The Carman Family Deaths: What did Nathan do and where is he now? Details from the Netflix docufilm, explored

The Carman Family Deaths is a true crime documentary film that was released on Netflix on November 19, 2025. It's directed by Yon Motskin, who has also co-produced it with Mary Jane Mitchell.

The film chronicles the namesake family's death case. Here's the official synopsis as per IMDb:

"A fishing trip ends in tragedy when Linda Carman vanishes at sea leaving her son Nathan adrift for days. His rescue stirs up questions about his grandfather's murder and ignites a battle over inheritance that leads to shocking revelations."

Let's explore what happened to Nathan and what he actually did as featured in the docufilm.

The Carman Family Deaths: What's the story of Nathan?

The Carman Family Deaths features Nathan Carman, a 22-year-old man, hailing from a rich family in New England. Carman had autism, and he made headlines back in 2016. This is when he was stranded adrift at sea and was saved after nearly eight days.

While on a trip to Rhode Island for fishing with his mother, the pair went missing shortly afterwards. Although Nathan was rescued, Linda's whereabouts could not be traced. After the investigation, Nathan was charged with the murder of Linda.

The cops accused Nathan of killing Linda because he wanted to inherit her property. He was about to face his trial when his life was cut short. Nathan died by suicide while in prison in 2023. His death resulted in cops shutting down the case.

Nathan's father and legal team have maintained that he was innocent. They have also accused the cops of being biased against Nathan because of his autism. The cops have pointed out that he reportedly wanted to inherit his mother's estate. They also reiterated the mystery behind the murder of his grandfather, John Chakalos, in 2013. The identity of the person who shot him remains an unsolved riddle.

The case's indictment alleges that both his murder and Linda's death were connected as an attempt to take over their property. The Carman Family Deaths features a video message in which Linda tells her son that she will not hand over her house to him. There's also a memo Nathan wrote to his grandfather before his demise, seeking clarification regarding what he would inherit from them.

Several people in the documentary, autism experts, defended Nathan's action. They pointed out that autistic people tend to ask too many questions, which can be misinterpreted as the person planning something. Clark, who was married to Linda, believes that her death was accidental. He said,

“I know if Nathan had the ability, he would have saved his mother.”

Similarly, the investigating officers strongly allege that Nathan had planned everything and wanted to take over the property. They point out the memo, as well as their impromptu fishing trip, to justify their point.

The executive producers of The Carman Family Deaths include Heidi Edwing and Rachel Grady, alongside Sarah Amos, Helen Estabrook, and Andrew Whitney for WIRED Studios.

The Carman Family Deaths is currently streaming on Netflix.