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In 2016, California graduate student Michelle Hadley was accused of several serious crimes, including stalking and conspiracy to commit r*pe. The charges were filed after complaints from Angela Diaz, the wife of her ex-fiancé Ian Diaz. Angela told police that Hadley had been sending her threatening emails and had placed false ads on Craigslist, such as r*pe fantasy.
Hadley was jailed for about three months, but later investigations revealed that Angela Diaz had created all these emails and ads herself to frame Michelle Hadley. Angela had fabricated the threats by targeting herself in an elaborate scheme. Hadley was then declared innocent, and a criminal case was filed against Angela.
The case is now the subject of a new episode of Investigation Discovery's true-crime documentary show TOXIC, which will air on the ID channel on Monday, May 12 at 10 pm ET and will also be available for streaming on Max.
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This episode highlights all the events that led to Hadley being wrongfully convicted and then exonerated.
What is the story of Michelle Hadley? A detailed timeline of events explored
August 2015 – Relationship ends
According to the Los Angeles Times, Michelle Hadley and Ian Diaz, who was a US Marshal, had been in a relationship for several years. Their relationship ended in August 2015 and the two separated. After the breakup, Ian met a new woman, Angela Connell, whom he later married. Hadley and Diaz also had a legal dispute over a condo property.
February 2016 – Angela’s complaints begin
Ian Diaz’s new wife, Angela, began complaining to Anaheim police that she was receiving threatening emails from Michelle Hadley. Angela claimed Hadley was threatening to harm her and portrayed herself as the victim. Police began monitoring the case and considered Hadley a suspect in the initial investigation, as per reports.
June 2016 – Craigslist attack claim and Hadley's arrest
As reported by ABC7Chicago, Angela Diaz told police she was attacked by a stranger who allegedly arrived at her home after reading a “r*pe fantasy” ad on Craigslist. Diaz alleged the ad was posted by Michelle Hadley. Hadley was arrested on June 24, 2016. She was released on bail the next day, but was arrested again on July 14, this time with bail of $1 million.
October 2016 – Investigation revealed
According to CBS News, after a technical investigation, police found that the emails and Craigslist ads in question were sent from Angela Diaz’s own IP address and devices, not Michelle Hadley’s. Following this revelation, Hadley was released from prison on October 7, 2016, and was presumed innocent.
January 2017 – Hadley declared completely innocent
As per CBS News, on January 9, 2017, the Orange County District Attorney officially dropped all charges against Michelle Hadley and said that Hadley was the “innocent victim of a diabolical scheme”. The case spread rapidly in the media and was covered by several national channels.
January 2017 – Angela Diaz arrested and charged
As per the Los Angeles Times reports, Angela Diaz was arrested on January 6, 2017, in Phoenix, Arizona, and brought to California. She was charged with several sections, such as false complaint, perjury, criminal conspiracy, and coercion.
October 2017 – Angela Diaz confesses to crime
According to the Los Angeles Times, Angela admitted to 10 felonies and 22 misdemeanor crimes. She admitted that she had planned the whole thing to frame herself. She received a five-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to multiple felony charges.
April 2021 – Ian Diaz also charged with federal charges
According to the Los Angeles Times, Ian Diaz's role in the Angela Diaz conspiracy was also reinvestigated. In April 2021, Ian was charged in federal court with cyberstalking, conspiracy, perjury, and obstruction of justice. Ian Diaz was convicted and sentenced to 20 years in prison.
To find out more about this case, viewers can watch TOXIC, which will air on Investigation Discovery on May 12, 2025, at 10 pm EST and will also be available for streaming on Max.
