Real Life Creepy Facts About Netflix’s “The Watcher”

1. That Note...

imagesource/youtube"My grandfather watched the house in the 1920s and my father watched in the 1960s. It is now my time. Do you know the history of the house? Do you know what lies within the walls of 657 Boulevard? Why are you here? I will find out."

2. The Obsession With Children...

imagesource/youtube

According to Derek, Andrea Wood told him that they had received a similar letter a few days before they moved out of their home..

."Do you need to fill the house with the young blood I requested? Better for me. Was your old house too small for the growing family? Or was it greed to bring me your children? Once I know their names I will call to them and draw them too [sic] me."

3. The Misspelling In The Letter...

imagesource/youtubeMaria found the second letter in the mail just two weeks after the first one arrived but this time it was addressed to the actual family and their surname was misspelt, leading them to think that the watcher was someone who had been close enough to them to hear one of the Broadduses' contractors addressing them.

4. The Watcher Had To Be Very Close...

imagesource/tvinsiderThe watcher also knew the names and ages of the children and even mentioned he had watched them painting at an easel inside an enclosed porch, which the family told the authorities was in a location which would be very difficult to see unless the person was right next to their home.

5. Stopping The Children From Being In The House...

imagesource/theubjWhen Maria received the letter about the basement, "I would [be] very afraid if I were them. It is far away from the rest of the house. If you were upstairs you would never hear them scream." 

The Watcher also asked which rooms the children slept in, because it would make it easier for them to "plan better".

6. The Langford Family...

imagesource/thesunDerek told the police that he thought the culprit was Michael Langford, because his home faced where the easel was kept. However, the police told Derek that there wasn't enough evidence. "This is someone who threatened my kids, and the police are saying, 'Probably nothing’s gonna happen,'" Derek told the Cut. "Probably isn’t good enough for me."

7. The Beginning Of A New Investigation...

imagesource/thetabDerek was frustrated with the police and how they weren't progressing with the case so decided to start his own investigation, he hired several private investigators. Robert Lenehan, a former FBI agent, "recognized several old-fashioned tics in the letters that pointed to an older writer," 

8. Was It A Woman?

imagesource/youtubeOne of the private investigators noticed the fact that the letter had been addressed to "M/M Braddus", an old-fashioned way of writing an address and "The lack of profanity" meant the writer was likely "less macho."

Indicating that it was thought to be a woman who was writing the letters.

9. Sex Offenders Lived On The Estate, But The Family Were Never Told...

imagesource/youtubeAccording to the Cut, private investigators found there were two child sex offenders living near the home. Some of the neighbours were seen sat facing the Broaddusses' home. "One day, I was looking out the window and I saw this older guy sitting in one of the chairs. He wasn’t facing his house — he was facing the Broadduses'."

10. There Were A Lot Of Rumours...

imagesource/manchestereveningnewsSome people in Westfield began spreading rumours that the family were behind the letters themselves. One theory was that the family couldn't afford the home and concocted a scheme to get out of the sale.

11. The Other Rumour...

imagesource/youtubeThe second rumour was that the couple were attempting insurance fraud, while another was that the couple were looking for a potential movie deal. Derek said the rumours were spreading because people didn't want it to ruin Westfield's reputation of it being a safe place to live.

12. The Murders In The House...

imagesource/gettyimagesYears before the family moved into the house, John List murdered his wife, and children in his home, which was also in Westfield. This person is John Graff in the show, and he claims to have received these same letters which he blamed for the reason as to why he murdered his family.

13. John Graff Is A Liar...

imagesource/popsugarHowever, Joh List actually lost his job and began spending his mother's $200,000 savings before shooting and killing her, his wife and their three children on November 9th 1971. Authorities didn't find the bodies for months, only searching the Lists' home after neighbours shared their concerns.

14. But What Happened To John List..?

imagesource/gettyimagesWhen the police entered the home, they found a letter List had written saying he had to kill his family to protect them from the evil in the world. But by this point, List had fled Westfield and the police had absolutely no idea where he was.

15. America's Most Wanted...

imagesource/thesportsgrailAfter fleeing Westfield, John List was no where to be found. But in 1989, a lady in Virginia was watching an episode of America's Most Wanted about the case and alerted the police that her neighbour Robert Clark looked just like John List.

16. Paying For The Crime...

imagesource/denofgeekList was arrested. He had been living in Richmond, Virginia for 18 years and was working as an accountant and had married a woman who he met at church. He was convicted and sentenced to five list sentences. List died in jail in 2008.

17. Six Months After The Letters Began...

imagesource/youtubeSix months after the letters began, the family decided to put the house back on the market but were unable to sell it because of how much gossip was swirling around - even after lowering the price a huge amount. All the while, the family were living at Maria's parents home.

18. The Unsettling Rumours...

imagesource/seventeenmagazine

"One broker emailed to say her client 'loved' it but that 'there are so many unsubstantiated rumors flying around,' ranging 'from sexual predator to stalker,' that they needed to know more," the Cut reported. 

The couple were hesitant to show the letters to others unless they knew they were serious about purchasing the home.

19. The Legal Battles Between Families...

imagesource/youtubeIn June 2015, the Broaduses filed a legal complaint against the Woodses, the couple they bought the house from, for not disclosing the fact that they were receiving letters from The Watcher before they moved out.

20. When The Media Got Hold Of The Story...

imagesource/gamesradarThe media began to pick up on the story and while they got over 300 media requests, the Cut reported that they "decided not to speak publicly to spare their kids even more attention," 

before deciding to leave town and get away from the whole hectic mess. 

21. Renting The House Didn't Even Work...

imagesource/youtubeThe family finally found a family that were willing to rent under the condition that the family would let them break the lease if another letter was sent to the house. Two weeks after they moved in, a letter arrived, reading...

22. Violent Winds & Bitter Cold...

imagesource/CNET

"Violent winds and bitter cold/To the vile and spiteful Derek and his wench of a wife Maria." The letter included details about the media coverage and Derek's private investigations. The renter, who was mentioned in the letter, stayed in the home after Derek told him he would install cameras. 

23. "Friends Of The Broaddus Family..."

imagesource/youtubeOn Christmas Eve of 2017, several families who were speaking out against the Broadduses received anonymous letters through the mail, signed from "Friends of the Broaddus Family." Derek later admitted he had written the letters, but they were the only letters he had sent.

24. Why..!?

imagesource/harpersbazaar

"He had felt driven to his wit’s end, fed up with watching silently as people threw accusations at his family based on practically nothing," the Cut reported. 

Surely he didn't think he was going to get away with that did he? This caused some big problems within the family.

25. New Findings...

imagesource/gettyimagesIn 2022, the Cut explained that new findings had surfaced. One of which was that Robert Kaplow, a newly retired English teacher, was behind the letters. His former students explained that had talked about writing letters to a house in his hometown. However, he denied any involvement and said it was about a different house in Westfield.

26. Who Was The Watcher..?

imagesource/youtubeAlthough the watcher still hasn't been found, authorities believe the culprit is an older female who lives near the family home. Authorities approached neighbours near the home for saliva samples to DNA test the envelopes but two declined.

27. What's Happened To The Home Now?

imagesource/newyorkdailymailAt least one of those who declined was a close neighbour to the house and someone the police had considered a suspect. The family finally sold their home in 2019 and the new owners have not reported any letters being sent to the home from the Watcher.