Nathan Carman, accused of killing mother at sea in 2016, dies

BURLINGTON, Vt. (WLNE) — Federal prosecutors said Thursday that Nathan Carman, the man accused of killing his mother at sea during a 2016 fishing trip that left from Rhode Island, has died.

Court documents obtained by ABC 6 News indicated that charges against Carman were dismissed because he died Thursday.

It wasn’t immediately known how he died.

“Early this morning, we were informed of the death of our client, Nathan Carman. As you can imagine, we were extraordinarily saddened to hear this news about someone for whom we cared so deeply,” wrote Carman’s legal team in a statement to ABC 6. “We were privileged to have represented Nathan, and looked forward to vindicating his rights at trial this fall.  We hope now that he is at peace.”

Carman was charged in Vermont with the 2016 murder of his mother, Linda Carman. A judge had previously denied his request for release, deeming him a flight risk and potential danger to the community.

In May 2022, at the age of 28, he pled not guilty to charges related to his mother’s death. Had he been convicted, he would’ve faced life in prison.

Carman was rescued from an inflatable raft by the U.S. Coast Guard eight days after their boat sank. His mother’s body was never found.

He inherited about $550,000 after the death of his grandfather, John Chakalos — who was shot to death at his home in Connecticut in 2013.

Carman was accused of but not charged in that killing.

Prosecutors believed the motive behind both killings was millions of dollars in inheritance money.