An interesting documentary about an autistic young man who is being looked at for murder, The Carman Family Deaths is a solid expose that is reminiscent of investigative television shows.
I am a diligent watcher of 20/20 and Dateline. I love true crime, and I’ve watched both shows for many years. So, when I saw that this documentary was on Netflix and clicked play, I realized that I was already familiar with many of the participants. There was a 20/20 episode about the Carman family that aired earlier this year, and it was incredibly interesting, so I was here for this film.
The Carman Family Deaths centers around the mysterious death of Linda Carman. In 2016, Linda went out on a fishing trip with her son, 22 year old Nathan Carman, but the boat never returned to the marina. After 8 days, Nathan was recovered in a life raft, asking if they had found his mother. To make matters stranger in reference to this family, years earlier, John Chakalos, Linda’s father, was murdered in his home.
Nathan Carman was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) when he was around 4 years old, and right from the beginning of this documentary, I was wondering if the police and investigators had ever met an autistic person before. If you are neurodivergent or autistic, or have a loved one who is, you know that speaking in monotone, the ability to be alone with oneself for a long time, not picking up on social cues, making lists, planning, and structure can be extremely normal behaviors. It bugged me that they used these behaviors to single out Nathan.
Nathan had a very close relationship with his wealthy grandfather, John Chakalos, though, and the two spent a lot of time together. Nathan being the first grandson in a Greek family, he was treated like a prince, with grandpa trying to control his upbringing. This led to frequently butting heads with John’s daughter, Linda.
Nathan and Linda didn’t always have a close relationship, with Nathan pulling further and further away from her as he got older. He lived in a camper outside of her house, refusing to come inside, even to wash his hands.
While the directors of this film do take a stand on whether Nathan is guilty of the crimes, I’m not sure I agree. I think I stand firmly at 65% in one direction and 35% in the other, but I’m going to let you decide for yourself. You will understand which percentage is which for me after you watch the story.
This documentary includes many interviews, photos, news footage pieces, and other evidence, much of which was included in the 2 hour 20/20 episode that I watched. I was looking for new information, but there isn’t much. That said, it is still a fascinating story, so if you aren’t familiar with it, you’ll enjoy this.
I am a diligent watcher of 20/20 and Dateline. I love true crime, and I’ve watched both shows for many years. So, when I saw that this documentary was on Netflix and clicked play, I realized that I was already familiar with many of the participants. There was a 20/20 episode about the Carman family that aired earlier this year, and it was incredibly interesting, so I was here for this film.
