Man Accused Killing Mother On RI Seas To Steal Family Estate Requests Release

RUTLAND, VT — A Vermont man, who prosecutors said killed his mother on a boat off the coast of Rhode Island to inherit his family's estate, asked a federal court Wednesday to release him from custody until his trial.

Nathan Carman, 28, of Vernon, Vermont, pleaded not guilty in federal court to eight charges, including murder on the high seas and fraud charges to obtain family and insurance funds.

According to court documents, in 2013, Carman shot and killed his grandfather John Chakalos at Chakalos' home in Windsor, Connecticut, and, in 2016, killed his mother Linda Carman.

Prosecutors said after Nathan Carman killed his mother and purposely sunk his boat off the coast of Rhode Island during a supposed fishing trip. Nathan Carman was found in an inflatable raft eight days later, and his mother was never found. Nathan Carman denied doing anything intentionally to cause his boat to sink.

In a motion filed in U.S. District Court in Burlington, Vermont, Nathan Carman's attorneys argued the evidence against Nathan Carman is "tenuous at best," and said the defendant is not a flight risk or danger to the community.

"Mr. Carman has been under criminal investigation for, and subject to civil suits related to, these same deaths for almost ten years," the filing read. "At no time during that lengthy period has Mr. Carman ever attempted to threaten a witness, contact a witness inappropriately or sought to
influence a witness in any way. There is no evidence to support such a claim now. To the extent
the government points to the 'history of involvement with firearms' as a factor, that 'history' is
incredibly limited, at best, and Mr. Carman does not currently own any firearms, nor does he
have access to any."

Nathan Carman is willing to surrender his passport, submit to electronic monitoring and turn over $10,000 to a third party or post some of it as bail, as conditions of his release, the filing said. Carman is being represented by several public defenders. Nathan Carman has been held without bail since May.

Federal prosecutors said they want Nathan Carman to remain detained, saying he poses a flight risk and a danger to the community. He is scheduled to return to court for a hearing on Monday.