Netflix’s A Toxic Love Story revisits the case of former US Marshal Ian Diaz, who was convicted in 2023 of plotting to frame his former girlfriend, Michelle Hadley, for stalking his wife. Diaz’s friend Leslie has criticised the documentary, saying it misrepresented her support for him and omitted evidence she believes undermines his conviction; the case matters because Hadley was wrongly imprisoned for 88 days.

The plot began after Diaz and Hadley separated in 2016, when Diaz and his wife Angela allegedly created messages and threats intended to implicate Hadley. Diaz was convicted of conspiracy to commit cyberstalking, cyberstalking, perjury and obstruction of justice, while Angela was also convicted; Leslie says Diaz wanted to participate in the programme but could not spare prison phone time from family calls. The filmmakers said Diaz and Angela had declined to take part.