'Kai the Hitchhiker' will face murder case in N.J.

Caleb "Kai" Lawrence McGillivary - the 24-year-old drifter who in three months went from Internet hero to accused killer of a North Jersey lawyer - on Tuesday waived extradition to New Jersey.

McGillivary was dubbed "Kai the Hatchet-Wielding Hitchhiker" after a viral interview he gave in February about intervening in an attack on a California utility worker and a woman trying to help the worker by hitting the assailant with his hatchet.

On Tuesday, McGillivary was in the city's Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility and waived extradition in a brief video-linked hearing before Philadelphia Common Pleas Court Judge Paula A. Patrick.

New Jersey authorities now have 30 days to get McGillivary and take him to Union County to face murder charges in the killing of Joseph Galfy, 73, of Clark.

McGillivary, a native of Alberta, Canada, was arrested in Philadelphia earlier this month, about one week after authorities said he and Galfy met May 11 in Times Square and later had a sexual encounter inside Galfy's home.

Galfy, wearing only socks and underwear, was found dead in his bedroom two days later of what police called "blunt-force trauma to the head."

In an Inquirer interview with McGillivary's parents and grandmother last week, McGillivary was described as a troubled young man with years of behavioral and mental-health problems, hospital visits, treatment, and possible abuse.