(Credits: Netflix)

The subject matter of The Carman Family Deaths on Netflix was considered a media narrative from the start. It all started when 54-year-old Linda Carman and her 22-year-old son, Nathan Carman, set sail for a fishing trip around Rhode Block Island and never returned.

It was not the first time the mother-son duo had embarked on such an adventure. But when they failed to return, their wealthy New England family urgently contacted the US Coast Guard. The Coast Guard conducted a thorough search through an 11,000-square-mile area.

The search was reportedly called off eight days later, but it was only then that a Chinese freighter spotted Nathan drifting alone in a life raft. He then swam towards the boat as his raft sank and managed to pull himself onto it. As soon as the news broke, media crews approached Nathan, who showered gratitude on the public for their prayers while describing how he had survived.

Nathan reportedly saved emergency food packs to last and kept himself hydrated throughout his search for rescue vehicles. However, as is evident in the Netflix documentary, people soon began to raise eyebrows as more information came out about Nathan’s potential strength and health after spending eight days at sea, along with reports of an unsolved murder in the family in 2016. But how does The Carman Family Deaths conclude? Let’s find out.

Who was John Chakalos?

John Chakalos was Nathan’s grandfather and Linda’s father, a wealthy real estate developer. Described as a control freak by the members of his extended family in The Carman Family Deaths, he was also a bit unstable and “occasionally violent.” He had a disorderly relationship with his daughters, including Linda Carman. However, she used to receive a monthly allowance from him via a living trust. Upon his death, it was expected that his estate, worth over $42million, would be divided among his daughters.

Despite his dysfunctional relationship with Linda, Chakalos was very close to Nathan – so much so that the grandson wanted to follow in his footsteps, dreaming of becoming a developer. To some extent, Chakalos was convinced that Linda’s interference with Nathan’s autism was needless. Nathan’s cousin, Chuck Lapenna, divulges in the documentary that he believed Nathan was collecting $100,000 from his grandfather in a year. Nathan’s advocates also confirm that he had received plenty of support from Chakalos at the time.

In 2013, 87-year-old Chakalos was discovered murdered in his bed. He had a gunshot wound to the head, and his death was considered a homicide. Investigators felt the murder was done on purpose. To worsen the stakes, Nathan was the last person to see his grandfather alive before his killing. Investigators also discovered that before the murder took place, Nathan had sent an email to his grandfather’s trust and estate attorney, asking who had to die first in order for him to inherit the money.

They further found a receipt for a rifle, which Nathan had denied owning. However, he had an alibi at the time the neighbours heard the gunshot. As a result, an arrest warrant wasn’t signed. The incident had shattered the Chakalos family, with many pointing fingers at Nathan, who received a significant amount of money from an insurance policy. He eventually purchased a property in Vermont and had it renovated.

What happened to Nathan Carman?

Nathan Carman was Linda and Clark Carman’s only son, who was diagnosed with autism early in his childhood. The Netflix documentary sheds light on his relationship with his mother, which was intensely layered. Linda reportedly resorted to various interventions to help with Nathan’s autism. Likewise, she also gave him the independence and privacy he required. But Nathan sometimes felt Linda was a bit too protective. Meanwhile, Linda thought he was growing more reserved and resisting medication and therapy.

The fishing trips served as a recreational adventure for both, which helped them grow closer. Following Linda’s disappearance and Nathan’s survival at sea, he filed an insurance claim for the boat that had sunk. However, the insurance company fought back when their investigation led them to witnesses who saw Nathan removing trim tabs in the boat with a drill. An additional probe showed further inconsistencies with Nathan’s narrative, which entwined with the already growing suspicion surrounding his indescribable strength during his rescue.

In 2022, Nathan was formally accused of murdering his mother and grandfather. While waiting for his trial, he died by suicide behind bars, and all charges were dismissed against him. The investigation surrounding Linda’s death has also been shut down. She was declared dead in 2023.