A former Deputy U.S. Marshal has been sentenced for his role in a cyberstalking scheme that ensnared his ex-fiancée in a series of false accusations. Ian Diaz was found guilty of conspiracy to commit cyberstalking, cyberstalking, perjury, and obstructing a federal proceeding. He received a sentence of 121 months and three years of supervised release.
The case gained wider attention with the release of the Netflix documentary "A Toxic Love Story," which chronicles the events that unfolded after Diaz and Angela Connell married in 2016, shortly after meeting. Connell was pregnant with twins, but soon began receiving threatening emails from an entity calling itself "Lilithistruth."
Diaz and Connell quickly suspected Michelle Hadley, Diaz's ex-fiancée with whom he had previously shared a condo. The emails, which had a biblical undertone, accused Connell of stealing Diaz's life and their home. Hadley was subsequently served with a restraining order.
The situation escalated when someone responded to a Craigslist ad for a "rape fantasy" using Connell's information. A man who arrived at the couple's condo fled when he saw Diaz's name on the keypad. Later, in June 2016, Connell reported being choked by a masked assailant in her home. Hadley was arrested and spent 88 days in jail before being exonerated.
As the documentary reveals, the truth behind the events was far more complex. Investigations into Connell's past uncovered a pattern of deception. Former acquaintances spoke of her fabricating stories, including a false claim of stage 4 cervical cancer and a fake sonogram for the twins she was allegedly carrying. She was arrested in January 2017, pleaded guilty to fraud, false imprisonment, and falsely reporting a crime, and received a five-year prison sentence.
Simultaneously, a Department of Justice investigation, led by Special Agent Jason Higley, began to re-examine Diaz's role. Bodycam footage suggested Diaz was coaching Connell when police responded to their home. Higley also uncovered evidence that Diaz, using his position as a Deputy U.S. Marshal, may have orchestrated the "Lilithistruth" emails and other harassment campaigns to mimic Hadley and frame her.
Evidence found on Diaz's work laptop included fragments of emails sent by "Lilithistruth." Furthermore, the DOJ tracked down the man who posted the Craigslist ad, and evidence suggested Diaz had immediately accessed the listing online, a feat considered nearly impossible without insider knowledge or manipulation. Higley concluded that Diaz used his authority to stage events and gain credibility with law enforcement.
Diaz was arrested in May 2021. He was dismissed by the U.S. Marshals Service in 2023, the same year he was convicted. He is currently serving his sentence in Texas.
Following her exoneration, Hadley successfully sued the Anaheim Police Department and was awarded significant damages in 2021. Diaz annulled his marriage to Connell in April 2017. Hadley, who did not get her down payment back for the condo Diaz sold in 2016 while she was in prison, shared a statement noting the symbolic coincidence of giving birth to her daughter on the same day Diaz was convicted, calling her daughter "my rainbow after a very long storm."