Shivangi Sinha
In December 2013, police were notified that John Chakalos had been shot and killed in his Windsor, Connecticut home. There were no signs of forced entry, and the circumstances suggested a personal motive rather than a burglary. Investigators initially focused on those close to the prominent real estate developer but found no clear leads. Their suspicions deepened when they examined the last person known to have seen him alive. Netflix’s ‘The Carman Family Deaths’ delves into the case, outlining the events and the investigation that unfolded in the years that followed.
John Chakalos Passed Away Within a Month of His Wife’s Death
John Chakalos was born on June 26, 1926, in Keene, New Hampshire. His parents, Charles “Costas” and Kalliope (Kyriazis) Chakalos, were Greek immigrants who later settled in Middletown, Connecticut, and raised their family there. John grew up as the only boy among five sisters—Vivian Nikkanen, Helen Chakalos, Vasiliki “Kiki” LaPenna, Julia Burkhart, and Georgia Contas—who adored him deeply, and he was equally devoted to them. After graduating high school in 1944, with World War II ongoing, John believed he could best contribute by enlisting in the US Army as a private. He served as a paratrooper in the Philippines, often volunteering for high-risk missions.
After returning home, he enrolled at the Bradford Durfee College of Technology and earned a B.S. in textile engineering in 1951. John had also found love early. He had met Rita Baranowski in high school, and the two stayed together. Once he was established in his career, they married around 1954. They went on to raise four daughters, Elaine, Linda, Charlene, and Valerie, and John was a dedicated family man who prioritized them above all else. In the 1960s, the family relocated to Middletown, Connecticut, where John began building his career as a real estate developer. He never shied away from hard work, and his efforts paid off. His business flourished, and he became well-known for developing retirement communities, nursing homes, and other care facilities across New England.
John was also philanthropic, supporting various causes and serving as a patron of the Greek Orthodox Church. He had built a large estate in West Chesterfield, New Hampshire, where much of his family frequently gathered. He worked tirelessly throughout his life, but one of his greatest personal hardships came when his wife of nearly 59 years, Rita, died on November 21, 2013, after a long battle with cancer. In the weeks that followed, John spent time at his home in Middletown. On December 20, 2013, when Elaine hadn’t been able to reach him, she went to check on him and discovered he had been shot. Police determined he had been killed by three gunshot wounds to the head, which prompted an immediate homicide investigation.
The Police Believed John Chakalos’ Killer Was Driven by a Personal Motive
There had been no forced entry into the home, and nothing was missing, leading police to determine that the crime was rooted in a personal motive rather than a burglary. As investigators began examining the family dynamics, they learned that John Chakalos had long experienced tensions with one of his daughters, Linda Carman. The two often clashed, and Linda had moved out of Connecticut for years and only returned after her marriage. Their disagreements intensified over the care and treatment of her son, Nathan Carman, who had been diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome. When questioned, she cooperated fully with detectives and even underwent a polygraph examination, which she successfully passed.
Police suspicion increased when they discovered that the last person to see Chakalos alive had been Nathan. At the time, the latter was living in a house close to his grandfather’s property, one that Chakalos was paying for, and he was also allegedly receiving financial support from him. Nathan told investigators that he and his grandfather had gone out for dinner and then returned home, after which he left for the night. But certain details didn’t add up. He was unable to clearly explain his whereabouts afterward, and although he met his mother at 4 am in Glastonbury for a fishing trip, he arrived an hour late. Linda had reportedly tried calling him several times during that window, but Nathan never answered.
John Chakalos’ Suspected Killer Was Never Charged With the Crime
In fact, just days before the murder, Nathan Carman had reportedly asked questions about the family inheritance and the money he was expected to receive, which further raised suspicions. When police executed a search warrant on his home, they found that his computer’s hard drive and the GPS unit from his truck were missing. Investigators also learned that Nathan had neglected to mention a rifle he had purchased shortly before his grandfather’s death. The caliber of that missing firearm was consistent with the weapon used in the killing of Chakalos. However, no physical evidence directly linked Nathan to the crime scene. He insisted that he had simply forgotten to disclose the rifle.
Regarding his whereabouts, Nathan stated that he became disoriented and got lost, which is why he arrived late to meet his mother. However, the most significant discrepancy came from a neighbor who reported hearing a loud noise, believed to be a gunshot, hours earlier than the timeline the police had constructed. That period also aligned with the time Nathan’s movements were accounted for. Hence, he was never charged or arrested in connection with the murder. Years later, in May 2022, when Nathan was indicted for the death of Linda Carman, the indictment also referenced his alleged involvement in Chakalos’ killing. Several relatives similarly accused Nathan, believing financial motives were at play. Nathan died while awaiting trial, the charges were dismissed, and Chakalos’ case remains unsolved.
Read More: Nathan Carman Murder Details and Investigation Timeline
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