‘A Toxic Love Story’: Where Is Michelle Hadley Now After Being Framed for Shocking Crime?

Warning: The following post contains discussions of rape.

A Toxic Love Story is Netflix’s latest true crime documentary, and there are so many jaw-dropping twists and turns that it’ll make you dizzy. Michelle Hadley thought she was done with her ex-fiancé, Ian Diaz, after their 2015 breakup. He had moved on and married a woman named Angela Connell. However, they were still at odds over the condo they owned together.

The following year, Hadley was arrested and spent nearly three months in jail after being accused of stalking Diaz’s new wife in a twisted plot that included “rape fantasy” ads on Craigslist. However, as investigators continued to dig into the shocking case, they realized Hadley wasn’t the mastermind after all. She was actually innocent and the true victim in this wicked web of deception spearheaded by Diaz and Connell.

So, what happened to Michelle Hadley before and after her arrest? Did Ian Diaz and Angela Connell pay for their crimes? Scroll down to find out where Hadley, Diaz, and Connell are now.

What happened to Michelle Hadley?

In 2016, Hadley was arrested after her ex-fiancé and his pregnant wife accused her of sending Connell threatening emails under the name “Lilithistruth.” Both Diaz and Connell named Hadley as a potential suspect.

Then, Connell and Diaz alleged that someone had set up a Craigslist account using pictures of Connell to lure men wanting to engage in “rape fantasies.”  Connell, who also said she was pregnant with twins, then claimed to police that she was attacked in her garage by a masked intruder who said it was time for her to “get raped.”

Netflix

Hadley was arrested in July 2014  and charged with 10 felony counts, including stalking and attempted rape. She spent 88 days in jail before being released.

Investigators later discovered that Connell was the one behind the emails and the Craigslist “rape fantasy” ads. She used VPNs and third-party proxy servers to mask her IP addresses and locations. She also wasn’t pregnant. During the investigation, additional fraudulent activity by Connell was uncovered, including her faking that she had cervical cancer.

Netflix

Diaz conspired alongside Connell to frame Hadley, but he tried to say that she acted alone. Because Diaz was a U.S. Marshal, the Department of Justice conducted its own investigation, and the cyber team found out he was involved years later.

Hadley was released from prison in October 2016, and all charges were dropped.

Where is Michelle Hadley now?

After being fully exonerated, Hadley sued the Anaheim Police Department and was awarded significant damages in 2021. In the documentary, Hadley said she’s been trying to rebuild her life after the ordeal. She’s been getting back to school and working again.

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She’s also started dating. “Eventually, I find out I’m pregnant,” Hadley said. “I gave birth to my daughter on the same day Ian was convicted.” Her daughter is now three years old.

Where are Ian Diaz and Angela Connell today?

In 2023, Diaz was sentenced to 10 years and one month in prison for conspiracy to commit cyberstalking, perjury, and obstruction of justice. He is still serving out his sentence in a Texas prison.

Connell was arrested in 2017 and pleaded guilty to kidnapping, false imprisonment, forgery, and falsely reporting crimes. She was sentenced to five years in prison. She was released in July 2020. Her whereabouts today are unknown.

A Toxic Love Story, Streaming Now, Netflix

If you or someone you know is the victim of sexual assault, contact the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network‘s National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). If you or a loved one is in immediate danger, call 911.