What Exactly Happened to Angela Diaz After Framing Michelle Hadley in Rape Fantasy Plot? Here Are the Facts

Netflix’s true crime slate keeps finding stranger cases, and ‘A Toxic Love Story’ might be one of the most jaw dropping yet. The documentary revisits the nightmare that swallowed California graduate student Michelle Hadley, who spent 88 days behind bars for a crime she never committed.

At the center of it all is Angela Diaz, now known as Angela Connell, whose elaborate scheme to frame her husband’s ex fiancée nearly cost an innocent woman her freedom for life. Years later, viewers want to know exactly where she ended up.

The Rape Fantasy Plot That Landed Michelle Hadley in Jail

Michelle’s ordeal began in June 2016 when Angela reported to the Anaheim Police Department that she was being cyberstalked by someone claiming to be Hadley, her fiancé Ian Diaz’s ex. Angela and Ian Diaz framed Michelle Hadley of cyberstalking in 2016, and the couple insisted the harassment included threats to kidnap and kill Angela.

The couple, who are the subjects of Netflix’s ‘A Toxic Love Story,’ claimed Michelle even posed as Angela to reply to a rape fantasies ad, providing Angela’s name, picture and address, which all culminated in an alleged rape attempt in Angela’s garage, according to statements from the Orange County District Attorney’s office.

Prosecutors said Angela seemed determined to see her husband’s ex behind bars, and in one statement to police she reportedly wrote that Hadley should register as a sex offender.

The fallout was severe. Michelle was arrested and faced the possibility of life in prison, all while investigators believed Angela’s version of events. It took months for the truth to unravel.

How the Michelle Hadley Case Fell Apart for Angela and Ian Diaz

Investigators eventually traced the so called threatening emails back to the very people claiming to be victims. The joint investigation determined that the true origins of the emails and rape fantasy solicitations were not Hadley, but they originated from the condo shared by Ian Diaz and Angela, Angela’s cell phone, and Angela’s father’s home in Arizona.

That discovery blew the case wide open. Police also found that Angela had, in the past, faked cervical cancer, posed as an attorney and even faked a pregnancy, painting a picture of a long pattern of deception that went well beyond the Hadley case.

After spending 88 days in jail, Michelle was finally released. She later described the moment to Netflix, saying freedom felt sweet because it is something you do not fully appreciate until it has been taken from you.

Angela ultimately pled guilty to forgery, false imprisonment, kidnapping and falsely reporting a crime in 2017, closing out one of the more elaborate frame jobs in recent true crime memory.

Angela Diaz Prison Sentence and Eventual Release

Angela was sentenced to five years in prison for her role in the scheme. According to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, she was transported to prison on January 8, 2018, and was granted 342 days of pre sentence credit for time served while awaiting sentencing.

Her time behind bars did not stretch the full five years on paper. Angela was released from prison on July 19, 2020, after completing her full sentence under the law, and was placed on parole. She completed her parole exactly one year later, on July 19, 2021.

That timeline put her well ahead of her ex husband’s legal reckoning. Ian was not arrested for his role in the conspiracy until years later, meaning Angela had already finished her sentence before his case even reached trial.

Where Is Angela Diaz Now After Michelle Hadley’s Case Went Public Again

So where does that leave Angela today. After Diaz annulled their marriage in April 2017, Connell went back to her maiden name. She has since moved out of California and now lives in Phoenix, Arizona.

Her post prison path reportedly took an unexpected turn. Connell has since become an abortion access advocate, a notable shift for someone whose criminal case once centered on faking a pregnancy as part of an elaborate deception.

Unlike Michelle, who has spoken publicly about her ordeal, Angela has kept a low profile. Unlike Michelle, Angela has largely stayed out of the public eye since completing her sentence. Angela declined to participate in ‘A Toxic Love Story,’ according to Netflix, meaning her side of the story is told entirely through court records and prosecutor statements rather than her own voice.

Meanwhile, Ian’s fate looks very different. He was convicted in 2023 of conspiracy to commit cyberstalking, cyberstalking, perjury and obstruction of justice, and in January 2025 the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld his convictions. He is serving his sentence at FMC Fort Worth, with a scheduled release date of January 31, 2031.

With Michelle Hadley’s nightmare now getting the documentary treatment, and Angela Connell rebuilding a life far removed from Orange County, it is hard not to wonder how someone who once fabricated an entire criminal case ends up advocating for other women’s rights, and whether that transformation feels like justice or just another chapter of the same story to the people who lived through it firsthand.