Shivangi Sinha
In October 2016, Nathan Carman went on a fishing trip with his mother, Linda Carman, but both went missing. After several days of searching, Nathan was discovered alone on a life raft, with no sign of Linda. He claimed their boat had sunk and that she likely drowned. Police grew suspicious, especially after learning that he was also the last person to see his grandfather, John Chakalos, before he was shot to death in his Windsor, Connecticut home. Netflix’s ‘The Carman Family Deaths’ examines both incidents and the suspicions surrounding Nathan.
Nathan Carman Became a Prime Suspect in His Grandfather’s Homicide Case
Nathan James Carman was born on January 21, 1994, in Connecticut. His parents, Linda and Earle Clark Carman, divorced when he was young, and he was primarily raised by his mother. His grandfather, John Chakalos, a self-made businessman and prominent real-estate developer, was deeply devoted to his eldest grandson. After Nathan was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome, his family ensured he received extensive support and medical care. Even so, he struggled socially, had few friends, and was reportedly bullied at school. Linda bought him a horse named Cruise, who became his closest companion and a source of comfort.
Several family members claimed that as Nathan grew older, he became increasingly distant from his mother, and arguments at home became more frequent. When he was 16, Cruise passed away, leaving Nathan shaken and struggling to cope. After he became involved in an incident at school, his parents decided that a rehabilitation center might be the best option, though Chakalos strongly disagreed. Nathan later moved into a house near his grandfather’s and began living independently. He expressed interest in working alongside his grandfather in his business, but that never materialized. According to some relatives, he was receiving around $100,000 a year from his grandfather during this period.
On December 19, 2013, Chakalos was found shot to death in his own bed. With no clear motive, police soon focused on family members and began questioning Nathan, who was the last person known to have seen Chakalos alive. Nathan said they had gone out for breakfast, returned to watch TV, and that he later left around midnight before meeting his mother at about 3 am. However, investigators reported several alleged inconsistencies. They alleged that Linda couldn’t reach Nathan for hours, that he had inquired about his trust and inheritance before the murder, and that a receipt for a rifle that he hadn’t disclosed was discovered. The gun’s caliber allegedly matched the weapon used in the killing.
Nathan Carman’s Family Alleged That He Killed His Mother For Inheritance
However, inconsistencies in the timeline of John Chakalos’ killing remained, and no arrest warrants were ever issued. In the years that followed, Nathan Carman moved to Vermont. Several family members alleged that he had killed his grandfather for financial gain, but no charges were filed. On September 17, 2016, Linda Carman drove down to join her son for a fishing trip, something they often did together. They left from the Ram Point Marina in South Kingstown, Rhode Island, aboard Nathan’s boat, the Chicken Pox, but soon lost all contact. When Linda’s friends alerted police, a search was launched, yet no trace of them was initially found.
On September 25, 2016, Nathan was discovered by the crew of the Chinese freighter Orient Lucky, drifting alone in a life raft, but there was no sign of Linda. He later told police that he had noticed water in the bilge and attempted to fix it, but failed. According to him, he asked his mother to grab fishing lines, and shortly after, the boat suddenly went down; he said he neither saw nor heard her again. Nathan claimed he realized the seriousness of the situation too late and hadn’t managed to press the emergency beacon. Linda’s body was never recovered, and suspicions grew when Nathan filed an $85,000 insurance claim for the boat just days after being rescued.
In January 2017, Nathan’s insurance claim was denied after the company concluded that improper and unsafe repairs had made the boat unseaworthy. A few months later, Linda’s sisters filed a Slayer Petition, a legal action meant to prevent someone who is suspected of unlawfully causing a death from inheriting from the victim. They alleged that Nathan had killed both Linda and Chakalos for financial gain. Nathan was positioned to inherit roughly $7 million, largely through his mother’s share of the family estate.
Nathan Carman Passed Away While Waiting for Trial
No progress occurred in Linda Carman’s case until May 10, 2022, when Nathan Carman was indicted for first-degree murder in her death, as well as multiple fraud charges tied to insurance claims and attempts to access inheritance money from trusts connected to his grandfather. Although the indictment referenced suspicions surrounding Chakalos’s killing, no formal charges were ever filed in that case. Authorities believed Nathan’s statements were inconsistent and did not offer a satisfactory explanation of what happened. While being held at the Cheshire County Jail in Keene, New Hampshire, awaiting trial, Nathan was found unresponsive in his cell on June 15, 2023, and was later pronounced dead. His death was ruled a suicide. Following this, all charges against him were dismissed.
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