Nathan Carman bail hearing delayed, remains held in federal detention

Nathan Carman, the Vermont man accused of killing his mother in a boating accident so he could collect a big inheritance, will spend at least the next two months behind bars.

He was due in a Vermont court Monday for a detention hearing, but that’s been pushed back at least 60 days, as his lawyers say they need more time researching the case.

From the day that the US Coast Guard plucked Carman out of the Atlantic Ocean back in 2016 after his fishing boat sank, the mysterious case has attracted headlines all over the world.

Last week, the feds issued a multi-count indictment alleging Nathan Carman hatched a complicated scheme to collect a share of his grandfather’s multi-million dollar inheritance.

Federal prosecutors allege Carmen shot his grandfather to death in Connecticut in 2013, and then three year later, killed his mother on the high seas in a boating accident off the coast of Block Island, RI.

But Carman is only charged with his mother’s death, not his grandfather’s.

Former Assistant US Attorney Zach Hafer, one of Whitey Bulger’s prosecutors, tells me he expects the issue of how much evidence a jury can hear about the grandfather’s murder will be a significant battle before the case ever goes to trial

“The government will say that that murder is intrinsic to the scheme that they charged, that it goes to the defendant’s motive,” Hafer said. “I’m sure the defense will counter and say that it’s not charged, the government should be limited to what’s been charged. And ultimately, the judge will determine how much comes in.”

The body of Linda Carman, Nathan’s mother, has never been recovered.

Hafe, who is now a partner at Cooley Global Law Firm, does not think that will be a problem for federal prosecutors who are alleging that Nathan Carman murdered his mother.

“Here you have a pattern of conduct. The government clearly believes it has evidence that occurred over a number of years, among other things, they’ll argue the absence of motive for anyone else to do this,” Hafer said.

Nathan Carman denies the allegations.

He is due in court sometime in July when both sides will take up the issue of his bail.

Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW

©2022 Cox Media Group