The new Netflix limited series The Watcher has been gaining plenty of traction online. One such reason is that the series is actually inspired by a true story. This isn’t unusual for the show’s creator, Ryan Murphy, who has often pulled from real-world events for his other projects such as American Horror Story. As such, fans might be curious what the true story behind The Watcher is and just how accurately the series tells it.
The story began when Derek and Maria Broaddus received a threatening letter not long after closing on their new $1.3 million home in Westfield, New Jersey. The letter was sent within mere days of closing and included the following:
“657 Boulevard has been the subject of my family for decades now and as it approaches its 110th birthday, I have been put in charge of watching and waiting for its second coming,” it read. “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.”
It’s certainly an eerie message and one that was followed with a subsequent letter. This letter, chillingly enough, managed to name the children of the Broaddus couple. In fact, it specifically inquired about “the young blood I requested.” So, as noted via Reeves Weideman who wrote about the tale in a 2018 New York magazine feature, it wasn’t long before they contacted the couple who sold them the house, John and Andrea Woods.
They actually confirmed to have similarly received a letter from “The Watcher.” But they insisted it was the only time they received anything like that in their 23 years of living at the house. As such, they threw it away. But given the new circumstances, they accompanied Maria Broaddus to visit Detective Leonard Lugo. The detective warned her not to tell any of their neighbors about the letters – because they had now become suspects.
At one point, the Broadduses apparently filed a legal complaint against the Woodses for not disclosing the letter they received before they moved away. However, a judge dismissed the complaint, and the Woodses have further declined to comment on the matter. As for the Broaddus family, they still received another letter about two and a half years after their first. It read:
“To the vile and spiteful Derek and his wench of a wife Maria” and furthermore, “657 Boulevard survived your attempted assault and stood strong with its army of supporters barricading its gates. My soldiers of the Boulevard followed my orders to a T. They carried out their mission and saved the soul of 657 Boulevard with my orders. All hail The Watcher!!!”
A number of suspects have been identified over the years by a private investigator and two former FBI agents. One of the latter agents, Robert Lenehan, came to the conclusion that “The Watcher” must be an older person. More specific suspects included the next door neighbor of the Broadduses – Michael Langford. However, he or his family were never charged. And, perhaps more surprisingly, the Broadduses were accused of having faked the letters themselves. But nothing has proven that possibility either.
Ultimately, the Broadduses moved away from 657 Boulevard six months after the letters began. It wasn’t until March 2019, however, that the house finally sold. They left the following note to the new owners:
“We wish you nothing but the peace and quiet that we once dreamed of in this house.” They also included a photograph of the handwriting from “The Watcher.” This way, if the letters were to continue, the new owners would know what to look out for. However, they seem to have never been contacted by the mysterious figure. So, for the time being, it looks like the issue has stopped. As for the Netflix series, the Broadduses were only loosely involved. They weren’t paid enough to cover their losses on the house, which they sold for less than what they paid for, and furthermore asked to have their real names left out with cast members that didn’t resemble them. The investigation is still open despite being inactive.
Ryan Murphy’s limited series The Watcher is currently available to stream on Netflix.
The Creepy True Story Behind Netflix Series ‘The Watcher’
Source: Breaking Update News
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