{"id":16907,"date":"2025-11-20T20:51:52","date_gmt":"2025-11-21T00:51:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.red94.net\/news\/carman-family-deaths-netflix-documentary-unravels-mystery-of-2016-sea-tragedy-and-accusations\/"},"modified":"2025-11-20T20:52:27","modified_gmt":"2025-11-21T00:52:27","slug":"97260-carman-family-deaths-netflix-documentary-unravels-mystery-of-2016-sea-tragedy-an","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.red94.net\/news\/97260-carman-family-deaths-netflix-documentary-unravels-mystery-of-2016-sea-tragedy-an\/","title":{"rendered":"Carman Family Deaths: Netflix documentary unravels mystery of 2016 sea tragedy and accusations"},"content":{"rendered":"

Netflix’s<\/b> newest documentary The Carman Family Deaths<\/b> drops November 19, 2025<\/b>. The 91-minute<\/b> film examines the mysterious death of Linda Carman<\/b> during a 2016<\/b> fishing trip. Her son Nathan<\/b> survived, sparking accusations he murdered his mother for inheritance.<\/p>\n

\n

\ud83d\udd25 Quick Facts:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • Linda Carman<\/b> vanished at sea on September 17, 2016<\/b>, off Rhode Island<\/b>.<\/li>\n
  • Nathan<\/b> was rescued 8 days<\/b> later, 100 miles<\/b> south of Martha’s Vineyard<\/b>.<\/li>\n
  • He was charged with murder in May 2022<\/b> and died in custody in June 2023<\/b>.<\/li>\n
  • Director Yon Motskin<\/b> helms the true-crime investigation.<\/li>\n
  • The documentary also examines the 2013<\/b> unsolved death of Nathan’s grandfather<\/b>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n

    What Happened During the Fishing Trip?<\/h2>\n

    On September 17, 2016<\/b>, 54-year-old Linda<\/b> and her 22-year-old son Nathan<\/b> departed from South Kingstown, Rhode Island<\/b>. They were heading out for an overnight fishing excursion on his boat named the Chicken Pox<\/b>. When three of Linda’s friends<\/b> couldn’t reach her the next day, they reported the vessel missing.<\/p>\n

    The Coast Guard<\/b> launched an extensive search spanning roughly 62,000 nautical square miles<\/b>. But eight days<\/b> after they vanished, a freighter called the Orient Lucky<\/b> spotted Nathan alone<\/b> drifting in an emergency life raft. He was rescued about 100 miles<\/b> south of Martha’s Vineyard<\/b>, but his mother was never found.<\/p>\n

    According to Nathan’s account<\/b>, the boat had a malfunctioning engine belt. Water began flowing into the vessel, and during the chaos, he lost track of Linda<\/b>. He never placed a distress call and couldn’t locate her when he reached the life raft. Investigators, however, quickly began questioning gaps in his story.<\/p>\n

    Why Did Authorities Suspect Nathan?<\/h2>\n

    Coast Guard investigators<\/b> noted that Nathan<\/b> failed to follow basic safety protocol. He didn’t radio for assistance when the boat began taking on water. A South Kingstown police officer<\/b> found bait in his truck despite claiming he was going fishing\u2014suggesting he never intended to fish.<\/p>\n

    When asked why his mother wasn’t wearing a life vest, Nathan<\/b> explained he needed to keep her occupied while fixing the boat problem. But FBI agent Lisa Tutty<\/b> found his physical condition suspicious. After eight days<\/b> at sea, he climbed aboard the rescue vessel with ease, appearing far too strong for someone who’d been floating for a week.<\/p>\n

    \n

    “I got onboard the life raft and was looking around, and I was calling out to my mom. I did not see or hear my mom, and I was blowing the whistle with three loud, short bursts, which is a distress signal.”<\/p>\n