A man found floating on a raft off the coast of Rhode Island in 2016 after his boat sank has been indicted on charges alleging he killed his mother at sea to inherit the family's estate.
An eight-count indictment released on Tuesday in federal court in Burlington, Vermont, also says Nathan Carman shot and killed his grandfather, John Chakalos, at his home in Windsor, Connecticut, in 2013 as part of an effort to defraud insurance companies.
Mr Carman had reportedly stripped his 9.5-metre fishing boat of several parts so he could intentionally sink the vessel, the indictment said.
Witnesses said that he had removed two stabilising trim tabs from the stern, near the vessel’s waterline, leaving holes that he tried to seal with an epoxy stick.
He denied doing anything to intentionally make the boat unseaworthy and told the coastguard that when the boat filled with water, he swam to the life raft and called for his mother, Linda Carman, but never saw her again.
Mr Carman was found in an inflatable raft eight days later. His mother has never been found.
In 2019, a federal judge in Rhode Island decided that Mr Carman had contributed to the 2016 sinking of the boat in which his mother was lost at sea.
And US District Judge John McConnell issued a written decision in favour of an insurance company that had refused to pay an $85,000 claim to Mr Carman for the loss of his fishing boat, The Chicken Pox.
He was arrested on Tuesday on charges including murder and was due to be arraigned on Wednesday.
Prosecutors claim the inheritance scheme has spanned nearly a decade and began with Mr Carman buying a rifle in New Hampshire that he used to shoot his grandfather, John Chakalos, in December 2013.
He then discarded his computer hard drive and the GPS unit that had been in his vehicle, prosecutors said.
Chakalos, who was a real estate developer, left behind an estate that was worth nearly $29 million, which was to be divided among his four daughters.
Mr Carman stood to receive a $7m share in the estate as his mother’s only heir.
Need to know
The flights: Flydubai flies from Dubai to Kilimanjaro airport via Dar es Salaam from Dh1,619 return including taxes. The trip takes 8 hours.
The trek: Make sure that whatever tour company you select to climb Kilimanjaro, that it is a reputable one. The way to climb successfully would be with experienced guides and porters, from a company committed to quality, safety and an ethical approach to the mountain and its staff. Sonia Nazareth booked a VIP package through Safari Africa. The tour works out to $4,775 (Dh17,538) per person, based on a 4-person booking scheme, for 9 nights on the mountain (including one night before and after the trek at Arusha). The price includes all meals, a head guide, an assistant guide for every 2 trekkers, porters to carry the luggage, a cook and kitchen staff, a dining and mess tent, a sleeping tent set up for 2 persons, a chemical toilet and park entrance fees. The tiny ration of heated water provided for our bath in our makeshift private bathroom stall was the greatest luxury. A standard package, also based on a 4-person booking, works out to $3,050 (Dh11,202) per person.
When to go: You can climb Kili at any time of year, but the best months to ascend are January-February and September-October. Also good are July and August, if you’re tolerant of the colder weather that winter brings.
Do not underestimate the importance of kit. Even if you’re travelling at a relatively pleasant time, be geared up for the cold and the rain.
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