What happened to the Carman family? Details examined as Netflix releases The Carman Family Deaths

The Carman Family Deaths is the new Netflix documentary set for release on November 19, 2025. The documentary is based on a complicated and well-known true crime story that takes place over several years and includes a family tragedy, a mysterious disappearance at sea and an unsolved murder.

Linda Carman and her son, Nathan, went missing while fishing in 2016. Linda Carman was never found, and it is thought that she died after the incident at sea. Later, Nathan was saved, which led to a long investigation into what really happened. The documentary looks into how this case of a missing person turned into a huge investigation.

The investigation quickly linked Nathan to the murder of his grandfather, John Chakalos, a wealthy real estate developer, in 2013. 

The Carman Family Deaths: What Happened to the Family

The story starts in September 2016, when Linda Carman, 54 and her son Nathan, 22, went fishing. They left South Kingstown, Rhode Island, with the plan to spend the night at sea. As soon as Linda didn't get in touch with a friend the next day, they both went missing.

A huge search by the Coast Guard took place because of this disappearance. It covered about 62,000 nautical square miles of ocean. A freighter that was passing by finally saw Nathan eight days after the mother and son were reported missing. He was found alone on a life raft and was rescued about 100 miles south of Martha's Vineyard. They never found Linda, his mother.

As he got better, Nathan told long stories about how he survived at sea. He was very upset and shocked by the death of his mother, Linda Carman. Family members and investigators started to see gaps in his detailed story. They wanted to know why important safety steps were said to have been skipped and why the fishing route was so dangerous.

During their questioning, the police were also worried about Nathan's behavior. He was diagnosed with autism as a child. Sometimes he seemed distant and he only talked about certain things that happened during the day. These growing doubts then ran into a tragedy that had happened to the family three years earlier.

Linda's father, John Chakalos was a millionaire who was found dead in his bed in 2013. Nathan was the last person to see his grandfather alive before he died. Later, the police searched Nathan Carman's house with a search warrant. The documentary The Carman Family Deaths looks into these questions that keep coming up.

The Investigation and Nathan Carman

The Carman Family Deaths documentary begins with Linda Carman's 2016 disappearance and her son's rescue at sea. The investigation linking Nathan to his grandfather John Chakalos' unsolved murder continues. The millionaire developer's family favored Nathan as their first grandson.

The documentary compares narratives using interviews, family archive footage and expert testimony. Nathan's actions may be responsible for his mother and grandfather's deaths. The film depicts family strife after the incidents. Complex questions of motive, money and truth surrounded Nathan.

Nathan Carman came into the world in 1994. His childhood was full of instability, even though he was always under his grandfather's watchful eye. He had trouble making friends due to his autism as a child. He did become very close to a horse he loved named Cruise. As an adult, Nathan was very close to his mother, Linda.

Nathan's interviews and legal battles drew him into multiple investigations after his rescue at sea. These investigations focused on Linda's disappearance and his grandfather's 2013 murder. Clark Carman, Nathan's father and Linda's ex-husband, and a sister were interviewed for The Carman Family Deaths. Coast Guard, local police and FBI investigators testify.

The Carman Family Deaths trailer begins with a sombre note, stating that the ocean holds many secrets. It then establishes the main incident, confirming that Linda Carman and her son Nathan never returned from Block Island fishing. The situation kept getting worse.

Further, it shows a freighter finding and saving Nathan, who was alone in a life raft south of Martha's Vineyard. The trailer clarifies that Carman's mother was missing and presumed dead. This was initially thought to be a terrible loss for the young man, who had lost his mother at sea. However, the trailer suggests that investigators soon found Nathan's story confusing.

Nathan, the firstborn grandson of a "Greek dynasty" and his grandfather's number one is then discussed. Linda's father was controlling, according to the trailer. As a self-made millionaire, he likely met many people. Linda was very protective of Nathan and would protect him at any cost, according to the trailer.

It turns out that the Carman family had suffered before the sea tragedy. Some family members believed Nathan killed his mother and grandfather. A voice says boats don't break apart like Nathan described, casting doubt on his account. Nathan indicated that he didn't know if other boats were nearby and the interrogator said he hadn't tried.

Nathan expresses a wish that his whole family could have united to pray for his mother. The trailer shows a relative who strongly denies seeing him because they believe he killed their sister. Another voice calls the situation a Greek tragedy. Police executed a search warrant at Nathan Carman's home, the trailer concludes.

The Carman Family Deaths unfolds on Netflix on November 19, 2025.