The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker Review

This Netflix documentary, "The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker" will have you glued to your seat until the very end. Remember about ten years ago when people were becoming viral sensations from news interviews? One of those unforgettable figures was Caleb Lawrence McGillvary. Who’s that, you ask? Let me tell you.

Known online as “Kai the Hatchet-Wielding Hitchhiker,” Kai was a Canadian who became an internet sensation. If you haven’t heard of him, I highly recommend checking out his video on YouTube—it’s wildly entertaining.

So, what made him famous? In February 2013, Kai was hitchhiking through Fresno, CA, when he was picked up by a man named Jett Simmons McBride. During the ride, Jett confided in Kai, claiming he was Jesus Christ and sharing some disturbing stories, including one about assaulting a 14-year-old girl in the Virgin Islands.

As Jett was recounting his life story, he crashed his car into a parked utility truck, pinning a worker between the vehicles. Kai jumped out to help, while Jett stayed in the car. When a female bystander arrived to assist, Jett attacked her. Fearing for her life, Kai grabbed a hatchet from his backpack and struck Jett in the head multiple times. Kai’s animated retelling of the incident, complete with his 

                     

  

After the incident, Kai was interviewed by the police and released. The video of his interview garnered over 8.3 million views by April, making him a hot commodity for talk shows. But the story took a dark turn that summer when Kai was arrested for the murder of Joseph Galfy.

According to Kai, Joseph had offered him a place to stay for the night but then drugged and tried to assault him. The police, however, claimed the encounter was consensual and the murder premeditated. Kai maintained he acted in self-defense, arguing that his fame meant he had no reason to sleep with someone like Joseph, whom he described as unattractive.

While awaiting trial, Kai was incarcerated for five years. His trial began in April 2019, where he was combative during cross-examination and had an outburst during his defense lawyer’s closing arguments. Ultimately, the jury found him guilty of first-degree murder, and he was sentenced to 57 years in prison. Kai appealed the conviction, but it was upheld by the New Jersey Appellate Court in August 2021.

This documentary is a wild ride from start to finish, even if you’ve never heard of Kai before. It’s bizarre and captivating. I’d give it 3 out of 5 acorns.