Oceans carry life and mysteries unknown to humankind, but sometimes, people bury their own secrets inside. Netflix, undoubtedly one of the best connoisseurs of true crime documentaries, takes a plunge into a modern-day Greek tragedy with The Carman Family Deaths. Inheritance, sea voyages, a solo life raft, and betrayal beat at the heart of this documentary like a horror show. 

Among Netflix's widening range of crime narratives, The Carman Family Deaths pulses with puzzles even the law could not answer, and one man at the center of it.  

Born an heir into a family of a millionaire real estate developer, Nathan Carman was the son of Linda and Clark Carman and the grandson of John Chakalos, whose estimated net worth was over $40 million. Though raised in luxury, his childhood was anything but normal, with reports of abuse and control infesting his household. He was diagnosed with autism at an early age and remained socially isolated with one horse named Cruise for a friend. As an adult, he juggled jobs and living arrangements but stayed by his mother's side till the very end.

In September 2016, Nathan Carman, then 22, was rescued at sea after drifting for 8 days, following a tragic fishing trip where Linda went missing. Carman was the sole survivor after his 32-foot fishing boat sank near Block Canyon in the Atlantic Ocean. However, the fishing expedition raised suspicion. In 2022, the police linked Carman to the 2013 execution of his grandfather and his mother for inheritance. A year later, he committed suicide in prison. Though the case is closed, Netflix's new documentary probes deeper into the family's unsettling story. 

True Crime Documentary ‘Jailbreak: Love on the Run’: Is It on Netflix? How and Where to Watch?

Secrecy, doubts, and dubious intentions pesking the tides of the Carman family form the backbone of this documentary. 

The Carman Family Deaths, which arrived on Netflix on November 19, 2025, presents interviews, archival family footage, and expert testimony on the family's dual murders and competing narratives around Nathan Carman's innocence. In 2013, John Chakalos was killed, and since 2016, Linda Carman's corpse has never been found.

Directed by Yon Motskin, the documentary unravels the back-and-forth courtroom battles and the emotional aspect in the process, pointing at the contradiction in the stories told: one depicts the heir as a trickster-murderer, the other sees the young neurodivergent man's plea for innocence in this intersection of wealth, family, and tragedy. Like most of Netflix's true crime gems, The Carman Family Deaths lures the audience into a sparkling world where luxury meets doubt, and the struggle to survive escalates into a legal fight.

11 Terrifyingly Gripping True Crime Documentaries to Stream on Netflix in 2025

Will you add The Carman Family Deaths to your next late night true crime binge? Comment your thoughts below.