New Documentary 'The Carman Family Deaths' Has People Asking About Nathan Carman's Father

True crime fans are talking about the new Netflix documentary The Carman Family Deaths, and the tragic story has them wanting to learn more. The documentary details the story of Linda Carman and her then-22-year-old son, Nathan, after they failed to return from a fishing trip around Block Island in Rhode Island back in 2016. The coast guard spent eight days searching before the rescue mission was called off, and a vigil was held by Nathan's aunts.

The same day, a Chinese freighter spotted Nathan floating in an inflatable raft, and he was able to swim to the ship as the raft sank and he pulled himself on board. Nathan had survived on emergency food packs and by keeping himself hydrated. The young man was later accused of killing his mother, and he was also suspected of murdering his grandfather — but the tragedy doesn't end there. As the documentary continues to stream on the platform, people want to know about Nathan's father.

Nathan Carman's father is Clark Carman. After Nathan was accused of killing his mother, his father stood by his side. After Nathan was rescued, the police were skeptical of his story. Nathan claimed that the boat began to sink, and he tried to distract his mother from panicking. He also said that he didn't call for help because he thought the Coast Guard was out of range, and he noticed the problem too late. Nathan said that when the boat sank, he didn't see his mom in the water as the boat drifted.

His strength after being found was also suspicious to the authorities. Coast Guard investigator Gempp doubted that Nathan was in the life raft for so long before being rescued due to his ability to float alone for a week without signs of hypothermia or dehydration and being able to kick his legs, swim, and grip ladders while climbing aboard the freighter. Mike Sarraille, a retired Navy SEAL, noted that adrenaline kicking in could have helped Nathan seem stronger than he was during the rescue.

Nathan filed an insurance claim after the boat sank, but the insurance company fought it and claimed that investigations found witnesses who saw the young man the day before the accident. He was allegedly using a drill on his boat and removing trim tabs to create holes in the hull. Later investigations and data tracking also found inconsistencies in the story Nathan told. He was indicted in 2022, not only for killing his mother, but also his grandfather, per Netflix.

Nathan’s maternal grandfather was wealthy real estate developer John Chakalos. John had a close relationship with his grandson but a dysfunctional relationship with his daughters. He was worth more than $42 million, and his estate was to be divided among his daughters after his death. He supported Nathan with $1000,000 per year. The 87-year-old developer was murdered in 2013 and was found in his bed with a fatal gunshot wound to his head.

Nathan was reportedly the last person to see John before his death, and he'd emailed his grandfather’s attorney asking who had to die first for him to inherit. However, he had an alibi, and no arrest warrant was ever signed. His mother's death created more suspicion, and he was indicted for both deaths. Nathan eventually killed himself in prison, and the charges against him were dropped.

Clark is alive and participated in the Netflix documentary about his family. According to People, Clark said that Nathan had been diagnosed with autism when he was 4 years old. Clark said in the documentary that he believed Nathan's neurodivergence unfairly made him a target of the police while investigating his mother's disappearance. He also said it was what helped him survive the boat sinking.

"Him being a suspect, most of that is due to their inability to discern his demeanor as autistic," he said. "Because of his autism, because of his ability to be alone, Nathan, of any individual that I know, would have coped with being lost at sea. I'm sure he used all of his ingenuity in those eight days."