Subtle tactic that helped Ian Diaz fool police into arresting his ex-girlfriend uncovered in Netflix doc
Warning: This article contains discussion of rape which some readers may find distressing.
A Department of Justice special agent lifted the lid on the subtle way Ian Diaz manipulated police officers into arresting his ex-girlfriend, who spent four months in jail after he framed her for cyberstalking his new wife.
What began with threatening messages under a chilling fake username, 'Lilithistruth', turned into one woman, Michelle Hadley's, worst nightmare, after she was accused of relentlessly stalking the wife of a man she once adored.
'A monster of a case' is how the Anaheim Police Department described the twisted investigation.
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They believed they had their culprit, Hadley, and the evidence appeared clear-cut.
But as investigators dug deeper, they uncovered an elaborate web of deception that, prosecutors say, was orchestrated by the very people claiming to be victims, Ian Diaz and his new wife, Angela.
However, among the enormous lies, which included Diaz framing Hadley for ordering a man off Craigslist to come and rape his wife, it was the far subtler details that made the deception so convincing, quietly steering police toward the belief that Hadley was behind the relentless cyberstalking campaign.
DOJ Special Agent Jason Higley, who began investigating Diaz's involvement while he was a US Marshal, believed that his framing went far beyond the torrent of made up emails, threats, and allegations.
"This is play acting," Higley said in the Netflix documentary, A Toxic Love Story.
The special agent believed Diaz was deliberate in making sure officers knew he was a US Marshal, subtly signalling that he was someone they could trust.
"By wearing his badge, and then by putting it on the table, Ian is trying to show to them, 'I'm one of you, and you should credit what I say'.
"Ian's effort to manipulate the Anaheim Police Department was starting to get traction."
But it wasn't the only quiet detail the agent picked up on.
One night during the case, police rushed to the couple's condo, after Diaz claimed a man was on his way to carry out a 'rape fantasy' involving Angela, after responding to an online advert - an advert prosecutors later alleged had been created by Diaz himself as part of his plan to frame Hadley.
When officers arrived at their home, Diaz was outside with a firearm ready to shoot the man - a detail which Higley claims was a well thought-through move.
"Police arrive on scene, Ian can see that they are police officers, and he is standing there with his firearm out, to persuade the police department that the threat is so severe that he has to prepared to use lethal force, to stop his wife from being attacked."
As the investigation unfolded, authorities concluded that Ian had masterminded the campaign to frame Michelle, with Angela acting as his accomplice. Both were ultimately found guilty on all counts.
Angela was sentenced to five years in state prison, while Ian was sentenced to more than 10 years in federal prison.
A Toxic Love Story is now streaming on Netflix.
If you are experiencing domestic violence, please know that you are not alone. You can talk in confidence 24 hours a day to the national domestic violence helpline on 1.800.799.SAFE (7233) 24/7. You can find a list of local resources here.
If you've been affected by sexual assault, you can contact The National Sexual Assault Hotline on 800.656.HOPE (4673), available 24/7. Or you can chat online via online.rainn.org
Topics: Netflix, Film and TV, Crime, True crime, Police
Mia Williams