Netflix continues to feed the addictions of true crime junkies. The latest documentary the streaming giant has released is The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker.
The true story of Caleb “Kai” McGillvary, an unhoused nomad who, after saving a woman from a violent attack, became an overnight celebrity sought after by reality TV producers and adoring fans alike — until a murder turned his fame into infamy.
Released this week, the documentary directed by Colette Camden features interviews with Alex Aguirre, Stephen Colbert, Bob Ellenport, and more, as well as archive footage.
It began with a viral video featuring a hitchhiking man, identified as “Kai” (born September 3, 1988, as Caleb Lawrence McGillvary) from Edmonton, Alberta. It was released on February 2, 2013, by a reporter from a local news station in California. The video went viral and received national attention in the press. On May 16, 2013, McGillivary was charged with the murder of attorney Joseph Galfyandwho was beaten to death. Kai’s defense was that he acted in self defense after the man sexually assaulted him, sill he was found guilty and was sentenced to 57 years.
Watch The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker now on Netflix.
Watch the interview that made Kai famous.
