Dateline NBC · Podcast summary
Simply Diabolical
Dateline investigates the bizarre and convoluted case of Michelle Hadley, a woman accused of cyberstalking, assault, and attempted rape, which ultimately unravels into a shocking tale of deception and manipulation.
Listen on the show ↗Key takeaways
- 💖Michelle Hadley and Ian Diaz's relationship began as a whirlwind romance, with Ian proposing quickly after their initial meeting.354
- 💔The relationship ended abruptly after only two months of living together in their new condo.594
- 📧Michelle sent Ian emails with religious and demonic references, leading to Ian seeking a restraining order.647
- 😨Angela Diaz, Ian's new wife, began receiving threatening emails, which she believed were from Michelle Hadley.1098
- 🚨Michelle Hadley was arrested twice in connection with the threats and alleged assault.1420
- ⚠️Online ads for 'rape fantasies' were posted, directing men to Angela and Ian's condo, leading to an alleged assault on Angela.1687
Chapters
- 5:38The Fairytale Beginning and Its Swift End
- 10:31The Escalation of a Bitter Breakup
- 15:43The Onslaught of Threatening Emails and the Arrest
- 27:24A Darker Turn: Rape Fantasies and Assault
- 43:30The Truth Unravels: Angela's Deception
- 58:13The Stunning Reversal and Michelle's Vindication
The digest
Tonight's Dateline episode, "Simply Diabolical," delves into a truly bizarre and convoluted case that captivated the country. What began as a seemingly innocent love story between Michelle Hadley and a US Marshal, Ian Diaz, quickly devolved into a nightmare of harassment, cyberstalking, assault, and attempted rape. The investigation, led by Dennis Murphy, uncovers a web of deceit that challenges perceptions of victim and perpetrator, ultimately revealing a shocking twist no one saw coming.
The Fairytale Beginning and Its Swift End
The story begins in August 2013 when Michelle Hadley, a 20-something cross-country runner and good student, met US Marshal Ian Diaz over coffee. Michelle's parents, Suzanne and Michael, raised her in a modest home in Ontario, California, and were proud of her accomplishments, including a scholarship to Dickinson, a well-regarded liberal arts college. Michelle's mother described her as "very imaginative, very intelligent." Michelle quickly fell for Ian, who she believed was her "Prince Charming." She admitted to Dennis Murphy that Ian told her he loved her on their second date, and she found it "very exciting and flattering." She dreamed of him since she was a little girl.
By December 2014, Ian proposed to Michelle atop Rockefeller Center, and she said yes. They bought a new condo in Anaheim, just minutes from Disneyland, where Michelle envisioned watching fireworks from the roof. However, just two months after moving in, Michelle said the relationship changed and "fell apart." She packed her car and left, showing up at her parents' doorstep. Michelle's mother, Suzanne, recalled receiving a text from Michelle asking if she could come home, to which Suzanne replied, "You don't even need to ask." Michelle explained to Dennis Murphy that she didn't feel the relationship was healthy for her, describing it as "not nurturing." She stated that she had to be "very careful" about the people she surrounded herself with, believing it was "almost better for me not to be in a relationship than to be in a bad one."
Keep reading in The Digest
The full 14-minute article, 5 more sections, and every new episode from Dateline NBC and the creators you follow.
- The Escalation of a Bitter Breakup
- The Onslaught of Threatening Emails and the Arrest
- A Darker Turn: Rape Fantasies and Assault
- The Truth Unravels: Angela's Deception
- The Stunning Reversal and Michelle's Vindication
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