The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker: What happened to Jett Simmons McBride?

If you’re big on true crime, you’ve got to check out The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker on Netflix. The documentary just hit the streamer today, Jan. 10, and it tells the unbelievable story of Caleb “Kai” Lawrence McGillvary. The hitchhiker received nationwide attention in 2023 after stopping the attack of innocent people on the side of the road in Fresno, California, but unfortunately, he was not seen as a hero for long. Just months after his news interview went viral, he was arrested and charged with homicide.

It was a whirlwind five seconds of fame for Kai, who after he went viral was in high demand by TV execs who wanted him to have his own reality show! But it all ended when he was found guilty of first-degree murder after killing a New Jersey lawyer named Joseph Galfy. The whole story is just incredibly tragic, and Kai is currently behind bars serving a 57-year sentence.

When watching the documentary, viewers will be hooked from the very first minute, following the life of Kai. But some might also be wondering, what ever happened to the assailant he stopped in Fresno, a man named Jett Simmons McBride?

As we learn early on in The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker, Kai was hitchhiking in 2013 and got a ride from Jett Simmons McBride, who started acting very strange. Kai claims the man said he was Jesus Christ and even admitted to crimes. Jett McBride then crashed into a pedestrian, and when a woman came over to help, he started to attack her. Kai took a hatchet out of his backpack and started hitting the man over the head with it, effectively ending his assault.

We know Kai was sentenced to prison and is there now, but what about Jett McBride?

Where is Jett Simmons McBride now?

The final moments of the documentary reveal that McBride was found guilty of assault with a deadly weapon and was ordered to nine years in a mental health facility. He was deemed insane in trial and actually got out of it relatively lucky, as he was initially charged with attempted murder and was then found not guilty on that count. It’s believed McBride is currently a patient at Atascadero State Hospital in California. After doing some research, we could not find any information regarding his release.

It’s truly a shame how the story of Kai ended up. If you haven’t checked it out yet, you can watch The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker on Netflix right now.