Kai Lawrence - The Man Who Inspired The Making Of Netflix's 'The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker'

The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker, a new real crime documentary, was made available on Netflix on Tuesday. Additionally, this Colette Camden film explores the tale of a disturbed Canadian hitchhiker, Kai Lawrence, who briefly rose to fame in 2013 as a result of a trending meme. For those unaware, Kai Lawrence (real name Caleb Lawrence McGillvary) quickly rose to fame after giving a rambling TV interview that was aired millions of times. However, following his brief moment of internet popularity, events took a tragic turn, and in 2019 he was found guilty of murder. [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="1620"] Image credit: The US Sun[/caption]

Details about Kai Lawrence

Lawrence, a homeless surfer who was 24 at the time, gave an odd interview to news station KMPH in February 2013 about a distressing occurrence that happened when he hitchhiked a ride with a stranger to Fresno, California. He asserted that the driver admitted he raped a 14-year-old girl while they were in the car together, then hit a pedestrian on purpose with his truck, and attacked a woman who approached to offer assistance. Furthermore, Lawrence claimed that at that point he sprang into action and repeatedly struck the driver in the head with a hatchet in an effort to aid the hurt bystanders. Lawrence's vivid delivery of this violent tale—"smash, smash, SA-SMASH!"—grabbed the public's attention and helped turn his story into a meme. [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] Image credit: The Cinemaholic[/caption]   Also read: Teen Mom 2 alum, Taylor Lewis, found murdered in a hotel room Additionally, Lawrence, who appeared to be struggling with his own mental health, was the center of intense media attention. He was invited to participate in a variety of programs, including late-night TV and reality shows. And in mid-February 2013, he even made an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live.

More details

Soon after becoming famous, Kai Lawrence, who was still destitute, moved to New York. But after only a few months in the city, he was detained for the murder of Joseph Galfy, a man he had accused of sexually assaulting him. Galfy, a 73-year-old lawyer, was discovered dead in just his socks and underpants at his New Jersey home. He had been beaten to death. Investigators probing into the case discovered a piece of paper with Lawrence's name on it inside Galfy's residence and a railway ticket receipt that led them to a surveillance video of Galfy hugging Lawrence at the train station. [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="634"] Image credit: Daily Mail Online[/caption] Moreover, when Lawrence was discovered at a bus stop in Philadelphia, he acknowledged killing Galfy but insisted that it was in self-defense because of an alleged sexual assault. But investigators found contradictions in his account, and in 2019, Lawrence was found guilty of first-degree murder. He received a 57-year prison term and is still imprisoned in New Jersey at this time. Lastly, The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker is currently streaming on Netflix.