The Carman Family Deaths: Did Autism Make Nathan A Suspect In Mom And Grandpa's Murder Case?

The Netflix documentary, The Carman Family Deaths, premiered on November 19, 2025. The 91-minute film explores what happened to Linda Carman during the 2016 fishing trip and to John Chakalos in late 2013. Two murders, years apart, different methods. However, all the accusations pointed to one person: Nathan Carman. 

Nathan Carman was Linda Carman's son and the only person who saw Linda right before she mysteriously died. However, the question remains: how did Nathan get involved in the murder of his own mother, and how is it linked to the demise of his grandfather, John Chakalos? Well, Nathan sparked accusations that he murdered his mother for her inheritance. Was he convicted for it? Let's find out.

What happened during the 2016 fishing trip?

It all started when Linda and her 22-year-old son, Nathan, departed from South Kingstown, Rhode Island, on September 17, 2016. The duo were heading out for a fishing trip on Nathan's boat 'Chicken Pox'. However, the next day, when three of Linda's friends couldn't reach her, they reported the vessel missing. The Coast Guard launched an extensive search spanning roughly 62,000 nautical square miles. Nonetheless, eight days had passed, and it appeared like they had just vanished. A freighter, the Orient Lucky, spotted Nathan alone, drifting in an emergency life raft.

Nathan was rescued about 100 miles south of Martha's Vineyard, but his mother was never found. According to him, the boat malfunctioned, water flooded the vessel, and during the chaos, he lost track of Linda. He never placed a distress call and couldn't locate her when he reached the life raft. Investigators, however, quickly began questioning gaps in his story.

How and why did Nathan Carman become a suspect in his own mother's death?

Coast Guard investigators noted that Nathan had failed to follow basic safety protocols. They cited that the young man didn't radio for assistance when the boat began to sink. A South Kingstown police officer found bait in his truck, despite claiming he was going fishing, suggesting he never intended to fish. What further escalated the matter was that his mother, Linda, wasn't even wearing a vest. However, FBI agent Lisa Tuffy found the entire situation suspicious. Nathan Carman, in an interview with ABC News, stated:

"I got onboard the life raft and was looking around, and I was calling out to my mom. I did not see or hear my mom, and I was blowing the whistle with three loud, short bursts, which is a distress signal."

Two weeks after Nathan was rescued, he filed an insurance claim for USD 85,000 for his sunken boat. While the insurance company denied it, finding 'holes in his claims'. Investigators found a pattern in Nathan's actions. This led the police to a case from three years earlier, the demise of John Chakalos, a wealthy Connecticut real-estate developer and Nathan's grandfather was found shot dead in his home. According to prosecutors, the deaths of both Linda and John were connected to inheritance schemes.

In pre-2013 documents, Nathan had written to his grandfather's trust attorney asking what he'd inherit upon both his grandfather's and mother's deaths. The timing seemed suspicious to FBI investigators. Nathan became a prime suspect again after an oceanographer contradicted his account. The oceanographer claimed water currents should have pushed his life raft westward, but Nathan claimed he drifted east. The FBI also discovered he'd purchased an anchor incompatible with his boat, plus heavy chains, a piece of equipment investigators theorised could sink a body or boat.

What happened in the court?

The case ran for years, and even though they had strong suspicions, the police could not gather enough evidence to arrest Nathan. A warrant was drafted in the case of John's murder, but it remained unsigned. However, the investigators soon found a crack and persuaded federal prosecutors to file charges against Nathan, given the mounting evidence from the boat and sea investigations.

Nathan was arrested by federal authorities on May 10, 2022, and was charged with murder on the high seas and inheritance fraud. Prosecutors alleged Nathan had deliberately sabotaged the vessel to make it sink. He pleaded not guilty to all charges and maintained his innocence throughout the investigation, and the trial date was set for October 2023.

Nonetheless, the trial never happened, as another storm hit the case when, on June 15, 2023, correctional officers found Nathan unresponsive in his cell at the Cheshire County Jail in Keene, New Hampshire. Staff performed CPR for 40 minutes, but he was pronounced dead. An autopsy determined his death was not suspicious, and all murder charges were subsequently dropped.

Does the documentary answer any questions about the Carman deaths?

The Netflix film, The Carman Family Deaths, presents both sides of the complicated case. Director, Yon Motskin, includes interviews with investigators, Coast Guard officials, and the FBI agents who suspected Nathan. Nathan's father, Clark and autism experts argue that bias influenced the investigation. The autism specialist attorney, Elizabeth Kelley, also weighs in on the case, explaining how autistic individuals like Nathan can be 'cold and calculating'.

The documentary examines whether investigators unfairly judged Nathan based on his autism diagnosis rather than concrete evidence. However, the answers about the deaths in the Carman family remain unanswered, and what happened in 2013 and the night of 2016 died with Nathan in 2023. True-crime fans should prepare themselves, as this documentary doesn't deliver a neat conclusion. Instead, it examines competing narratives of grief, wealth, and suspicion that forever fractured a wealthy New England family.

Will the future bring any answers for the Carman family deaths, or will it become a forgotten case in the pile of cold cases? What are your thoughts on The Carman Family Deaths?

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