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Caleb Lawrence McGillvary

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Caleb Lawrence McGillvary
McGillvary in the viral video "Kai the Hatchet-Wielding Hitchhiker"
Born
Caleb Lawrence McGillvary

(1988-09-03) September 3, 1988 (age 36)
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Other namesCaleb Kai Lawrence Yodhehwawheh[1]
OccupationHitchhiker
Known forViral video as "Kai the Hatchet-Wielding Hitchhiker"
Conviction(s)First-degree murder
Criminal penalty57 years in prison
Imprisoned atNew Jersey State Prison

Caleb Lawrence McGillvary (born September 3, 1988), also known as Kai, is a Canadian man who first became known from the internet viral video "Kai the Hatchet-Wielding Hitchhiker", which featured him recounting a crime he witnessed while hitchhiking. McGillvary subsequently received national attention in the press. In 2019, McGillvary was convicted of first-degree murder in New Jersey. He cited the fallout from the video as part of his defense against the homicide charge.[2] In 2023, Netflix debuted the documentary The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker about McGillvary's rise to fame and murder trial.

Personal life

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McGillvary was born on September 3, 1988, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.[3] He has stated that he was raised in a fundamentalist Christian cult, that his parents were divorced,[4] and that he had been molested in his youth.[5] As a teenager, he moved with his family to St. Paul, Alberta, and attended St. Paul Regional High School.[6]

McGillvary has also stated that he adopted the name "Kai" after taking part in a "spirit walk" while living on an Indigenous reservation.[7]

Prior to the Fresno incident in 2013, McGillvary had been living as a transient, which he has described as "homefree". He stated that he did not have health insurance, a social security card, a driver's license, a passport, or any official form of identification.[7]

Fresno incident

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In February 2013, McGillvary was interviewed and videotaped by local Fox affiliate KMPH-TV in Fresno, California. McGillvary recounted he had been hitchhiking and was picked up by Jett Simmons McBride,[8] whom McGillvary describes as weighing 300 pounds (140 kg), and who claimed to be Jesus Christ. McBride began telling McGillvary about his background, including having raped a fourteen-year-old girl in the Virgin Islands while on a business trip. While recounting his life story, McBride suddenly crashed his car into a parked utility truck, pinning a worker between his front bumper and the rear of the truck. McGillvary got out to help the man, while McBride remained in the car. When a female bystander arrived on the scene to help the stricken worker, McBride exited the vehicle and attacked her with a bear hug. Believing the woman's life was in danger and that he could snap her neck "like a pencil stick", McGillvary removed a hatchet from his backpack and repeatedly struck McBride in the back of the head. In a "zany" retelling, McGillvary reenacts the overhead swings and describes the hatchet blows as "Smash, smash, SUH-MASH!"[9] McGillvary recounts he was later interrogated by police and set free.

The video was uploaded to YouTube on February 2, 2013, by Jessob Reisbeck, who had conducted the interview for KMPH.[10] As of April 10, 2024, the video has over 8.3 million views. The Gregory Brothers sampled the interview and turned it into a song, furthering the video's reach.[11] As a result of the original video's viral nature, McGillvary received extensive offers from various news and entertainment sources seeking interviews and appearances. This resulted in his appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on February 11, 2013.[12] In January 2020, McGillvary was interviewed on Inside Edition, where scenes from the viral video were replayed.[13]

Murder conviction

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McGillvary was arrested on murder charges on May 16, 2013, for the death of New Jersey attorney Joseph Galfy. According to McGillvary, Galfy offered McGillvary a place to stay for the night, only to drug and rape him. Police said the sexual encounter was consensual and the murder premeditated. McGillvary contended that he acted in self defense, and after the viral video in California, he had no need to have sex with men like Galfy, whom McGillvary described as unattractive, stating, "Do you know how many hot chicks—never mind. Even if I was gay, do you know how many hot guys wanted to fuck me after that shit in California? I'm not even being vain. It's just a fact, like—no offense, but he [Galfy] was not a looker".[14] In July 2013, McGillvary was hospitalized after suffering from self-inflicted wounds while awaiting trial at Union County Jail in New Jersey.[15]

After the murder charges, viewership of the Fresno meme video increased substantially, broadening its viral reach.[16] Fans of the video, who considered McGillvary a hero for saving the woman, raised a legal fund for the NJ case.[17][18][19][20][21] McGillvary was imprisoned for over five years while awaiting trial, which began April 1, 2019.[22][23] McGillvary took the stand in his own defense and was combative during cross-examination. He had an outburst during his defense lawyer's closing arguments, nearly leading to his expulsion from the courtroom.[24] A jury found him guilty of first-degree murder, and he was sentenced to 57 years in prison. He is to serve 85 percent of that term (roughly 43.5 years, after accounting for the five years of pre-trial confinement, or until approximately October 1, 2062) before the possibility of parole, with the judge telling McGillvary, "when you become eligible for parole, you will still be younger than Mr. Galfy was when you murdered him". This is not factually accurate, as McGillvary will be 74 before he is eligible for parole. Galfy was 73 at the time of his death.[25][26][27] McGillvary appealed the conviction, alleging 15 instances of "misconduct, abuse of discretion, and ineffectiveness of defense counsel", but the murder conviction was upheld by the New Jersey Appellate Court in August 2021.[13][28]

He has been incarcerated at the New Jersey State Prison in Trenton since his sentencing.[29]

Netflix documentary

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On January 10, 2023, Netflix released the documentary The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker, chronicling McGillvary's story, including interviews with Reisbeck, members of Jimmy Kimmel's staff, McGillvary's family, and law enforcement figures involved in his case.[12] In the immediate days following the documentary's release, media interest in McGillvary's case increased.[30][31]

In response to the documentary, McGillvary claimed that Netflix did not pay him, and he had been "ruthlessly exploited".[32]

References

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  1. ^ Spivey, Mark (May 30, 2013). "Famed 'hatchet hitchhiker' extradited to N.J." USA TODAY. Retrieved February 12, 2023.
  2. ^ "'Kai the Hitchhiker' loses bid to overturn murder conviction". AP NEWS. August 5, 2021. Retrieved February 14, 2023.
  3. ^ Boesveld, Sarah (May 23, 2013). "How Canadian YouTube sensation 'Kai the Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker' went from hero to inmate". National Post. Retrieved January 31, 2023.
  4. ^ Giordano, Rita (May 3, 2013). "Relatives of 'Kai' McGillivary describe his mental-health troubles". Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved January 31, 2023.
  5. ^ Bautista, Camille (February 10, 2013). "Viral Mystery Revealed: The Real Kai, Hatchet-Wielding Hitchhiker". Mashable. Retrieved January 31, 2023.
  6. ^ "'Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker' once lived in St. Paul". Alberta Prime Times. January 17, 2023. Retrieved February 21, 2023.
  7. ^ a b Thomas, Sophie Saint (May 16, 2013). "Catching Up with Kai, the Hatchet-Wielding Hitchhiker". Vice News. Retrieved April 22, 2017.
  8. ^ Pruden, Jana G. (June 25, 2020). "Hitchhiker, hero, celebrity, killer: The strange journey of the man called Kai". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved February 14, 2023.
  9. ^ Stern, Marlow (January 8, 2023). "A Hatchet-Wielding Hitchhiker Went Viral. Then He Killed Someone". Rolling Stone.
  10. ^ Kai, Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker, Amazing Interview w/ Jessob Reisbeck. Jessob Reisbeck. February 2, 2013. Archived from the original on April 14, 2022. Retrieved May 30, 2022 – via YouTube.
  11. ^ Van De Peer, Hannah (January 11, 2023). "This is the full story behind Netflix's new true crime, The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker". Retrieved January 31, 2023.
  12. ^ a b Camden, Colette (director) (January 10, 2023). The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker (Documentary). Retrieved January 30, 2023.
  13. ^ a b "Kai the Hitchhiker Insists He's Innocent of Murder and Vows to File Appeal in Exclusive Interview". Inside Edition. January 3, 2020. Retrieved February 14, 2023.
  14. ^ Martin, Laura (January 10, 2023). "What Happened to Kai, The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker Who Went Viral?". Esquire. Retrieved February 14, 2023.
  15. ^ Haydon, Tom (July 18, 2013). "Murder suspect 'Kai the Hitchhiker' in hospital with self-inflicted wounds". NJ.com. Retrieved January 31, 2023.
  16. ^ Rose, Lisa (May 22, 2013). "Parents of Kai the Hitchhiker say the Union Co. murder suspect has had behavioral issues for years". NJ.com. Retrieved April 22, 2017.
  17. ^ Pearson, Michael (May 19, 2013). "Murder charge stuns some fans of 'Kai the Hatchet-Wielding Hitchhiker'". CNN. Retrieved April 22, 2017.
  18. ^ "'Hatchet hitchhiker' arrested in US murder". USA Today. AP. May 18, 2013. Retrieved April 22, 2017.
  19. ^ "Hatchet-wielding hitchhiker an internet sensation arrested for murder of NJ man". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved April 22, 2017.
  20. ^ Abad-Santos, Alexander (May 17, 2013). "Couch-Surfing on Viral Video Fame, 'Hatchet Hitchhiker' Arrested for Murder". The Atlantic. Retrieved April 22, 2017.
  21. ^ Gabbatt, Adam (May 17, 2013). "'Hatchet-wielding hitchhiker' arrested in Philadelphia on murder charge". The Guardian. Retrieved April 22, 2017.
  22. ^ Tehee, Joshua (June 14, 2018). "Five years ago, he was 'Kai, the hatchet-wielding hitchhiker.' Now he'll be tried for murder". The Fresno Bee. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
  23. ^ Haydon, Tom (May 12, 2016). "3 years and counting; no trial yet for jailed YouTube star 'Kai the Hitchhiker'". NJ.com. Retrieved May 7, 2017.
  24. ^ Sophie Nieto-Munoz (April 24, 2019). "'Kai the Hitchhiker' found guilty of beating 73-year-old N.J. man to death". NJ.com. Retrieved April 24, 2019.
  25. ^ "Former Internet Star 'Kai the Hitchhiker' Found Guilty of Murder". CBS News. April 24, 2019.
  26. ^ ""Kai the Hitchhiker" sentenced to 57 years in lawyer's beating death". CBS News. May 30, 2019. Retrieved May 30, 2019.
  27. ^ Suzanne Russell (May 30, 2019). "'Kai the hitchhiker' gets 57 year prison term for killing Clark attorney". Bridgewater Courier News. Retrieved May 30, 2019 – via mycentraljersey.com.
  28. ^ Shea, Kevin (August 4, 2021). "Viral internet star 'Kai the Hitchhiker' loses appeal of his N.J. murder conviction". NJ.com. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
  29. ^ Venn, Lydia (January 12, 2023). "What Netflix's The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker leaves out about Kai". Cosmopolitan. Retrieved February 12, 2023.
  30. ^ "'Hatchet-Wielding Hitchhiker': Tragedy Behind Kai Lawrence's Internet Fame". People. Retrieved January 12, 2023.
  31. ^ "Netflix releases 'Kai the Hitchhiker' true crime documentary about Central Jersey murder". news.yahoo.com. January 11, 2023. Retrieved January 12, 2023.
  32. ^ Venn, Lydia (January 13, 2023). "Kai Lawrence from Netflix's The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker responds to documentary". Cosmopolitan. Retrieved January 31, 2023.
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