The Vermont man accused by members of his own family of murdering his real estate magnate grandfather and his mother in 2017 to cash out on millions in inheritance money questioned one of his accusers in probate court for nearly four hours Wednesday.
Nathan Carman wants a probate judge to order his aunt Valerie Santilli, the executor of his late grandfather’s multi-million dollar estate, to release $150,000 from a smaller trust in Carman’s name so he can defend himself in a civil lawsuit in New Hampshire. Carman has also asked the judge to remove his aunt as executor of a trust established for him by his grandfather.
Windsor police still call Carman a suspect in his grandfather's unsolved murder at his Overlook Drive home back in December of 2013. John Chakalos was shot, according to investigators.
Attorney Dan Small represents Valerie Santilli.
"The issue before the court is not whether the people who know Nathan Carman best his family, have come to the terrible conclusion that he is a killer and that he killed his grandfather, that’s not the issue here,” Small said. “His grandfather believed he was a genius. An IQ of 140. But he also knew that he was obsessed with money, wanted expensive things, squandered things and also knew he was not responsible, not finishing school not keeping a job, so in 2011 he set up this trust."
“John (Chakalos) was very concerned that as Nathan goes through life, he would not be able to hold a long term job, that he needed a safety net. Didn’t see Nathan in the long term being able to take care of Nathan’s needs and he didn’t feel his mother could step in,” said Santilli said.
Wednesday's hearing quickly turned to his grandfather’s unsolved murder & his mother’s disappearance.
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Carman questioned his aunt about his late millionaire grandfather John Chakalos’ unsolved murder in Windsor nearly five years ago. Police told NBC Connecticut Nathan Carman is still a suspect, though Carman denies any involvement.
Santilli said that she believes Carman murdered his grandfather, but has distributed funds in his defense because she believes “it was the right thing to do.”
She told Carman at court, “I’ve never once said I would not give you the money ever. I never once said that. That’s never changed.”
Carman also questioned his aunt about his mother at the hearing “Have you made any attempts on your own to have a memorial service?” Carman asked.
“I don’t know where she is,” she responded.
"But you're arguing that she dead in New Hampshire right?" Carman asked.
Officials say Carman’s mother Linda disappeared off her son’s boat back in September of 2016 near Point Judith, RI.
Nathan Carman asked Santilli, "Do you remember telling the Coast Guard I’m an extremely dangerous person?” Carman asked his aunt.
“I remember telling the Coast Guard they would find you and they would not find my sister,” Santilli said.
There were many pointed, personal questions as the battle over the family’s finances continues. At stake are tens of millions of dollars.
A second attorney testified on Wednesday, Glenn Terk that there have been requests for additional information from both the U.S. Attorneys and the State's Attorney’s office for information on the case. No date has been set for the next hearing.
Carman has never been charged with his grandfather's unsolved murder or his mother's disappearance.
