The Carman Family Deaths Review: A Terrifying True Crime Saga Surrounding Wealth and Inheritance

The Carman Family Deaths Review: When Linda Carman and her son, Nathan, go out to fish, no one in their family could’ve guessed that they wouldn’t see her again. This gives way to a huge investigation where all fingers point to Nathan orchestrating such a gruesome crime… but it doesn’t end there.

The true-crime documentary has a runtime of 80 minutes.

The Carman Family Deaths Review

This true crime documentary film revisits the chilling saga and horrifying tragedies in the Carman family. Starting with Linda Carman’s mysterious disappearance after going on a fishing trip with her 22-year-old son, Nathan, the film tracks how Nathan was eventually found 8 days later, floating alone on a life raft 100 miles from Martha’s Vineyard, with Linda nowhere in sight. And although this might just seem like a tragedy at sea, a deeper look brings out another horrible situation in the Carman family – the gruesome murder of Linda’s father, John Chakalos.

In a surprising twist, Nathan is named a suspect in both cases, and the film delves into the reasons for doubting his testimony and his motive to do something so horrendous. Further investigation leads to Chakalos’s immense wealth as a possible reason, as the film weaves personal interviews with everyone associated with the situation to explore the murky interplay of grief, wealth and suspicion.

Nathan Carman is, of course, the central part of this story and the film, from the very beginning, keeps everything about him out in the open. His autism diagnosis is mentioned at the very beginning, which might make viewers question people’s assessment of him as “cold” or “emotionally distant.” The film does a great job of showcasing him with a nuanced lens and not just as a possible murderer, and it makes us question everything even more and desperately seek answers.

Moreover, a large part of the story focuses on Nathan’s relationship with Linda and outsiders’ perspectives about it, which adds to the emotional depth of the story. Viewers will be left with a heavy heart as they see a family slowly getting destroyed as the minutes go by, and wonder what the truth is. Frustratingly, there is no definitive answer here, as Nathan ended his life before his trial could begin, and no evidence was ever found because the situation took place on the high seas.

A lot of the investigation, thus, ends up being the investigators’ interpretation of the situation and on Nathan’s testimony and subsequent behaviour. FBI, Coast Guard and other law enforcement officers give us their thoughts on the confusing case, adding more depth and giving us various perspectives to look into. In the end, we have to come up with our own idea of guilty and innocent in this case, since there is no concrete answer, but the film is a thrilling ordeal that will definitely intrigue you through and through.

The lack of a proper conclusion, thus, adds to the heartbreak of watching the story unfold as it raises painful questions about motive, inheritance and mental health. Is it just a tragic coincidence, or did Nathan really destroy his family to get his hands on the money? I guess we will never know. However, it’s interesting to see how wealth and inheritance can distort a tragedy into something more and make us instinctively raise our eyebrows.

Final Thoughts

The Carman Family Deaths is a gritty, uneasy and deeply tragic watch. There are no satisfying or clean answers here, but the film does a good job of making us sit up and take notice of the situation. If you’re a true crime buff, this should be a must-watch, if only to push you to dive deeper into the situation. The film’s exploration of different themes, albeit a bit lacking, can help you see how wealth, family loyalty and mental health can add another layer to a seemingly straightforward crime, which makes this even more enjoyable.

What are your thoughts on The Carman Family Deaths? Let us know in the comments below!

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