid transformation from a hitchhiking nomadic hero into an infamous killer with prison as his permanent address. Three months after his viral surge, Kai was linked to the death of a New Jersey attorney, tracked through his thriving social media presence, and eventually arrested and charged with the man’s murder.

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Where is Kai from The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker now as gripping ... (woman&home)

The Hatchet-Wielding Hitchhiker tells the tale of how internet stardom was soon supplanted by decades in prison for Kai.

[Texas Killing Fields](https://www.womanandhome.com/life/news-entertainment/texas-killing-fields-haunting-true-story-behind-the-unsolved-murders-explored-in-gripping-netflix-docuseries/) and Michael Peterson in [The Staircase](https://www.womanandhome.com/life/news-entertainment/what-is-the-staircase-about-and-where-is-michael-peterson-now-as-hbo-brings-this-disturbing-true-story-to-life/), Kai the Hitchhiker maintained his innocence and so it’s perhaps no surprise that he did try to appeal his sentence for murder. The answer is no - he was found guilty of the murder of Joseph Galfy in 2019 and is in prison now. His original interview that went viral was given in California where the incident with McBride happened. Her specialist areas including literature, the British Royal Family and knowing all there is to know about the latest TV shows on the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and every streaming service out there. Kai was arrested for the crime and according to The hitchhiker was put on trial for the murder with At the time of the verdict acting Union County Prosecutor Michael Monham declared, “This was a brutal, vicious, senseless crime, and we are pleased that the interests of justice have been served. Back in 2013 when the sinister events of the documentary took place he was homeless and hitchhiker and he rose to the ranks of internet stardom after he saved a woman who was facing attack from taxi driver, Jett Simmons McBride. Ultimately, he was sentenced to 57 years in prison in 2019 when he was 30 years old. The hitchhiker was later filmed by a local California TV news crew and after being asked about his actions he said that he simply went “smash, smash, suh-mash” with the hatchet. Delving into the shocking true story, The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker documentary might well appeal to true crime fans who hoped to see justice served in McBride went on trial for his actions and according to

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Where is Jessob Reisbeck from Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker now? (HITC)

Jessob Reisbeck is the interviewer featured in Netflix documentary The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker – so what happened to his career?

Beyond his work, The Cinemaholic reports Reisbeck is the father of two sons. For those who want to see him deliver the news with WDJT, he’s on at 5pm, 9pm and 10pm. He was sent to the scene to report on a car accident. He started there in November 2020 following his time as morning news anchor for WJLA-TV from September 2018. However, he transitioned to WSTM-TV in the same position in 2006. During the interview, McGillvary claimed McBride crashed into someone and then attacked a woman, so he struck him three times with a hatchet,

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The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker review: Mind of an unhinged social ... (Firstpost)

The docu-film impresses with its focus on the media and social media rush to create heroes and influencers.

The jail term has given a permanent address to “home-free” Kai, as the film notes. Mission Manju is a spy thriller inspired by one of the most heroic missions of an Indian RAW agent. A person interviewed in the film rightly talks of the media and social media’s need to deliberate over who they project as a hero, of the necessity to “know who you are glorifying publicly”. Follow us on [also read] [Entertainment](https://www.firstpost.com/category/entertainment) [Here's when Sidharth Malhotra and Rashmika Mandanna will launch the trailer of their much-awaited film Mission Majnu](https://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/heres-when-sidharth-malhotra-and-rashmika-mandanna-will-launch-the-trailer-of-their-much-awaited-film-mission-majnu-11934582.html) “Everyone in the world wanted a piece of this kid,” says Reisbeck, as Hollywood and reality TV come knocking. The filmmaker’s focus is on dissecting Kai as a maverick who rises to stardom from nowhere, triggering off popular imagination over those three months before his downfall. He clearly loves being on the edge, is an iconoclast who doesn’t think twice before taking a leak on a sidewalk star of the Hollywood Walk Of Fame in front of The Roosevelt hotel. Or was he merely an unhinged homeless man with a flamboyant personality that news television and social media recklessly accorded footage to, for the sake of trending news? He urinates on a signboard of Jimmy Kimmel Live, too, moments before going into the show for a hearty chat with Kimmel himself. For, the film does more than recount the tale of a hero who would turn a villain. He recalls the car’s driver, a six foot-plus white man weighing over 300 pounds, as claiming to be “Jesus”, on earth to deliver all people from the Blacks. Caleb, a hobo who prefers to be known as Kai, had hitched a ride around Fresno, California.

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So where is Kai the Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker now, 10 years since ... (The Tab)

So where is Kai the Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker now, 10 years since his arrest? Kai was arrested in 2013 and senteced to 57 years in prison in 2019.

Kai is currently in prison at Trenton’s New New Jersey State Prison and has tried to get his sentence overturned multiple times. Joseph Galfy was found dead in his home and Kai claimed he met Galfy in Times Square and he had been drugged and raped by Galfy and he killed him in self defence. Kai went viral back in 2013 after he was filmed explaining what had happened and someone decided to make a song out of it and it went on to accumulate 11 million views. Kai then jumped out of the car and hit the driver with the blunt end of the hatchet on the head. We sincerely thank the jury for their service and hope that today’s verdict brings some measure of solace to Mr Galfy’s family, friends and loved ones.” Kai was travelling with a driver who drove into someone and then threatened a woman who tried to a help.

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Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker is Netflix's next big title as crime doc ... (GamesRadar+)

The new film charts the rise and fall of viral sensation Kai McGillvary, who was hailed a hero in 2013 before being convicted of murder.

actually in awe of how stupid everyone on the Kai the Hatchet-Wielding Hitchhiker documentary is. Watching #HatchetWieldingHitchhiker on Netflix and I'm only 25 minutes in but think I hate this. Just watched Kai the Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker and now I’m just sad. While the movie is proving to be a hit on Netflix, it doesn't seem to be going down well with the majority of viewers. On May 16, 2013, McGillvary was arrested and accused of killing 73-year-old lawyer Joseph Galfy in New Jersey the previous night. The film, which premiered on January 10, centers on the rise and fall of nomad Caleb Lawrence "Kai" McGillvary, who became a viral sensation back in February 2013, when he supposedly saved a woman's life after she was grabbed by the man he had been catching a ride with across California.

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Netflix's The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker: What the documentary ... (cosmopolitan.com)

Whilst the documentary gives a detailed explanation of how Kai became an instant internet celebrity, and how he ended up becoming arrested for murder, there ...

Kai claimed to have murdered Galfy in self-defence, saying he was staying at Galfy's house and believed Galfy had drugged and sexually assaulted him. Shortly after the police showed up, Kai was interviewed by a local news station, KMPH, in which he gave an eccentric retelling of the story. They then studied surveillance footage from a local train station which showed Galfy buying Kai a train ticket and the pair hugging goodbye. Kai got out of the car to help the pedestrian and was quickly helped by a woman. McBride got out of the car and began attacking the woman who was trying to help. The documentary films tells the story of Kai Lawrence who became an overnight sensation after a clip of him went viral in 2013, however, just a few months later he was being arrested for murder.

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Where is Kai Lawrence? What you should know before watching ... (WION)

The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker, a new film on Netflix, is based on a real-life criminal incident. In February 2013, a homeless guy named Kai Lawrence ...

Before you know about the whereabouts of Kai Lawrence, check out this netflix trailer of the Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker. Kai Lawrence of the Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker was arrested later that year for the murder of 73-year-old lawyer Joseph Galfy. Kai jumped out of the car to assist the person after the driver McBride struck a pedestrian by the side of the road during the journey. McBride reportedly got out of the car and attempted to assault the woman who had come over to assist Kai and the pedestrian. To learn everything about the 2013 incident, the murder later that year and more keep reading. The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker, a new film on Netflix, is based on a real-life criminal incident.

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Netflix's Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker Documentary Is Popular, But ... (Cinema Blend)

While Netflix's Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker is popular, many viewers are upset about the same issue.

Just watched Kai the Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker and now I’m just sad. The documentary goes into detail about Kai’s past, and shows old interviews where he describes growing up being abused by his parents, and a time he was raped. She spent many years working in local journalism across the country writing about art, news and sports. Just watched that hatchet wielding hitchhiker documentary on Netflix and I am ENRAGED. He was failed by so many, but the exploitation of this young man was egregious. While the documentary focuses on Kai Lawrence's story, and the downward spiral that followed the viral moment, what viewers have pointed out is they think it was exploiting someone with a serious mental illness, which many have made clear they are not OK with. The documentary tells the story of a man named Kai who went viral after he stopped an attacker after a car wreck by hitting him over the head with a hatchet. This led to the story about the experience of Kai being on this talk show, which included the police showing up to speak with the viral star because he was the key witness in an attempted murder case. The murder happened three months after Kai went viral, and the internet sensation was arrested for it. They explained moments when he was hard to work with, or did unexpected things, like peeing on The Jimmy Kimmel Live! [Netflix subscription](https://www.cinemablend.com/streaming-news/netflix-subscription-the-plans-the-price-and-whats-included) who watched this documentary on the [2023 movie schedule](https://www.cinemablend.com/movies/2023-new-movie-release-dates-full-schedule-of-upcoming-movies) were not impressed with how Kai’s story was told, and would not consider it one of the [best true crime documentaries](https://www.cinemablend.com/streaming-news/the-best-true-crime-documentaries-on-netflix-right-now). They tweeted:

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'The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker': How a Canadian viral star turned ... (Globalnews.ca)

Everything you need to know about Caleb "Kai" McGillivary, the subject of Neflix's latest true crime documentary.

Wolfe says that he believes Kai had a difficult childhood and remembers him being prone to spells of rage. During the proceedings, he was combative during cross-examination and the judge called him “a powder keg of explosive rage.” “And in this case, Caleb gets crushed.” During the investigation, police found a piece of paper with Kai’s number and name on it underneath a laptop in Galfy’s home. To hear it in Kai’s words, which were caught on video by local news reporter Jessob Reisbeck and shared to YouTube the day of the incident, Kai said he hitched a ride with Jett Simmons McBride in Fresno, Calif. One minute he’d be strumming a guitar, and in the next he’d be peeing on Julio Iglesias’ star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Stromberg also shared that getting her son help over the years proved difficult. Galfy was when you murdered him.” that he started using the name. He had no problem shoplifting from stores in the Bay Area, but would turn around and give the stolen goods away to other homeless people. [attacked Galfy in self-defence](https://globalnews.ca/news/610102/not-guilty-plea-entered-for-kai-the-hitchhiker/) after the lawyer, whom he met in Times Square and offered him a place to stay, drugged and sexually assaulted him the night before. And it doesn’t matter your looks, skills or age or size or anything, you’re worthwhile.

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Who Is Kai the Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker? Netflix Unpacks How ... (Entrepreneur)

Known as Kai the Hatchet-Wielding Hitchhiker, Caleb Lawrence McGillvary once found internet fame despite his dark reality shown in Netflix's new ...

He pleaded not guilty to the crime and was held on a $3 million bond after being deemed dangerous, At that point, Kai said he stepped in and stopped the attack by hitting McBride with a hatchet. He was regarded as a hero, per [Esquire](https://www.esquire.com/uk/culture/a42386448/hatchet-wielding-hitchhiker-kai-true-story/), after memorably explaining how he "suh-mashed" a man while hitchhiking to stop the driver from attacking a woman. Kai then said that McBride hit a pedestrian with the car on purpose. Caleb Lawrence McGillvary, known as Kai, was introduced to the world via viral video in February 2013. Are You Asking It Already? "A guy that big can snap a woman's neck like a pencil stick. [viral](https://www.entrepreneur.com/topic/viral-videos) 2013 interview that turned a homeless surfer into an overnight Internet sensation. [Esquire](https://www.esquire.com/uk/culture/a42386448/hatchet-wielding-hitchhiker-kai-true-story/), after migrating from the West Coast to New York City, in May 2013. Smash, smash, SUH-MASH!" [People](https://people.com/crime/kai-lawrence-the-hatchet-wielding-hitchhiker-netflix-documentary/), when investigators found evidence in the house connecting Kai to the crime. [Decider](https://decider.com/2023/01/10/kai-the-hitchhiker-now-caleb-mcgivallry-true-story/).

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