Netflix recently dropped its first true crime documentary of 2023, The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker. It focuses on a bizarre pocket of time in 2013 when a stoner hitchhiker - called Kai - went viral after he stopped a man who'd given him a lift from killing a woman.
But where is Caleb Lawrence McGillvary now? For a few months in 2013 he was a minor celebrity in his own right... but in May that year, he murdered a man he claimed drugged and raped him. He was imprisoned and he remains incarcerated in NJ to this day.
I personally don't remember when he hit the headlines, but I thoroughly enjoyed the documentary - and loved being given a glimpse in to the inner workings of Hollywood's TV studios who, despite him "smash smash suh-mash!"-ing a man over the head with a small axe, wanted to give him his own reality show.
What is Kai the Hitchhiker's real name?
When he was interviewed on TV in the aftermath of the car crash, he told KMPH FOX that his name was Kai. However, his real name is Caleb Lawrence McGillvary.
He is also referred to as Kai Lawrence.
How tall is Kai the hatchet hitchhiker?
Kai the hatchet-wielding hitchhiker stands 6'1″ or 185.42 cm.
Where is Kai the Hitchhiker originally from?
Kai was born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. He was hitchhiking across America when he first came to the public's attention. At his trial he described himself as "an illegal immigrant from Canada".
How old is Kai the Hitchhiker?
Kai was born on September 3, 1988. He was 24 years old when he killed Joseph Galfy, 73, on May 12 2013. He is currently 34-years-old.
Where is Kai the hatchet-wielding hitchhiker today?
Kai is currently in prison, serving a 57 year prison sentence at New Jersey State Prison. He will be released in 2061.
His trial started in 2019. Kai described it as a "sham" that "railroaded an innocent man." In 2021 he tried and failed to get his murder conviction overturned.
How can I write to Kai the Hitchhiker in prison?
What does Kai the Hitchhiker's face tattoo represent?
Damen Tesche tattooed Kai the Hitchhiker's face in Eureka, California on 6 March 2013. It features a mixture of alchemical symbols showing earth, fire, air and water, and astrological signs relating to his birth chart, all in a frame of flames. He did the tattoo for free and also gave him a guitar.
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