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Linda Carman's disappearance at sea initially appeared to be a tragic accident, while her son Nathan Carman's survival seemed like a miraculous story. However, what lay beneath this freak incident was more complex than anyone had imagined. The wealthy Chakalos family, one of whose daughters was Linda, perhaps held more secrets than most assumed.
The alleged murder of Linda Carman and that of her father, John Chakalos, a real estate tycoon, will be the subject of the latest episode of 20/20, set to premiere on April 4, 2025, at 9 pm EST. This episode promises to provide detailed insights into this complicated case, much of which remains a mystery today.
There are many details about this case that still raise significant questions. In anticipation of the episode, let’s explore five such details that stand out in this case.
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5 key details about the murder of Linda Carman
1) Linda Carman went on a fishing trip with her son but never returned
In September 2016, Linda Carman went on a fishing boat with her son, Nathan Carman, but their boat did not return on schedule, raising alarm bells. A search was launched immediately, but nothing was found for another week.
On September 25, 2016, a Chinese freighter discovered Nathan Carman on a lifeboat, apparently surviving in a miraculous way.
2) Nathan Carman's grandfather, John Chakalos, was murdered three years before Linda's death
Linda Carman's death was far from the first big thing that happened in the family. In 2013, the wealthy real estate developer John Chakalos was murdered in his bed at his home in Windsor, Connecticut. He was shot in the head.
Initially, Linda was a suspect in the murder because she had been arrested for assaulting her father earlier, but she was later cleared. Nonetheless, Nathan Carman remained a person of interest in the case.
3) The boat was allegedly modified to make it easier to sink
The boat had certain modifications that indicated someone wanted to deliberately sink it. This is also why the insurance company refused to pay for the boat's sinking. Among these modifications was the removal of the trim tabs, which had no logical explanation.
Moreover, it seemed unlikely that Nathan had managed to escape the boat unhurt in a lifeboat with all the supplies, yet could not locate his mother. He claimed that the boat sank suddenly.
4) Nathan Carman's aunts filed a slayer petition against him
After Linda's death, Nathan was set to inherit a sizable portion of his grandfather's multi-million-dollar estate. However, his three aunts reportedly filed a slayer petition that prevented him from receiving the money.
The petition claimed that Nathan was responsible for the murders of both John Chakalos and Linda Carman. This ultimately led to Nathan's arrest on May 10, 2022, where he pleaded not guilty to charges of fraud and murder.
5) Nathan Carman died while in federal custody
In a way, this case was never solved because Nathan Carman died in federal custody while awaiting trial. The details regarding the cause of death were not publicly revealed, and it is unlikely that they will be. One might assume it was a suicide, as Nathan was alone in his cell.
The murders of Linda Carman and John Chakalos were never formally solved.
The upcoming episode of 20/20 will cover this case in more detail.
