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‘Kai the Hitchhiker’ convicted of killing elderly man in New Jersey

'Kai the Hitchhiker' convicted of killing elderly man in New Jersey | iNFOnews.ca
Caleb McGillvary SUBMITTED/Youtube

ELIZABETH, N.J. – A Canadian man who gained internet fame as "Kai the Hatchet-Wielding Hitchhiker" has been convicted of first-degree murder in the beating death of a New Jersey man almost six years ago.

Jurors in Union County convicted 30-year-old Caleb "Kai" McGillvary on Wednesday in the May 2013 death of 73-year-old lawyer Joseph Galfy.

Authorities say the two met in New York and the defendant stayed at Galfy's home.

McGillvary was arrested in Philadelphia days later.

He alleged that he acted in self-defence following an attempted sexual assault, but prosecutors said his statements were inconsistent and also cited the victim's extensive injuries.

The Canadian gained some online fame after intervening in a 2012 assault on a California utility worker in which he described using a hatchet to fend off a further attack.

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Marshall Jones

News is best when it's local, relevant, timely and interesting. That's our focus every day.

We are on the ground in Penticton, Vernon, Kelowna and Kamloops to bring you the stories that matter most.

Marshall may call West Kelowna home, but after 16 years in local news and 14 in the Okanagan, he knows better than to tell readers in other communities what is "news' to them. He relies on resident reporters to reflect their own community priorities and needs. As the newsroom leader, his job is making those reporters better, ensuring accuracy, fairness and meeting the highest standards of journalism.

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