Later, Derek and Maria Broaddus, along with the rest of the Broaddus family, bought a second home in Westfield. In order to conceal the precise location of the new property, the Broaddus family purchased it through a limited liability company (LLC).
Ryan Murphy is adapting the horrifying true story of a couple who thought they bought the perfect New Jersey home in the upcoming series The Watcher, which will be available on Netflix.
Netflix brings another gruesome crime story to life with the release of its new series, The Watcher. In the thriller film directed by Ryan Murphy and starring Bobby Cannavale and Naomi Watts, the plot centers on a married couple who move to their dream home in New Jersey, only to find they are being followed by a unknown.
In 2014, the real Broaddus family received threatening letters from an anonymous author who called himself The Watcher. These letters were repeatedly sent to the family. According to the disturbing video, the terrifying messages ranged from eerily specific information about their home to threats against their children.
Which part of the tale is the most terrifying? The person who was stalking me was never found. Read on for more information on the real-life story that inspired the new series that will debut on Netflix on October 13 and get ready!
The Observer
Fast facts
| Last name | The Observer |
| Gender | Psychological thriller |
| Realized by | Chloe Okuno |
| Based on | Zack Ford’s original screenplay |
| The true story based on | Derek and Maria Broaddus |
| The stalker, the prowler, the pursuer | Not yet found |
| The House | 657, boul. |
Where are Derek and Maria Broaddus today?
Derek and Maria Broaddus, a married couple who bought a home in Westfield, New Jersey in 2014, are the main protagonists in the story based on real events.
Derek grew up in a middle-class family in Maine before landing a job at an insurance company in Manhattan, where he rose to the position of senior vice president “with a salary substantial enough to fund the mansion of 1, $3 million,” according to The Cut. Maria grew up in Westfield, while Derek grew up in a middle-class family in Maine. Both of their families resided in the same state.
The couple purchased the home at 657 Boulevard shortly after Derek turned 40, then immediately began making changes to the space. When they first moved into the six-bedroom house, it seemed like it would be the perfect home for them and their three children. However, they soon discovered that the mansion wasn’t as nice as it looked when they started receiving letters from an unknown stalker who went by the name of The Watcher.
According to The Cut, the Broaddus family then bought a second property in Westfield. In order to conceal the location of the new home, the family used an LLC to make the purchase. Derek is still active on Twitter, posting updates on the 657 Boulevard case to this day, despite the fact that he and his companion have chosen to keep a low profile in recent days and have not commented on their fate. According to Zillow, the Broaddus family was finally able to get rid of their 657 Boulevard residence in 2019 by selling it for around $959,000.
Who was the stalker?
The Broaddus family followed up on a number of potential leads, but in each case they came up empty. Once, they had a hunch that their neighbor, Michael Langford, was the one following them. Michael Langford’s family had been in the area since the 1960s when The Watcher claimed their father started watching 657 Boulevard.
On top of that, they brought in a private detective as well as a former FBI agent. Someone who outbid the house or a former cleaner who was envious that he couldn’t afford to buy the house himself could be the stalker. Another possibility is that the person is someone who has outbid the house. Many people have had the idea that the Broaddus family sent the letters to each other in an attempt to cover up buyer’s remorse.
By late 2014, the investigation had stalled, and in December the Westfield Police Department informed the Broaddus family that they had investigated all possibilities and found none viable. (The harasser has not been identified to date.)
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The real story behind Netflix’s The Watcher
The incidents recounted by Reeves Wiedeman in his 2018 article for New York Magazine/The Cut inspired The Watcher. As said before, it’s based on the true story of Derek and Maria Broaddus, a couple who bought 657 Boulevard. Broaddus House serves as the inspiration for this story.
The couple contacted former owners John and Andrea Woods after receiving the first letter. John and Andrea Woods revealed that they too received a note from The Watcher days before leaving the house. The couple then decided to leave the residence.
On the other hand, Andrea said they had never gotten anything like this in the 23 years they had lived in the house, so they didn’t think about it. After consulting with authorities, the Broaddus were warned not to discuss the contents of the letters with their neighbors on the grounds that it was believed that one of the family members was responsible for sending the correspondence.
An investigation led them to suspect one neighbor in particular, Michael Langford, due to the viewing location of his family’s home as well as the fact that his family was considered peculiar. After further investigation, it was determined he was innocent, and the Broaddus hired their own private detective to investigate the area.
What did the observer write in the letters?
The person who wrote the letter identified himself as the Watcher and claimed that he was the watcher of the house in preparation for his “second coming”. The couple had just started renovating their home in June 2014 when they received the first letter, which was simply addressed to the “new owner”.
They say they received three letters, the second of which identified their children by name and nickname and contained facts that could only have been observed by someone who was either inside the house or nearby. They allege that this information could only have been obtained by someone who was inside or near the house.
As the Broaddus family began their search for the Observer, they discovered the fact that the former owners of the house, the Woods, had also received a letter just before moving in, despite the fact that they had not met any problem in the past 23 months. years.
The Netflix Observer
Several hypotheses have been developed, with some people, like some residents of Westfield, believing that the Watcher must reside within the walls of the house, and others, like Reddit, alleging that the Broaddus addressed the letters to each other in an effort. to recoup financial losses after having buyer’s remorse after buying the house.
Netflix made a number of awful plot changes, one of which is that they changed the first and last names of the Broaddus family. Additionally, they only had two children throughout the series, and those children appear to be older than the Broaddus when they first purchased the property. If we want to know whether or not the show solves the mystery of the Watcher’s identity, we’ll have to wait until it airs before we can find out whether or not it does.
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What happened to the Broaddus family?
When the renovations to the house were finally completed, the family was reluctant to move in with their children. After selling their old house and maintaining their obligations to pay the mortgage and property taxes at 657 Boulevard, the couple decides to move in with Maria’s parents.
They made the decision to sell 657 Boulevard six months after receiving the first letters, despite the fact that the majority of the first offers were well below the asking price. This was due to rumors spreading about the house and its alleged stalker.
In June 2015, the two individuals filed a lawsuit against the former owners, the Woods, claiming the family had a legal duty to disclose the contents of the Watcher letter they received. They intended to come to a peaceful resolution, but the story of the house spread around the world. The court decided to dismiss the lawsuit at a later date.
After many failed attempts to sell their home, Derek and Maria made the decision to part with it and sell it to a developer who planned to build two new homes on the property. The Westfield Planning Board, in response to the outrage expressed by community members, decided to abandon the arrangement.
Shortly after receiving planning council approval, the Broaddus found a family to rent their home to. Two weeks later, when Derek returned to the house to investigate the squirrel problem, the tenant sent him another letter from The Watcher.
The date of the letter, which was written on February 13 and addressed to “the vile and disgusting Derek and his wife’s daughter Maria”, coincided with the day the Broaddus filed depositions in their lawsuit against the Woods. In addition, the letter was written to the tenant, and inside it threatened various forms of revenge.
Derek and Maria Broaddus in Netflix’s The Watcher
Some FAQs
Where are Derek and Maria Broaddus today?
Now that they’ve settled down, Derek and Maria Broaddus lead private lives.
Who are Derek and Maria Broaddus?
Derek and Maria Broaddus, a married couple, own the home in Westfield, New Jersey, which they purchased in 2014.
Who sent letters to Derek and Maria Broaddus?
The letters, which included details of their family, were delivered by The Watcher.
What happened to the Broaddus family?
Since the Broaddus family could not determine the identity of the stalker, they decided to sell their house for $959,000.
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