How Nathan Carman Killed His Mother and Grandfather for Money

The crimes and end of Nathan Carman

By Rare StoriesPublished 7 months ago • 5 min read

Nathan Carman, who died in federal custody on June 15, 2023, was a 29-year-old man from Vermont who was accused of killing his mother and grandfather in order to inherit their multimillion-dollar estate.

He was charged with murder, fraud, and other crimes related to their deaths, but he pleaded not guilty and claimed he was innocent. He had been awaiting trial when he was found unresponsive in his cell and pronounced dead.

The Beginning

Nathan Carman was born in 1994 in Connecticut, the only child of Clark and Linda Carman. He grew up in a wealthy family, as his maternal grandfather, John Chakalos, was a real estate tycoon who owned properties in several states. He had a close relationship with his grandfather, who he considered his best friend and mentor.

Nathan Carman was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome, a form of autism when he was a child. He struggled with social and emotional issues and had difficulty fitting in at school.

He also had a turbulent relationship with his mother, whom he often argued with and blamed for his problems. He dropped out of college after one semester and became interested in guns, boats, and survival skills.

Nathan Carman moved to Vermont in 2011 and lived in a remote farmhouse that he bought with his grandfather's money. He worked as a computer technician and kept to himself. He also inherited millions of dollars from his grandfather's trust fund after his death in 2013¹².

How He Was Accused of Killing His Grandfather

Nathan Carman was named as a person of interest in the murder of his grandfather, John Chakalos, who was found shot to death in his home in Windsor, Connecticut, on December 20, 2013. Chakalos was 87 years old and had a net worth of about $40 million at the time of his death.

According to the police, Nathan Carman was the last person to see his grandfather alive on the night of the murder.

He told the police that he had dinner with him at a restaurant and then left around 8:30 p.m. to drive back to Vermont. However, the police found inconsistencies and contradictions in his statements and alibis. They also discovered that he had bought a gun that matched the caliber of the weapon used in the murder and that he had disposed of the GPS device from his car.

The police also learned that Nathan Carman had been unhappy with his grandfather's plan to distribute his estate among his four daughters, including Nathan's mother. Nathan Carman allegedly wanted to get more money from his grandfather and had tried to influence him to change his will.

The police never charged Nathan Carman with his grandfather's murder due to a lack of conclusive evidence, but they considered him the prime suspect. They also suspected that he had an accomplice who helped him carry out the crime.

Killing His Mother

Nathan Carman was charged with killing his mother, Linda Carman, who disappeared at sea during a fishing trip with him on September 18, 2016. Linda Carman was 54 years old and lived in Middletown, Connecticut. She was also a beneficiary of her father's estate.

According to Nathan Carman, he and his mother left Ram Point Marina in Rhode Island on his boat, the Chicken Pox, for an overnight fishing trip. He said that the boat sank suddenly after he heard a strange noise in the engine compartment and that he escaped on a life raft but could not find his mother.

He said he drifted for eight days before being rescued by a passing freighter about 100 miles off the coast of Massachusetts.

However, the authorities doubted Nathan Carman's story and suspected that he had sabotaged the boat to cause it to sink.

They found evidence that he had made unauthorized repairs to the boat before the trip and that he had removed an emergency beacon from the vessel. They also questioned why he did not call for help or look for his mother after the boat sank.

The authorities also believed that Nathan Carman had a motive to kill his mother, as he stood to inherit millions of dollars from her share of his grandfather's estate. They also noted that he had a history of violence and anger issues with her.

Nathan was rescued, he claimed he spent 8 days drifting on the water

The authorities arrested Nathan Carman in May 2022 and indicted him on charges of murder, fraud, and other crimes related to his mother's death. He pleaded not guilty and denied any involvement in her disappearance. He was held in federal custody until his death.

He Died in Custody

Nathan Carman died in federal custody on June 15, 2023, while awaiting trial for his mother's murder. He was found unresponsive in his cell at the Cheshire County Jail in Keene, New Hampshire, around 9:30 a.m. He was pronounced dead about 40 minutes later. The cause of his death was not disclosed, but the authorities said it was not suspicious or related to Covid-19.

Nathan Carman's death ended the legal proceedings against him and resulted in the dismissal of all the charges. His lawyers said that he had maintained his innocence until the end and that he had been looking forward to proving it in court.

Nathan Carman's death also left many questions unanswered about his involvement in his grandfather's and mother's deaths. His relatives, who had sued him to prevent him from inheriting their money, said that they were disappointed that they would not get justice or closure for their losses.