The spooky history of ‘The Watcher’ town | Nightline

The hit Netflix show about an unknown letter-sender known as “The Watcher” is shining the spotlight on Westfield, New Jersey, a town also known for a shocking murder case in the ‘70s.
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[@CaptainLuckyLuke]

Real life story: Family bought house, received a few creepy letters, become paranoid, and sold house at loss. Netflix version: Murdered pets, insane neighbours, police coverups, secret tunnels, blood cults, mass murder, underage romance, endless conspiracies, wise cracking private investigator, and Mia Farrow playing herself.

[@susanah0202]

Hahahahahahahahaaaaaaaaaaa you killed me with Mia hahahahahahaaaaaa

[@BBXioful]

😂😂😂 spot on

[@deborahdobbie]

Yep. And was the neighbor.

[@tylerdurden1221]

You know what? It’s about time someone got creative.

[@ep3190]

🤣

[@vwlover4677]

I started to watch it and didn't stop till 430 am. I literally watched the entire series back to back. I couldn't stop. Very good show series!!

[@joycebruhn3672]

Me toooo

[@dangannon9970]

Proof?

[@billbuffalo6755]

You're part of the reason Netflix will start releasing episodes on a weekly basis lol

[@glam_goth6662]

I couldn't get through first episode

[@vwlover4677]

@@glam_goth6662 once you get through the first one its gets alot better

[@skylarvermillion9679]

"I was hungry." WOW. Gave me chills how cold blooded his response was.

[@JustCallMeBo1]

*I loved the show and just finished it, but this show makes you feel like you're going crazy. Every suspect, every dead end. I hope they find The Watcher.*

[@sydneymichelle404]

When List said he ate a sandwich after murdering his whole family because he was "hungry" my jaw dropped to the floor... what a raging psychopath.

[@louisejones5773]

And he thinks he's gonna see his family in heaven

[@whoskwabi]

Started watching it because the trailer, finished all 7 episode the same day. Crazy how the mystery is still unsolved till this day..

[@lbabytutorials4852]

I don’t believe it because people have ring on their doorbells, security cameras, there’s no way that no one can see who is walking up to the mailbox. Even if he was mailing them they could do fingerprints

[@augustinechoi9868]

I watched it all in one day myself and found so many holes in the story telling from Netflix. I kept watching it hoping there was a ending that would make my time spent watching it, worth it. This show was straight bullshit.

[@angelhardass]

@@augustinechoi9868 i agree , felt like i wasted so much time 😭

[@DP-eo5xd]

@@augustinechoi9868 unfortunately Netflix can’t definitively say who the watcher was because in real life it’s unknown, but I think they do imply who they think it is, the weird neighbors that are obsessed with building preservation.

[@christiansantamaria7233]

That’s because its not a mystery no one was murdered it just a bunch of letters hell if i had neighbors who were rich assholes i would make thier lifes hell too and netflix version is all fake

[@sarahcardenn2071]

“I was hungry” IM IN TEARS 😭

[@OsaAndReeseEat]

And had the nerve to laugh!!! Dude is sick

[@tbraskey]

I wouldn't have played. I would have checked the mail, saw the letter, waved it in the air standing in the driveway, walked to the trash can and threw it away, never reading it. I'm sure that would have upset The Watcher a lot to invest that much time writing letters that I threw away like junk mail.

[@EboniFlowers]

But you would of had to read the first one to even react like that though.

[@truter5243]

I like how you think. If the letters were hand delivered then maybe also write back and leave the letter in your mailbox for the watcher to find. Perhaps with a photo attached of you using his letter as toilet paper 😂 just to add insult to injury. Maybe it angers him so much that he actually enters your house. Now That would be a terribly unfortunate misjudgement on his part😅 I take it personally if someone threatens my kids and out on the street I cannot do much. But if the creep entered my house... fun times.

[@christianbosse_]

could you imagine discovering your husband was a murderer by seeing it on TV. how horrific

[@ashleyshim2078]

Ikr omg

[@shawnaparrill3312]

Right !? Wouldn’t have to worry about him killing me id die of a heart attack anyways.. that’s like Ted bundys wife I pity her too.. these guys play it off like their saints and then do the most unthinkable unimaginable things to people they supposedly love .. makes ya wonder how ya suppose to trust anyone in this world

[@CoCoFantastique]

"I was hungry" That floored me!

[@qtcarmen7d896]

Right smh psychopath

[@Jessica-pf4vb]

That's just how it was🤯🥶

[@juliaweber212]

@@Jessica-pf4vb creepy to me

[@shh5627]

You can watch an interview of John List on KZbin----the man is truly a sicko. Even when he talks about killing his family he talks about it in such a nonchalant manner.

[@CoCoFantastique]

@@shh5627 its so chilling. Worse than any I have seen to date. Truly disturbing.

[@onixtheone]

The craziest part for me is finding out that age of consent in NJ was 16! Like wtf?

[@daisylu1973]

Exaaactlyyy 🤦🏻‍♀️🤬

[@mordfustang3794]

Wait for some more years. Liberals would push to legalize pedophilia.

[@shh5627]

I grew up in the town next to Westfield and drove past this house more times than I can count. It's a beautiful home. The Netflix show is WAY OVER the top as nothing happened to the family, other than they received a few creepy letters. The new owners have had no issues----other than all the people who are now driving past the house to see it in person. Trivia----Whitney Houston is buried in Westfield---the cemetery where she is buried is not too far from this house. The List Family, that was murdered by their dad/husband/son, and is mentioned in this video, is also buried at this cemetery. Also, as stated in the video, John List was broke and, unbeknownst to him, the stained glass ceiling in his home's ballroom was an original Tiffiany piece of artwork and was worth THOUSANDS of dollars.

[@yumiko0017]

Well it’s a show of course they’re going to add a spin to it.

[@augustinechoi9868]

No offense nor rudeness intended but you texted a lot of info that confused me because your text had nothing to do with the context of the responses made about this greatly exaggerated show how other than your "The Netflix show is WAY OVER the top as nothing happened to the family, other than they received a few creepy letters."

[@jojose417]

The SNL version is probably closer to the truth 😂😂

[@DP-eo5xd]

The letters did threaten the children which is what causes the major problem. If I was a bachelor and it happened to me I’d dare the watcher to make a move. I’d fill him full of buckshot. But what p*ssy writes anonymous letters like that. The watcher is probably some sorry ass 50 year p*ssy that’s still a virgin.

[@msoda8516]

I grew up in metuchen not far from Westfield. I’ve always found the list murders interesting the fact that the answer to his money problems was in the house all long is so crazy you can make it up. My hometown has it’s own dark history. In the early 1980’s a mother killed her young daughter with a jump rope and hide her body in the laundry room.

[@cherrypoutines6269]

The watcher is probably the person who bought the house after the owners got spooked and sold at a loss.

[@juantime9616]

👀

[@jamesball8519]

That’s doesn’t make sense at all

[@DimitriRiggas]

@@jamesball8519 I’m glad you said that because I’ve read that like 3 times now

[@Jasmineklampley]

@@jamesball8519 so they can get the house cheaper 😂

[@DianaAlexandree]

@@Jasmineklampley LMAOOOOO frrr

[@shh5627]

There's speculation the letters were written by the son (Michael) of their neighbor (Ms. Langford). Ms. Langford was in her 90's and several of her 60+ year old sons lived with her. The police interviewed Michael but he did not confess to writing the letters and the police had no definitive proof Michael wrote the letters, so not much the police could do. Also, based on what was written in one of the letters, the Langford family was the only family that lived on the street during this particular time; not to mention the person writing the letters had to be able to see what was going on at the house.

[@carrington2949]

DNA test of one of the letters had female DNA though. That is why the men were no longer suspected of the writings.

[@amayafuller5934]

It's not even about them just sending letter they was spying on their kids inside the house and the letters was talking about certain stuff that noone outside of the household should even know about.....for example the little girl being the artist of the family, they said that the only way somebody could have seen the little girl painting was if they was inside the house or the neighbors behind them but it was hard because it was alot of trees separated from their house and neighbors. THEY ALSO KNEW ALL THEIR KIDS NICKNAMES

[@Lyazzat_Jam]

It means that house was full of listening devices.

[@truter5243]

In the tv series. If you should take anything from it, learn from the dad's mistakes. Never be so quick on the trigger. Once you find information, don't go shouting and confronting everything that moves. "Soapp" Sleep, observe, analyze, process and predict. You'll be fresh, calm and, most importantly, controlling the situation. Once you know everything well enough to predict actions, then you're in control. Controlling the outcome sounds way better than angry shouting at everyone and making enemies everywhere you go, right? All aspects of life incl relationship. Soapp

[@tommyaudio]

did anyone else think the therapist at the end sounded like the watcher!?

[@kennethstone4590]

I couldn’t imagine living in a house where 5 people were murdered and fully knowing it happened

[@outofbodypickle8408]

That’s not what happened. Please don’t reproduce or vote .

[@Lyazzat_Jam]

I love movies about houses❤. House also has a soul , I believe. When I first moved, water also was opening itself, light was on and out itself. House lived his own life. Sometimes pictures on the wall fell down. Once the full cupboard fell down at 03:00 a.m. A lot of things happened exactly at that time, no minute later. I heard that cemetery was under my land where our whole region was built . Then I read a lot of books about houses, what to do with it. I still live here, 25 years passed. House accepted me😊. I put a lot of my wages to this house, made full renovation, I always clean house with salt. Also in the beginning neighbours were also not good. But after doing some rituals bad neighbours moved themselves😂. I don’t know if fengshui helps or not, but my story is fully true. 😊

[@jeanlaubenthal698]

Hopefully with the Netflix show the family can financially recover.

[@g3naV]

I’ve seen a story of a family (I think in California) who received letters and threats all because they outbid the person that wanted the house. Maybe this is a similar situation…

[@augustinechoi9868]

It could have been anyone even even someone who had a relationship with the husband or wife in the past and was obsessed and angry that they moved on. The context created by Netflix is SHAMEFUL.

[@TangoNevada]

@@augustinechoi9868 I was expecting the PI to tell the Husband the woman she found out was cheating with her husband was Dean's Wife. That would have been a could twist (For a fictional series) ie: You destroy my family, I'm gonna destroy yours.

[@augustinechoi9868]

@@TangoNevada that would have made more sense than Netflix's " account" of what happened.

[@DP-eo5xd]

@@augustinechoi9868 eh the letters showed the watcher had a clear line of sight to their house, it has to be a neighbor not some random person from their history

[@tammiepage6489]

If you’re talking about a movie that had up a match a couple young couple of women or man, and I believe she was pregnant I seen a movie like that to that and that was based on a true story to where this woman got outbid it by the egg that couple and she start raining throwing letters, but she didn’t stop there. She also I kept going after all the family trying to scare them away, and that was based on a true story to.

[@lucah20100586]

The watcher is somebody who wanted the house! But somebody got it!

[@weekendnomad5038]

I wonder what “the watcher” does if you don’t check your mail… I rarely check my mail .. I would start burning them 🤣😂 and install a tall wrought iron fence lol

[@franklin9400]

Just finished the show yesterday. I would definitely recommend it.

[@troyhartung6137]

Did not enjoy it. Cliffhanger endings suck

[@franklin9400]

@@troyhartung6137 Its based on a true story. So, that's kind of just the ending. The real investigation is still ongoing.

[@troyhartung6137]

@@franklin9400 then it should’ve ending the same way as real life. They just leave and say in text that the investigation is still going on. The way it’s done in the show is just cringe with the guy supposedly becoming the new watcher

[@franklin9400]

@@troyhartung6137 It's based on a true story, not a representation of a true story. They do the Hollywood usual, and left room to do another season.

[@milesharris249]

Great show, bad ending

[@ThuggyMacho]

There's a lot of things that happened in real life that they didn't mention but the watcher was the neighbors. They were all in on it.

[@linz6615]

how do u know they were in on it? it’s still unsolved😭

[@ThuggyMacho]

@@linz6615 knowing all the details of the case makes it really obvious.

[@linz6615]

@@ThuggyMacho most the neighbors weren’t interviewed but that doesn’t mean they were in on it what information from the case makes u think the neighbors were in on it?

[@EboniFlowers]

@@ThuggyMacho So obvious that none of the investors have solved it but you did?? Lol okay!

[@ThuggyMacho]

@@EboniFlowers investors? Lmfao yeah that told me everything I needed to know about you.

[@Moon-zl4tv]

This was the perfect story for Netflix, because it doesn’t have a satisfying ending. Classic Netflix

[@LivingBasquait]

So the only thing that actually happened was the letters? And they never even moved in the house? Wow

[@amayafuller5934]

It's not even about them just sending letter they was spying on their kids inside the house and the letters was talking about certain stuff that noone outside of the household should even know about.....for example the little girl being the artist of the family, they said that the only way somebody could have seen the little girl painting was if they was inside the house or the neighbors behind them but it was hard because it was alot of trees separated from their house and neighbors. THEY ALSO KNEW ALL THEIR KIDS NICKNAMES

[@dmacg5520]

@@amayafuller5934 so in other words the family faked it

[@amayafuller5934]

@@dmacg5520 that's what some ppl theories are but the family moved out because they said the letter was to personal like whoever was watching ...was watching 👀 frfr

[@dmacg5520]

@@amayafuller5934 they weren’t that personal not very hard to figure out the names and birth order of the kids

[@amayafuller5934]

@@dmacg5520 they were because how they know what the daughter was doing inside the house ....and how they know they nicknames unless it was someone they already knew writing the letters

[@ronyalemerrill]

Thanks for the upload and content!

[@subsistence73]

I remember when this first happened, I lived a few blocks away and still couldn't understand why anyone would be afraid. But that was until I watched the watcher on Saturday lol

[@bekind8243]

Wonder why they didn’t put a security camera on the mailbox to see who was putting the letters in it? Were they mailed or placed into the mailbox by the sender?

[@skyetonbo1011]

Because USPS delivered it, not the watcher themselves.

[@bekind8243]

@@skyetonbo1011 Oh, that makes sense. Thanks.

[@shh5627]

If not mistaken, the letters were placed in the mailbox as the letters were simply addressed to "new owner."

[@augustinechoi9868]

The USPS by federal order could have tracked those letters.

[@TangoNevada]

@@skyetonbo1011 They were only addressed to the resident. There was no postage.

[@hoop6822]

I know the Netflix series was incredibly far from the truth but it was perfectly creepy and interesting. The case is the most interesting I’ve ever seen along with Jack the Ripper

[@truter5243]

I agree. The netflix version was captivating. The real life case is a bit boring though

[@amandawest9828]

I remember hearing about this story i always watch the video about him the movie looks interesting i will like too see it

[@pamelajudithrwanyarare8429]

They should investigate the person who bought it. What if??????

[@A.Walker.]

Great thought! Lol

[@shh5627]

One suspect was the next door neighbor's 60+ year old son (Michael Langford). He was interviewed by the police and denied writing the letters and, being the police did not have definitive proof he wrote the letters, there was not much more they could do.

[@maryg2519]

That thought crossed my mind also, I’m thinking someone wanted that house. Maybe someone who wanted to buy it for cheap terrorized the family in the hopes they’d abandon it and sell it for way less, which sadly is exactly what happened.

[@Penakp13]

The writers of this show is a genius because otherwise no one would watch

[@glam_goth6662]

He still seemed unfazed during interview

[@wwedivas2011]

Oh wow how nice I have family in Westfield, NJ my auntie live in Westfield, NJ and how strange that I'm going to visit her this weekend wow, so I be in Union County, NJ this weekend coming and my moms live in Union, NJ so not far from Westfield where my aunit live, I love the downtown area of Westfield the shop and restaurants...

[@siah1351]

plot twist: “the watcher” is the couple who lost bidding on the house and they just wanted the family to move out so they could move in

[@lifewithmahira]

Tell me why I was thinking of something similar like that tho.

[@khaIid624]

I watched the show it was so good and had me hooked

[@LW-wg4ny]

I wonder why the letters didn’t continue with the current owner. What did TheWatcher have against the other family? Seems personal

[@itsnaj780]

Maybe the next couple didnt have kids they had a thing for kids blood or maybe the person coincidentally died

[@zoe6723]

The letters have stopped, probably because the watcher(s) are now dead. Hopefully, not in peace.

[@shh5627]

You could be right. There's speculation the 60+ year old son of the elderly neighbor wrote the letters. This man died several months after the new owners purchased the house in 2019. This man died in hospice a hospice facility so he probably was sick when the new owners purchased the house.

[@zoe6723]

@@shh5627 Thanks for this information!

[@momo-gc7ii]

My daughter lives in Westfield and drove me past the house. What really happened is not like the movie. The family who bought the house moved out after receiving the letters.

[@lavatr8322]

the writers of this show are more focked up than the person in real life who wrote those letters. The way they extended , added , cut , thrashed the story and added different kinds of appropiations and unnecessary moral compass in a Mystery related Story is just insane.

[@HeyJunii]

@@lavatr8322 which is something expected from the creator of American Horror Story

[@odetmartinez8926]

It is a tv show -they say it its Hollywood style- to sell to hook ppl and have raitings

[@lilygreen221]

@@lavatr8322 is a fiction what did you expect???

[@Penakp13]

@@lavatr8322 he’s a genius cause otherwise no one would watch

[@rocktheboat9372]

I can't believe how stupid this is. If the letters are being placed, not mailed - set up a camera to see who is putting them there and have them arrested. It's a felony to put mail in someone's mailbox. If mailed, I'd return to sender but not before placing my OWN letter in with theirs, telling them what losers they are for taking up the mantle of watching someone else's house for generations. I wouldn't move because of it, and certainly wouldn't take a loss on the house. So stupid.

[@DP-eo5xd]

It was mailed USPS. No return address

[@rocktheboat9372]

Doesn't make it any less stupid. Most of the stuff in the Netflix show never happened, so...

[@DP-eo5xd]

@@rocktheboat9372 biggest problem was they family had little kids, and they can’t protect their kids 24/7. But if I were a bachelor I’d dare that p*syy watcher to make a move with a full page ad in the local paper, pump him full of buckshot if he stepped foot on my property and took a step towards me. If I encountered him inside the home as an intruder I would shoot him dead right there. The watcher is probably some 70 year old virgin. The watcher is in hiding now probably because his asinine letters achieved the exact opposite of what he wanted, now the town is known as the watcher town all over the world, with tourists all over the place. And the townspeople were all depicted as weirdos.

[@supachaloopa3611]

This happens all the time in Hollyweird. One of the most hilarious examples of over the top exaggeration is the movie The Amityville Horror.

[@gloriaorth4628]

I remember that List was profiled on America Most Wanted in the earlier years of that TV program. They got him too.

[@ryandeopante5317]

If you're watching this, you're THE WATCHER!

[@arsenworld123]

😂🤣

[@juantime9616]

👀

[@Straw0707]

👁️ am watching

[@astoldby]

"Hello! Dearest New KZbin Commenter"

[@Natasha-ph7xk]

Watched the whole series in less than 48 hours lol it’s so good! I know it’s very fabricated from the truth but still, so good!

[@pHixiq]

Personally this is one of the very few times I'm not opposed to tv changing up the facts 🤣. Makes for an interesting watch. And it's written fantastically

[@spike0950]

Maybe with all of this social media and technology we can find the Watcher

[@rickyhartley8936]

this was on buzzfeed unsolved

[@jojose417]

Just finished watching it, it was really good 👍

[@ani2756]

Same

[@dmacg5520]

Joke ?

[@Laynenelson320]

The mayor sounds like he dresses up in red robes too tbh

[@sisiscastle3573]

Great show

[@jazarijohnson346]

I am gonna actually pull it up now and start watching as my SUNDAY MOVIE FOR THE DAY , I’ve never heard of this story until now but sounds very interesting

[@fashionjas4309]

omg! Richmond is my area! wow!!! never would have known that!

[@ThuggyMacho]

"I was hungry" girlll..... I am at lost.

[@arsenworld123]

am I going to hell because I busted out laughing when John list said "I was hungry"????

[@ElectricCavegurl]

I'll see you there 😭

[@abi_rff]

Yup, me too 😭

[@kimbassett8486]

Save me a seat!

[@shh5627]

It's not the John List house---that house burned down, due to arson, 9 months after the murders.

[@astoldby]

Still warm there you guys.

[@louredagreeff5660]

Loved this series

[@dawn6232]

He was too proud to tell his wife he lost his job or file for unemployment. That’s not it. He’s a sociopathic narcissist and they are pathological liars and are manipulative. He could’ve had all traits of the dark triad

[@lesliesmith5369]

Who is a liar? The owners? Did he lose is job?

[@shh5627]

I grew up in a town next to Westfield and, yes, John List had some definite mental issues. After losing his job, he would leave the house in the morning and sit at the railroad station all day. John was an only child and his mom was an over the top religious woman and religion then became the main focus in his life -----he even used religion to justify killing his family. For MANY years John's wife hid from him that she had syphilis---which she had contracted from her first husband, who was killed during the war. Learning his wife had syphilis was religously a very hard thing for him to come to terms with. The man was absolutely one sick person and some of his issues absolutely stemmed from his over the top and off base religious beliefs ---which is known because of the letter he left for his minister explaining why he slaughtered his family.

[@dawn6232]

@@shh5627 thank you for sharing that very specific insight and experience. I wish people would see what we are doing to our children. The intergenerational abuse cycle has got to stop. In the words of Dr. Robert Block, the former President of the American Academy of Pediatrics, "Adverse childhood experiences are the single greatest unaddressed public health threat facing our nation today." It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men. -Frederick Douglass

[@LKre-vi5oq]

It should be mentioned that List was astonishingly incompetent, one of the reasons he kept getting fired. Furthermore, although you speak somewhat disparagingly of his mother, she was extremely wealthy, and List got hold of her money and drained millions in the course of 8 or nine years. His plans to destroy his family was all about that money running out, and with an idiot like List at the helm. Narcissistic sociopaths like List think they are absolutely amazing, intelligent, everything they do is right and perfect. His wife contracted syphilis through no fault of her own, but a cheating man slut. She wasn't even aware she had it for a while.

[@daisylu1973]

​@@dawn6232Sadly, it’s a whole Planet Threat 🥺 from birth. Just look at how All mammal animals received their babies, in comparison with us humans. How the animals prepared their young to survive & thrive in the world, now compare that with humans 🤦🏻‍♀️ I wish one day we'll received our Humans with the Love, Dignity & Celebration they deserved & that we'll learn to care for our younger generations 🤞

[@lexisisk8079]

I wish a proper in depth documentary would be done on this house

[@kellymulderino7156]

I was hoping Nora was the watcher the whole time and that she put on a black wig with pick tails for that one scene

[@Pou1gie1]

It doesn't make sense that the letters would stop with the new owners. Maybe someone just hated that family or someone within the family.

[@teresitaperegrina3741]

Apparently the family who lives there now had made a bunch of calls to the police in 2019, a lot of them were burglary alarms being set off in their basement but when police went to check it out nothing was there(these happened many times). Another was a carbon monoxide alarm went off in the home but again, when police came to investigate everything was clear. None of the calls mentioned letters, but weird stuff was still happening and this was before the show even came out.

[@dmacg5520]

@@teresitaperegrina3741 really I couldn’t find anything about that happening where did u read that ?

[@user-gq3ip8kr5r]

Now, we're the Watchers...👀....🕵🏻‍♂️🕵🏼‍♀️...on Netflix lol

[@georgenguyen8666]

Reporter - “how could you” Mr. List - “I was hungry” Absolute savage lmao 🤣 But on a real note holy moly… wow!

[@lindsaybayless1861]

Maybe he was hangry and that’s why he did it? I’m sure some murders have been from that anyway

[@TangoNevada]

Of course I assumed the show was dramatized, but the fact that there were only 4 letters total (Unlike the series claims) and they only went to the Family in question, and that Family later sold the rights to their story to Netflix for $$$ is extremely suspicious. It sounds like they made up for any money they lost in the resale.

[@nawdude4292]

Suspicious? Who would ever think "let's buy a million dollar house, write threatening letters to ourselves, to to sell, get written about by a NY writer, and then we'll make big money off a movie being made about four letters creeping us out. Yeah right

[@TangoNevada]

@@nawdude4292 That wasn't their plan going in. That was their solution when they realized they got in over their heads when they bought a house they couldn't afford.

[@dakingbey]

@@TangoNevada why do y’all make accusations like this without any proof?

[@TangoNevada]

@@dakingbey Because of Logic.

[@lightninglord1]

Platform...... The Watcher....... Please apprehend all attached to this case, as well as all who appear in this video.

[@jessw391]

i knew the story from watching buzzfeed unsolved. love shane and ryan

[@trv4926]

John List lived and murdered his family in a different house; that is the real horror story, not this one.

[@lbabytutorials4852]

John list could of sold his house for millions

[@shh5627]

@@lbabytutorials4852 No, John List wouldn't have gotten millions for his house back in the 70's. Today, yes, the house would have been worth millions. Unfortunately, the house burned down, due to arson, 9 months after the murders. I know because I was born and raised in the area. What is ironic is the fact that John List was broke and, unbeknownst to him, the stained glass ceiling in his ballroom was an original Tiffany and it was worth thousands of dollars.

[@lbabytutorials4852]

@@shh5627 yes I know he should have sold it but deep down he never loved his wife nor family even if they could sell the home and the ball room glass and move John wouldn’t be happy - he wanted to start fresh every thing he said was an excuse

[@Humbirdhippo5475]

Wow. So creepy. I’m scared to watch this!😅

[@samanthab1923]

Nice to see Mark from Weird NJ! Just got my Fall 2022 issue 👋

[@orangelove9248]

The watchers are literally just the neighbors lol they just probably didn’t want anyone living there so someone who had nothing to do decided to threat and became their hobby to do that. But literally probably a neighbor that was really bored

[@shh5627]

There is speculation that the 60+ year old son (Michael Langford) of their elderly neighbor wrote the letters. He was interviewed by the police but they did not have definitive proof he wrote the letters; nor did he confess to writing the letters. Michael passed away in 2020.

[@ErionGotNuts]

"I was hungry”😂

[@valann3718]

I saw a movie on life time, same story line but it turned out a lady that family owned it in the past sent a few letters.

[@Fabo100]

The buzzfeed unsolved episode was great. Everyone whose interested in that a story should watch it

[@I_am_milan]

Such a good show

[@Dovietail]

I am so over men who can't cope with losing their jobs and so resort to killing their whole family rather than admitting they're having a bit of a downturn. What is THAT about?

[@salmaa.4503]

This is actually not that hard a case to solve and the answer is in the letter. There is a clear personality that is showing in the writing of the letter. Also mentions generational ties which means there is recorded history somewhere out there. Also follow the type of card stock the person used /typewriter; a lot of crimes were solved by figuring out the brand of products and narrowing down their searches that way. None of the police or FBI used that lense which is why the case was never solved. Also I am sure there is a pathway into the house if this person knew detailed things about them. They also could’ve baited the watcher. They missed out on many different approaches which is why this is an unsolved mystery

[@myadvantures0426]

Weather if the movie depicted the real story or not, let’s just say the story is out. Make this go viral and hoping there will shed some light to the family who received the letters.

[@myadvantures0426]

@@Br0wnCh3 yes! It’s on Netflix and it’s also called “The Watcher”

[@myadvantures0426]

@@Br0wnCh3 yep! That’s the same one. It was released not too long ago.

[@psnitkin4059]

My Indian grandma who collects the mail would just throw the letters away with the junk mail lol. She can't read English anyways, so no biggie. In fact, just sell it to four or five Indian families who will all live there together. All the aunties and grandmas will have picnics out on the front lawn day in and day out, Watcher can watch them continuously and learn some Hindi. I guarantee you, the Watcher will get sick of them before they stop. Nobody in that house would give a sh*t, and just enjoy the great deal they got on the house.

[@A.Walker.]

Maybe one of the theorists giving tips is "The Watcher".😄

[@edro6155]

I would suggest taking any iPhone and using the blue dot that is given to identify that phone on Apple maps and bring into those tunnels therefore wherever that dot leads will give you some more answers.

[@missf4681]

I wouldn't have sold my house let alone for a big loss

[@veadair]

I love my child more than my money. I won't move in either.

[@shh5627]

Nor would I, but I'm not extremely wealthy. The family who originally purchased the house moved to a different house in Westfield (wife grew up in Westfield) and I believe they also own a place in the city. The new house they purchased was purchased under a LLC so they could keep their new address private.

[@i_k_d3815]

It's a Crazy fuckin world out there. Stay safe and vigilant people.

[@truter5243]

Btw the real case is easy to solve, but hard to prove. Especially if you have to prove it in a court of law. I'm sure all the cops know who wrote the real creaper letters. Just cannot prove it beyond reasonable doubt

[@liverbirdxoxo1984]

Knowing the real story, I found it hard to watch the tv series! Took it too far

[@Muttinchopsforeverstrong]

Cameras watch Watchers!.

[@shea5542]

Imagine being the current occupants of that house while watching The Watcher

[@dee1901]

Then The WATCHER now watches this video smiling while watching and writing letters saying - "Damn, I'm famous now. You better call Sherlock Holmes to find me". 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@lonniemcguire1343]

Yep. That's crazy

[@nawdude4292]

So four creepy letters was enough for them to take a 400k loss SMH This is such a non story and that's why they had to tie in an actual story of some psychopath Society is so dumb

[@LILCRYPTITA]

So this whole story is based off 4 scary letters?

[@shh5627]

Yup----crazy.

[@03Mach1dmb]

I don't know what the big mystery is. I always write letters like this whenever I get outbid for a house

[@whereismyxanax]

That's not nice

[@gry-areainterior7059]

Expensive PR for the show...1 million home cheaper than a billboard

[@davidyolchuyev2905]

What that show proved was the reluctness of the police to solve that issue

[@My89Rhythm]

Although the truth didn’t line up in the series. The Watcher was a good series, I was hooked.

[@Marcus-cm7di]

“You ate sandwich when you just killed your wife how could you?” “I was hungry” 💀💀😭😭

[@robbb416]

I don't get it.. what happened? What was in thr letters?

[@britgaddis]

Just stalking type letters.

[@LAURACLE22]

I didn’t understand why they didn’t find out where the tunnels led to. Disappointing ending

[@Anubissia]

I had NO idea this was also the John List house!!

[@WildflowerAnn]

And there is no amount of sage that could get rid of all of that bad juju! No thank you!

[@irish.marketer]

It wasn't

[@SaGeForReal]

Watch it again… the watcher house is not the same house. John List lived and killed his family in the a different house in Westfield. The tv series just wanted to find something else to tie that murder case to the the watcher house because they lived in the same area. 😆 Two totally different houses and stories. The family received the letters while they were in the process of moving into the house. As the letters got more creepy and mentioned their children. The parents stopped bringing their kids to the house as well as stopped moving things in. They came back and this time got more hostile letters. Poor family tbh…they were trying their best to move into their dream home only to be harassed by someone they never even met. Imagine living like that, always being on edge or looking over your shoulder hoping you won’t get another creepy/hostile letter…never knowing who is watching you and your family.

[@1017Evelin]

@@SaGeForReal I know right😢 I just finished watching the series and all I could think the entire time was I know this isn’t 100% factual but I feel bad for the actual family in real life that had to experience weirdos stalking them😭

[@shh5627]

It's not. The list house burned down, due to arson, 9 months after the murders took place.

[@vinylhorror]

Oh I bet the current homeowners will be receiving an abundance of letters nowadays from kids watching the show

[@lonniemcguire1343]

Yep. It's gonna be a prank for life.

[@shellyloch711]

In real life the ppl literally never even moved into the home due to fear

[@marybethtemperatura835]

When you read the letter, the voice was lik Jiggsaw from Saw movie

[@christinafan4476]

It’s a psychological torture scaring new owners from moving in stemming from envy