USA, Westfield, New Jersey. 2014. A family of five has moved into their dream house in a suburban area near New Jersey. Just as they renovate and prepare to move in, a letter arrives that completely ruins their plans and prompts the Broaddus family to never take up residence in 657 Boulevard. It turns out “The Watcher’s” obsessive surveillance has just begun.

657 Boulevard

In 2014, Derek and Maria Broaddus bought what they believed was their dream home at 657 Boulevard in Westfield, New Jersey for around $1.35 million. The six-bedroom house, built in 1905, offered over 3,800 square feet of living space on nearly half an acre in an upscale suburban neighborhood, less than an hour from Manhattan. With its high ceilings, ornate detailing, fireplace, modern bathrooms, and both a covered front veranda and sunny backyard terrace, it seemed ideal for a young family with three children.

657 Boulevard, a picture of the house in 2024

The location promised strong schools and an easy commute. Just as the Broaddus family was preparing to move in after renovations, the Watcher’s first letter arrived.

The Watcher’s Letters

Just three days after having signed the purchase contract, an anonymous letter arrived in a white envelope on June 5, specifically addressed to “The New Owner”. The writer claimed that the house was under surveillance, questioning why the Broadduses were there in the first place and lastly signing the letter “The Watcher”. “The Watcher” justified his actions by stating that their grandfather has watched the home since the 1920s. Their father had continued in the 1960s and so it eventually was “The Watcher’s” turn to take over this generational task. Moreover, they claimed that the residence belonged to his own family since decades. Despite this claim, investigators later weren’t able to find neither the anonymous author nor a possible motive.

Two weeks later, on June 18, the second letter arrived which raised red flags. “The Watcher” suggested that he has told the previous owners, John and Andrea Woods, to bring them young blood and asked whether the Broaddus’ children played in the basement, where the Woods had previously arranged an additional playroom for their own children. He also posed a set of strange questions: “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.”

In the following letters, “The Watcher” stated intimate details and specifics about the Broaddus family, which could presumably only have been heard in close proximity to the home. The stalker counted three children in total and even went as far as referring to them by birth order and by their nicknames. “The Watcher” once threatened: “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.”

The letters continued to become more hostile. They mentioned fears about children being vulnerable in areas such as the basement or attic, suggesting that if anything happened there, no one would hear them. It was also mentioned that the writer passed by the house frequently and would continue observing the family once they moved in, paying close attention to which rooms each person would occupy in order to “plan better.” “The Watcher” wrote: ““I pass by many times a day. 657 Boulevard is my job, my life, my obsession. And now you are too Broaddus family. Welcome to the product of your greed! Greed is what brought the past three families to 657 Boulevard and now it has brought you to me.”

Prime Suspect & Investigation

Upon receiving the series of threatening letters and in fear of their children’s safety, Derek and Maria Broaddus eventually reached out to police. Neighbor Michael Langford came into focus of investigations, whose eccentric family had a unique point that could explain one detail in the letters. Derek and Maria Broaddus even hired two former FBI agents and a private investigator, who monitored the neighborhood and ran background checks on the Langfords, to no avail.

One of the former FBI agents noted several old-fashioned habits in the letters, suggesting an older writer as the possible stalker. The envelope was addressed to “M/M Broaddus,” and the greetings often included comments about the weather, such as “Warm and humid” or “Sunny and cool for a summer day.” The writing style showed a certain literary flair, hinting that the author was likely a voracious reader. While the investigator believed “The Watcher” was unlikely to carry out the threats, the presence of typos and errors suggested some level of erratic behavior.

Additionally,the Broaddus family hired a forensic linguist, who found no meaningful matches when comparing the letters to posts on local online forums. However, he suggested that the writer might have been a Game of Thrones viewer, since a character called Jon Snow is part of “The Watchers on the Wall”.

In the end, the Langfords denied the accusations and were eventually cleared of suspicion. With Michael’s death in 2020, the family continues to stay furious to this day.

Previous Owners & Lawsuit

Having been built in 1905, the house’s original owner was a real estate agent named Harry Lincoln Russell. In 1914, the William H. Davies, a mayor of Westfield, bought the home for 1$ as a means of property transfer and died there in 1947. The house was later passed on to Davies’s son and daughter-in-law, Frances Ernest Davies, who sold it in 1951 to Dillard and Mary Bird for a reported $1. It changed hands several more times afterward, including a sale to Lawrence and Mary Holmes Shaffer, followed by Seth and Floy Bakes and eventually in 1990 to John and Andrea Woods for $370,000.

Investigating on their own, the Broaddus family asked their previous owners whether they had received similar letters. Having lived 23 years in the residence, the Woods replied that they had only ever gotten one letter shortly before their move-out. They perceived the letter as strange rather than threatening as the sender thanked them for taking care of the house. The Woods’ prepossessors also confirmed that they had not encountered any issues during 28 years of stay.

Derek and Maria Broaddus filed a lawsuit against the Woods and two companies that had been involved in the sale. The Broaddus couple accused them of intentionally withholding information about “The Watcher”. John and Andrea Woods filed a counter claim, accusing the Broaddus couple of trying to defame their reputation by working with the media. By 2019, all claims were dropped by court.

“The Watcher’s” Identity

As the case gained attention, countless theories began circulating about the identity of “The Watcher”. Some believed the letters were sent by a jealous buyer who had failed to purchase the house, while others suspected a realtor or simply a prankster trying to mess with the family. One of the most disturbing theories even suggested that someone had secretly been living inside the walls or hidden spaces of the home for years.

Suspicion also fell on the Broaddus family themselves. Some locals believed the letters could have been part of an elaborate scheme driven by buyer’s remorse, possibly to recover financial losses connected to the expensive property. However, Derek Broaddus strongly denied these accusations and publicly defended his family against the rumors spreading online.

Who lives in 657 Boulevard nowadays?

Derek and Maria Broaddus were so afraid of the letters they never moved into the residence with their children. Ever since 2015, less than a year of the purchase, they listed the residence for sale. Since buyers were also scared of “The Watcher Letters” the Broaddus family constantly had to lower the price. After the lawsuit against the Woods, the house at 657 Boulevard was taken off the market since their case made news. In 2017, the married couple rented the residence to a couple with adult children and large dogs.

In 2019, Andrew and Allison Carr ultimately bought the house for $959,000, resulting in a loss of $400,000 for the Broadduses, who had moved to an undisclosed home in the area. So far, “The Watcher” hasn’t contacted the Carr family. Due to lack of clues, his or her identity as well as intentions remain unsolved as no charges have ever been filed in connection with the case.

Sources:

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/crime/the-watcher-house-owner-true-story-netflix-b2219719.html
https://www.elledecor.com/life-culture/a41616311/the-watcher-real-house-657-boulevard
https://www.welt.de/vermischtes/article143185652/Stalker-ueberwachte-Haus-und-schickte-Dutzende-gruseliger-Briefe.html

Pictures:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Watcher_of_Westfield,_New_Jersey