Is ‘A Toxic Love Story’ based on real-life incident? All we know about Michelle Hadley and 'Lilithistruth'
Netflix’s ‘A Toxic Love Story’ is based on the real-life Anaheim Craigslist case involving Michelle Hadley, former Deputy U.S. Marshal Ian Diaz, and Angela Connell, who took Ian’s surname after their marriage. The documentary explores how Hadley was accused of sending threatening messages to Connell and orchestrating encounters by inviting men to the Anaheim condo where Connell and Ian lived. Hadley was arrested in July 2016 and spent 88 days in jail before investigators determined she had been framed. The case ultimately resulted in criminal convictions for both Connell and Ian. Hadley and Ian had previously been engaged and continued to co-own the Anaheim condo after their relationship ended. After Ian began dating Connell and later married her, Connell reported receiving threatening emails from an account named ‘Lilithistruth.’ These messages appeared to be sent by Hadley, leading Connell to obtain a restraining order against her. Authorities initially believed Hadley was responsible for online posts that used Connell's identity, including her name, photos, and home address, to invite men to the condo for sexual encounters.
Connell claimed that one man entered the home and assaulted her. Based on these claims, police arrested Hadley in July 2016, and prosecutors charged her with stalking Connell and arranging the encounters. Unable to post bail, Hadley remained in custody while her parents hired attorney Michael Guisti to investigate the case. The case took a turn when investigators conducted a deeper analysis of the online accounts and communications. Evidence revealed that accounts impersonating Hadley were created in May 2016 and used to contact men via Craigslist. Authorities later alleged that Connell and Ian collaborated to make it appear as though Hadley was responsible for the threats and online activity. As a result, all charges against Hadley were dismissed in January 2017, allowing her to leave jail with her record cleared.
After her release, Hadley described the ordeal as “the most traumatic experience” of her life. She later filed a federal lawsuit against the city of Anaheim over the handling of the investigation, which was settled in 2021, though the settlement amount was not disclosed. Since then, Hadley has largely stayed out of the public eye but has spoken about the case in the 2025 Investigation Discovery series ‘TOXIC.’ Connell was arrested in January 2017 and pleaded guilty to charges including fraud, false imprisonment, and falsely reporting a crime. She was sentenced to five years in prison, and her marriage to Ian was later annulled. The documentary also examines evidence that Ian actively participated in framing Hadley rather than being misled by Connell. A Department of Justice investigation uncovered fragments of an email linked to ‘Lilithistruth’ on Ian’s work laptop and reviewed body-camera footage in which he appeared to influence Connell’s statements.
Ian was arrested in May 2021 and, in 2023, was convicted of conspiracy to commit cyberstalking, cyberstalking, perjury, and obstruction of a federal proceeding. He received a sentence of 121 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and was dismissed from the U.S. Marshals Service. Reports indicate that Ian and Connell are now divorced. Directed by Alexandra Lacey, ‘A Toxic Love Story’ is currently streaming on Netflix.
