Nathan Carman Was Reportedly Always Troubled — His Death Left More Questions Than Answers

On Nov. 11, 2013, a then-20-year-old Nathan Carman purchased a SIG Sauer rifle using a New Hampshire license. What made this situation somewhat alarming was the fact that Nathan lived in Connecticut, reported CT Insider. The following month, Carman's wealthy grandfather was fatally shot. He was the last person to see John Chakalos alive.

The night before her father was killed, Linda Carman spoke with him and her son. They were having dinner together at a Greek restaurant. Although Carman maintained he did not kill his grandfather, police considered him to be their primary suspect. He was never charged with Chakalos's death. A few years later, Carman's mother drowned during a fishing trip in South Kingstown, R.I. Carman was found alone in a raft eight days later. What happened to him? Here's what we know.

In May 2022, Carman was arrested and charged with first-degree murder and multiple fraud charges in connection with his mother's death. Prosecutors alleged that Carman orchestrated his mother's death in an attempt to inherit her part of Chakalos's $49 million fortune. His trial was scheduled for October 2023, but Carman took his own life before that day arrived.

At around 2:20 a.m. on June 15, 2023, Carman was found unresponsive in his cell at the Cheshire County Jail in Keene, N.H., per CT Insider. "We believe Mr. Carman left us a note that we look forward to receiving to make sense of a very tragic situation," said David Sullivan, one of his lawyers. In the days leading up to Carman's death, his legal teams said he appeared to be in good spirits. A statement shared by Linda's three sisters said they were "deeply saddened" to hear of Carman's death.

According to Boston Magazine, Carman was acting strangely the day he and his mother set out on their fishing trip. This was in September 2016, nearly three years after his grandfather had been murdered. The killer had never been found. It was also two years after Judge David P. Gold ordered all of Carman's guns seized out of concern he might hurt himself.

On the last day anyone would see Linda alive, her son was busy drilling holes into his boat. When asked by the person in the slip next to him why he was doing that, Carman replied, "I’m taking out my trim tabs." Although Carman didn't think they were necessary, the person chatting with him noted the boat could sink. Carman ignored the helpful conversation and kept drilling.

Although Linda was nervous about going fishing, she didn't like her son to go out alone. "Heading out toward Striper Rock, Southeast of the windmills," she texted to her best friend, Sharon Hartstein. "Back by 9am. Call me 12 noon if you don’t hear from me." Harstein didn't hear from Linda and by the next evening, she called the Coast Guard. Carman later said the bilge began taking on water and before he knew it, the boat sank with his mother in it. He stayed on a raft until rescuers found him.