Kai, the Netflix documentary dedicated to “the hitchhiker with the hatchet”, has been airing since January 10, 2023. The documentary traces the incredible, then infamous story of drifter Caleb Lawrence McGillvary. For saving a woman from the hands of a man who was going to twist her neck like a pencil, Kai instantly became an adored hero on the internet. Vanity Fair recalls that it was on February 2, 2013 that Kai appeared for the first time in an interview with the Californian subsidiary of Fox.
The homeless young man then passionately recounted this time he saved the woman in danger with his hatchet. “Smash, smash, suh-mash!”, he mimed the three blows of a hatchet he gave to the attacker, the driver who had picked him up hitchhiking. The least we can say is that Kai has a gift for telling stories. Endearing moreover with his smooth face, his innocent look and his Peace and Love bandana as described by Vanity Fair. But then, Kai turned out, three months later, to be a naughty boy. He was also arrested for the murder of lawyer Joseph Galfy.
The latest from Kai
Lawyer Joseph Galfy was found dead at his home, “very battered and undressed”, recalls Vanity Fair. It turned out that the lawyer hosted Kai at his house. The day before Joseph Galfy died, Kai had posted on his Facebook account that he had been drugged and raped. He argued the same facts in court during his investigation. According to investigators, the murder was premeditated and that the sexual relations were consensual.
Phenomenon Kai was imprisoned for five years and then got 57 years in prison in 2019. Currently Kai has become something of a star on the Netflix platform. Moreover, very recently, he complained: “they are ruthlessly exploiting me”. He is of course referring to the streaming platform which would not pay him anything for his story. According to Vanity Fair, Kai is still seeking to have his conviction overturned.
Netflix © Pixabay
