In this episode, Joseph and Adrienne break down the chilling Carman family saga: the 2013 shooting death of Connecticut millionaire grandfather John Chakalos, the 2016 disappearance of his daughter Linda on a midnight fishing trip off New England, and the role of her son, Nathan, who is later rescued alone after eight days at sea and eventually indicted for murder on the high seas and fraud before dying by suicide in jail.

Nathan Carman, diagnosed with autism and struggling with mental health and isolation, grows up financially supported but heavily pressured by his wealthy grandfather, John. In 2013, John is found shot in his bed with no forced entry, shortly after Nathan buys a matching‑caliber rifle and discards key electronics, leading police to name him a person of interest but never charge him. Nathan later inherits roughly $550,000 and stands to gain about $7 million more if his mother Linda’s share of the $40+ million estate passes to him after she vanishes during a deep‑sea fishing trip aboard his boat, *Chickenpox*, which a federal judge later rules was intentionally rendered unseaworthy by human action — most likely Nathan’s.

Joseph, Adrienne, and live guests debate whether Nathan was truly stranded at sea or staged his survival to cover up a planned homicide for inheritance, including questions around his physical condition at rescue, the missing mayday call, the altered boat, and the mysteriously sinking life raft. They dig into how autism and flat affect complicate public perception of guilt, whether John’s murder and Linda’s disappearance are parts of a single two‑step financial plot or two unrelated tragedies, and why Linda agreed to an isolated offshore trip with a son she had reportedly feared. The episode closes with hard safety takeaways about estate planning, documenting threats, avoiding isolated meetings with dangerous family members, and using domestic violence resources even when the abuser is your own adult child.

⚖️ Disclaimer: Debate the News: True Crime Edition is for informational and discussion purposes only. We are not attorneys, law enforcement officers, medical professionals, or forensic experts. While we research each case, the show is recorded live with minimal editing; any factual errors are unintentional. The episode also includes discussion of graphic violence, guns, terrorism‑related charges, and more. Listener discretion is strongly advised. Guest and audience views are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the hosts or producers.

Speakers:

→ Adrienne Barker — Host

→ Joseph Lobosco — Host

→ Debbie Dowling-Wahba — Guest Contributor

“Debate The News: True Crime”

Lost at Sea: The Carman Family Deaths

Created by: Jonathan Bing, Adrienne Barker and Joseph R. Lobosco

Producers: Adrienne Barker, Joseph R. Lobosco, and Jonathan Bing

Writers: Adrienne Barker & Joseph R. Lobosco

Editor: Joseph R. Lobosco

Cover Art: Joseph R. Lobosco

Special Thanks: Nelson, Lea, Nawzil, and the entire Chatter Social team

Theme Song: Alaina Cross — “Karma” [NCS Release]

Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds

Free Download/Stream: ncs.io/karma

Watch: ncs.lnk.to/karmaAT/youtube

🎧 A Debate the News: True Crime Production

📍 Recorded Live on Chatter Social

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