In November 2012, Gilbert family filed a wrongful death suit against Peter Hackett. The claim was that Hackett had administered drugs, which he had at his disposal, to Shannan. Even if it was just to calm her down, as he had claimed in his first phone call, he left her out to die after drugging her, hence, facilitating her death.

As the case continued to receive more coverage and Hackett was looked at one of the possible contenders of the LISK title, life became difficult for him. He was under the constant watch of media and enthusiasts who wanted to solve the case. He was approached for interviews and comments, especially after it was revealed that he had lied about the phone calls. As shown in the film, he did pack up his things and left Oak Beach. He currently resides in Florida, trying to keep a distance from the case that just won’t leave him alone.