"The Watcher" of New Jersey | Hoax or Stalker Abundance of Spare Time?

This video answers the question: Can I analyze the case of “The Watcher” of Westfield, New Jersey?
Support Dr. Grande on Patreon: / drgrande
Subscribe to the Bella Grande Media Podcast: / @bellagrandemedia
Dr. Grande’s book Harm Reduction:
www.amazon.com/Harm-Reduction...
Dr. Grande's book Psychology of Notorious Serial Killers: www.amazon.com/Psychology-Not...
Check out Dr. Grande’s merchandise at: teespring.com/stores/dr-grand...
References:
www.thecut.com/2018/11/the-ha...
documents.gawker.com/the-watch...
www.nytimes.com/2019/08/09/ny...

[@Tymbus]

I notice you mention that the family paid more than the asking price for the house. So it seems to me there was a bidding war which the family won. That might mean that there was a extremely bitter loser who maybe lived in the area , really wanted the house but failed to buy it. Bitterness would be a motive. Also "The watcher" sent letters to the sellers shortly before they left, but maybe after the sale went through

[@kerryberman609]

Excellent point!

[@larrymcjones]

I’ve always felt this might be the case. Remember that story of the woman in a San Diego suburb who terrorized a couple who bought the house she had her eye on? That story still creeps me out even though they caught her

[@karmaqueen3333]

That was literally my first initial thought before I even started watching it it's really obvious this is somebody who is jealous because they wanted the house or it was a previous owner who lost the house. Or just a dumb teenage neighbor

[@lloyannehurd]

That sounds more likely to have happened, but why did they not then offer to buy it when it was put back on sale? Maybe they asked too much but the ‘Watcher’ could have offered a lower amount and maybe they did but got turned down.

[@GabrielGarcia-jf2uc]

Or maybe a family member who was envy of them.

[@jennifermateos3015]

If it wasn't for their children being mentioned in the letters, then I would've said they overreacted. You can't risk your child's safety

[@caseyw.6550]

Exactly. Imagine feeling like you're being watched in your own home. Icky.

[@beagledog2001]

It is a risk even if you don't have children. I don't have any and I wouldn't have stayed either! Nor would I try to stand My ground thing!

[@aarondavis8943]

It's one of those situations where you're better off reacting and being wrong than not reacting and being wrong.

[@ashleighforde3754]

Yeah and them referring to the children as young blood is creepy asf and sounds kinda like a threat in itself

[@eobardthawne324]

Even without children it's not overreaction because you have someone whos watching the house sending letters. Like someone else said this is your safety that's being talked about.

[@CJG-bk4bk]

There’s another story of a deranged woman (Kathy Rowe) with a disabled daughter who got out bid on a house she wanted badly because it was perfect for her daughter. She tormented and stalked the couple that got the house but was easily traced back to her. You should do an analysis of. That would be interesting.

[@wrathofthemesa7317]

he did

[@OGitGirlJess]

That lady scared me!!!!! 😩😩

[@samdog_1]

He just did that one like a week ago

[@LDiamondz]

I saw this one. That woman was strange.

[@davel7014]

I remember that story. Kathy Rowe did way more than just write letters. She went to extremes.

[@lindalemoni5428]

In my first apartment, I had a stalker. He would come to the door and bang the door like he wanted to get in, yelling. This continued for months, my then boyfriend and his brothers even had a hide out to see who it was. Didn’t see him. Eventually people started thinking I lied about it. I started losing friends and my boyfriend broke up with me, thinking I’m turning crazy. Eventually the stalker banged the door again and I was so upset I just opened the door and yelled what he wanted from me. He looked at me basically saying (in our language): “who the f*ck are you??? Where is Andrea???” Turns out it was an abusive guy thinking his ex lived there. That’s more than 10 years ago, I moved cities and to this day people think I made the stalker up…. People behave in ways that still shock me sometimes (I’m a clinical psychologist now)

[@Denis-bo8ms]

Should have installed a camera

[@lindalemoni5428]

@@Denis-bo8ms … I have actually never thought of that 🤣 that’s just sad 🤣🤣🤣

[@MichieKy]

You didn't have a peep hole to see who was banging? He was yelling but never said his ex name? No one else in the entire apartment building heard yelling & banging on your door to corroborate your story? You never thought to at least use your phone to record the person in the act? None of this being done confirms you're lying!!

[@lindalemoni5428]

@@MichieKy i didnt have a peep hole no. And that was pre smart phone time :)

[@persona5305]

Even here, people doubt you due to your lack of action to provide evidence of it especially it continued for few months lol but it did help you turn into a clinical psychologist so

[@CapitalCCapitalC]

Derek said "I'm going to write a bunch of fake letters to prove that I'm not writing a bunch of fake letters" 😆

[@DottieMinerva]

Not too bright lol

[@davilathegreat]

To be fair, he did go to school in New Jersey.

[@chandracox6814]

Right?!

[@davilathegreat]

@Franz Fanon Oh, get off it. Feel free to make fun of Florida Man to your heart's content. I'll never understand why people take offense to vigorously earned stereotypes.

[@davilathegreat]

@Franz Fanon ...I was telling you to get over yourself. Clearly that's a task far too large. Good luck in life. Stop replying, please.

[@busterthe2]

Watchers are real jerks. Lol. I love how the neighbor just threw their watcher letter away and lived happily ever after

[@Janellabelle]

I would've thrown it down right there in the street unopened so they'd know I wasn't reading and didn't have time for their nonsense.

[@Felicia.Goughenour]

Or did they even receive a letter? Think about it. Saying they received a letter too would take suspicion away from them, yet they didn't have a letter to show because "they threw it away". Surprised they didn't investigate those folks more.

[@busterthe2]

@@Felicia.Goughenour I think you just solved it! Nice thinking!!

[@SirenaSpades]

That is what a normal person would do.

[@kenn1936]

Sounds like someone else wanted the house and started a hate campaign against the family, resulting in the very low sale. I would look at the new buyers!!! There has been an case of major harassment before, when a woman did not get the house she wanted, so she offered the new buyers more money to buy it from them. They refused, and ended up with a whole lot of abuse from her, simply because she wanted THAT house.

[@littlesongbird1]

I have heard that too.

[@jav4884]

They paid above the asking price. Was there a bidding war? If there was, maybe the other bidder found another way to get what they wanted, and at a lower price.... Is there a way to find out if the new buyer was one of the original bidders?

[@OGitGirlJess]

I saw that! That lady was horrific 😫😫😫

[@OGitGirlJess]

No one thought about putting up cameras??!?!?

[@anonymousstrangeness7348]

@@OGitGirlJess Exactly !!! They seemed wealthy enough to be able to afford cameras

[@caseyw.6550]

Standing your ground is a lot easier said than done when you have 3 small children at risk. I can understand why they wouldn't want to live there. It would be very unsettling to feel like some stranger is watching you in your own home. It's obviously more disturbing to receive a letter to your home address (rather than a message online) because the sender of the letter unquestionably knows where you live. That's definitely unnerving...assuming it wasn't a hoax. Lol! Who knows?

[@Apolita1987]

At the risk of what? The moment whoever was writing this used the phrase "young blood" was the moment it should have become clear this was somebody playacting a horror movie, not an actual creep.

[@caseyw.6550]

@@Apolita1987 well, I guess you've got everything figured out! That was easy.

[@shellymavs3725]

Kids are mentioned in the letter. Huge red flag.

[@thedarknessunderneathpodca6366]

@@Apolita1987 Jack the ripper called himself Saucy Jack and David Berkowitz sounded like a histrionic drama queen in his notes. You can't be too sure.

[@Apolita1987]

@@thedarknessunderneathpodca6366 1. The Jack the Ripper letters were most likely hoaxes. Years after the fact, a journalist even confessed to writing them to keep the circulation going. 2. Berkowitz started sending the letters AFTER he had started killing. If literally anything untoward had happened apart from these letters, I'd treat them very differently. As it stands, it was just somebody writing an elaborate version of "Boo!". It was harassment, sure, but there was very little reason to fear anything more would happen.

[@jedsall00]

Throwing shade on New Jersey is one thing, big laughs honestly. However, suggesting that the Scooby-Doo cinematic universe takes place in NJ and not give us more to go on is unforgivable my good Sir!

[@Robert08010]

Seriously!!! NJ doesn't have near enough swamp land. Scooby Doo clearly takes place in Lousy-Anna, or Alla Bama or Missus Sippie. LOL!

[@anonymousstrangeness7348]

"How DARE you, sir !!!" 😂

[@Tarumarugan]

I died 😂

[@serendipitous_synchronicity]

😂😂😂

[@defrocker6792]

When people joke about Jersey, they actually love the state.😁

[@santiagovera416]

"Stand your ground, even if your ground is New Jersey" LOL

[@hsk2909]

Sometimes, someone, can be real sick in the head without anyone knowing. Let me give you an example;- Journalist comes home from a decade long freelance in Afghnistan, she's a woman whom has been living in what might easily be considered the most dangerous country for a woman to live in, foreigner, white at that. She buys a house in the country side, picks up gardening and decides she is going to write books about her experiences as a freelance journalist. She has appx one year of bliss in her new home and one morning, the mail man finds her dead in her garden. Shot dead. Long story short, the shooter was a 78 yr old man, a neighbor from a distance who had been watching her with binoculars when working in her garden. He got OBSESSED with her, until one day he had heard that she had been offered another job for a year back in Afghanistan and he didn't want her to leave, so he shot her. Just saying, there are lunatic oddballs in this world whom never reveal themselves up front. A "motive" can be as "simple" as acquiring an Obsession.

[@Illtakeamoodringtogoplease]

You are so right about this!!!!

[@sabrinashelton1997]

Link to that story?

[@yannick245]

@@sabrinashelton1997 I think a story like this, is easy to google. _(GIYF = Google is your friend)_

[@peggystoutemorin4529]

@@yannick245 That's not what it means. 🙄

[@debsomo8786]

Lĺpĺl pplppppppppppppp Kkk l

[@stt5v2002]

I feel like the watcher lost the plot when he threatened them with “a chronic illness.” I would be pretty alarmed if someone said they were going to kill a family member or strangle the dog. A threat to give me narcissistic personally disorder or anemia just doesn’t have the same effect.

[@thereal4113]

🤣

[@swimmyswim417]

Idk, if you slowly developed a terrible cough or other health condition and figured out months later it was because someone was poisoning your water supply or something, that’d keep me on edge. At least you can take precautions and put up security to prevent your loved ones and pets from getting hurt, but every time I coughed I’d get paranoid that it was because SOMEONE had done something to me.

[@serendipitous_synchronicity]

@@swimmyswim417 I agree. Surely prolonged exposure to insidiousness of sorts should qualify as psychological murder!! I'd imagine knowing someone did that & could do that to you yet being unable to prove it, is 'crazy making' on steroids!!! Imagine then knowing someone is watching you slowly deconstruct... first your patience, perhaps then your critical thinking... rumination ramping up... 😳😳😳😳😳😳😳

[@irisu-edits]

I understood the threat a little differently - more like a slow, sneaky, purposeful poisoning of food to emulate the symptoms of a chronic disease, or cause it. Similar to what happens in the Sixth Sense movie with the sick daughter; everyone thinking she was chronically ill, when actually she was being poisoned, bit by bit, the entire time.

[@Robert08010]

There are people who believe in and practice witchcraft. Not the imaginary "Bewitched" kind. Its more like they fool themselves into thinking they have the special power to place curses on others, etc. And if those cursed people know they have been cursed and are the highly suggestible kind, they can subconsciously fulfill the predictions - reinforcing the beliefs that the practitioners have. What if neighbor's Mother was one of these? The letter reminds me of that, someone who thinks they have the powers to control the destinies of others.

[@CBrown86]

I think someone that lived in the neighborhood wanted the house and was attempting to drive them out and simultaneously bring down the asking price. If I was single and someone did this to me I would say bring it, but when you have kids you have them to think about and risking something actually happening wouldn’t be worth it.

[@shh5627]

Having been born and raised in the next town----the police believe the letters were written by the son of the elderly next door neighbor ----who was considered odd. Unfortunately, the police didn't have enough evidence to prove it. This man died 1-2 months after his mother and a few months after the new owners purchased the house.

[@mvk-delta5423]

@@shh5627 it’s possible but for me I believe it’s a women writing the letters not even just because the DNA match. But because in one of the letters it starts out by calling Derek by his name & calling his spiteful, then saying “his wench of a wife Maria” Which makes me think it’s a women, I don’t think a male would say that. I could be wrong thought but that was my impression.

[@Jared_Wignall]

I remember hearing about this some time ago. It’s very interesting and creepy, regardless if it’s a hoax or not. Very good analysis Dr. Grande. Keep up the great work!

[@X56th_SFS]

Unsolved mysteries? Circa 1991?

[@briantrudell8248]

Hey bro! Usually see ya on styx in the morning. Love both these channels great minds think alike. Lol clank...

[@shereemoskow]

@@X56th_SFS This reminds me of the couple in Ohio on Unsolved Mysteries who were harassed. I think their names were Bill and Dorothy Wacker. That would be a good case to analyze!

[@KingSlayer_.]

Honestly the whole thing just seems like a really cringey prank

[@forallthestupidshit3550]

@@KingSlayer_. the family wanted to sell their story like the Amytiville people did. And 30 years later, it worked!

[@claudiahemmings2080]

The only person with a sensical motive is the local real estate agent who gets a fat payout every time they sell the million dollar house. They would also know a lot about the owners and the house. I don't think there is any sensical motive here though. This is the work of someone with a psychological motive that's just in their head - maybe spiteful jealousy (of rich, perfect-looking families).

[@conorfitzmaurice8959]

The, construction crew, did the letters start coming when work started on the house.

[@lf9341]

@@conorfitzmaurice8959 The said the previous owners had a letter too.

[@sarahwatterson5706]

Another theory I had, although a little farfetched, was that “The Watcher” was a co-worker of Derek’s that was friendly with him at work but secretly envied him because Derek had gotten the position he was vying for. This co-worker would know details of Derek’s life without even having to actually watch the house. The house sale wasn’t made public when the previous owners received their letter but Derek’s buddy at work would know he’d bought the house. He’d know the kids nicknames and their birth order, he’d know the work being done and perhaps he had his wife lick the envelope. His motive for doing this could have been jealousy of obtaining the position he wanted, jealousy over buying a house that he himself couldn’t afford or a combination of both. Maybe he thought these letters would spook Derek enough, making him distracted and throw him off his game at work and then the co-worker could swoop in and show how reliable & focused he was. Maybe it was just sour grapes and he wanted to make his life less idyllic. Yeah, definitely a little more outlandish of a theory but thought it was worth sharing.

[@pamelalc63]

Not impossible. unfortunately

[@JP-ht6nm]

The previous owner of the house got a letter from this creep too, so that theory doesn't make sense.

[@jeffersonott4357]

Dr. Grande talking shit on the address just became the best part of my day

[@scott8919]

The deadpan delivery of everything including jokes and snark is partly why I subscribed. 😁

[@thebeasters]

Nj is awesome lol. Taxes? Not so much. But we're taken care of

[@anastasiabeaverhausen8220]

I assume it was looked into that whoever also may have wanted the house when the couple ended up overpaying for it was not just a pissed off buyer getting their jollies by making the new owners move, which is what happened.

[@vickie7036]

Whomever.

[@charlieevergreen3514]

Seems reasonable to reconsider the schizophrenic neighbor. He wandered into other peoples’ property, and had the family residence history that lined up with the letters. And obviously, schizophrenia can motivate people to have all sorts of odd and unsettling behavior, especially like stalking and paranoia. Just seems too clear that he should be examined in detail, and the women around him asked for DNA, to see if they (even unwittingly) left their DNA on the letter(s).

[@shh5627]

I grew up in the next town. I haven't watched the series so I don't know anything about the schizophrenic neighbor; however, the primary suspect was the son of the elderly next door neighbor. He was considered a bit odd, but harmless, by some of the neighbors. As far as I know, he was not schizophrenic. He died in a hospice center 1-2 months after his mother died and a few months after the new owners moved into the house.

[@whitedragoness23]

I wonder what if it was his grandma ? She was female and had access to the same house.

[@annal7364]

Dr. G, are you _sure_ you don’t want to be part of the ad campaign for Experience New Jersey?!

[@LDiamondz]

He'd be way better than Murphy.

[@thebeasters]

@@LDiamondz no

[@ferretrunner09]

I think it was a prank that got out of control. There were more than one person involved. That would explain the knowledge base. Just because someone has schizophrenia doesn’t mean that they wouldn’t be able to pull off the watcher. It depends on how serious the symptoms are.

[@sheilagravely5621]

I've always thought it was the realtor.

[@infamousla815]

Or one of his siblings could have helped him write the letter.

[@frahn1702]

I favour the schizophrenic neighbour.

[@whitedragoness23]

I did wonder if more than one person started to contribute to it as if they wanted in on the “fun” but I agree a schizophrenic person doesn’t need to be ruled out. Maybe he really had all these delusions and was just obsessed with the house I do wonder if other family members participated or was having a peeping Tom problem.

[@Hotlux66_]

funny that my cat loves listening to Dr. Grande. But weird because Grande never moves.

[@letsgo9901]

😻 here's my cat !

[@MegOtto4268]

My cats too! 😂

[@ReSearcherSusie]

My cats too!! 😻😻🙌🏼

[@blablablaj]

Its certainly because you yourselflike to listen to him. They grew familiar to his voice and now each time you start to watch a video, your cats come listening because they associate his voice with security and home

[@thereal4113]

That's because Dr. Grande's voice is so soothing...🐈‍⬛

[@dianajane6185]

This one is curious, like a game of Clue. A real-life mystery troll, a confounding backstory. I will enjoy drifting off now, pondering this. I guess a neighbor, of a long-term family in a lesser house. Thank you, Dr. G. ❤️

[@Big_Tex]

He’s gotten away with it because there aren’t any meddling kids!

[@barrypotter5751]

Do you mean like scooby doo

[@Big_Tex]

@@barrypotter5751 Scooby Doo? Never heard of him.

[@barrypotter5751]

@@Big_Tex what about tex ritter

[@harrynac6017]

When my father died, my mom received phonocalls from a man pretending to be an old friend of my dad. My mom knew he was lying. She tried several reactions: normal conversations, getting angry, not picking up the phone. Sometimes she didn't hear of him for a while and than it started all over again, even at night. He made a threat a few times, but mostly he just wanted a conversation. Although my mom was at times very upset about it, she mostly felt sorry for the man. After a few years! it stopped. We think he got the phone number from the obituary.

[@shellymavs3725]

A few years! Some people have nothing better to do then harass. So sorry fir your mom and the loss of your father.

[@sageredowl8506]

Someone once called and SAID she was my Mother she insisted and I had to sternly say "No YOUR Not" and hung up!

[@harrynac6017]

@@sageredowl8506 Yeah, that was one of her approaches, it didn't really work.

[@harrynac6017]

@@shellymavs3725 Yeah, it's frustrating we never found out who he was, but we think he was a total stranger. Police said they could do nothing, but adviced to never publish the telephone number again to avoid a next time. My mom had the number for almost 50 years and didn't want another one. We found out this happens frequently with newly widowed women.

[@whitedragoness23]

He just wanted a conversation? He could have all the ones he wants in jail. He probably had some serious issues, I get it he’s lonely but he was very creepy to the extreme. I think your right he got info from the obituary if the number was listed. Also he would of read about your dad and gain information to try to pass himself off as a friend. She didn’t try to change the number?

[@DonPeyote420]

"Now let's see who The Watcher really is, gang!" (unmasks the Watcher) "OLD MAN GRANDE?" "Yes, it was me all along! And I would've gotten away with it if it wasn't for you speculating kids in a situation like this!"

[@1lawnmowerfan362]

“Sometimes it pays to stand one’s ground, even if that ground is in New Jersey” this is the content I came for 😂😂

[@kevinc809]

So you come for ignorant untrue statements?

[@Neillan]

@@kevinc809 Bye Karen.

[@1lawnmowerfan362]

@@kevinc809 Karen 😂

[@kevinc809]

@@1lawnmowerfan362 You are completely clueless. I envy you.

[@1lawnmowerfan362]

@@kevinc809 I’m not even sure what you’re talking about Karen but you’re funny!

[@irisu-edits]

The thing I wonder is, if it was a hoax... Why did they keep going with it when it was clearly becoming a money sink rather than being any kind of benefit? Initially, I can see people doing this to create some kind of fame that would then lead to lucrative deals or a book - but as far as I can tell, they never authored a book about it or financially gained anything from it. At some point, they had to realise they were losing more money than anything, and it would only end up with massive amounts of money lost. So why would they continue the hoax even further? It seems to me to continue past this 'tipping point' of when they'd have to have realised this.

[@neszero]

sunk cost fallacy

[@RandomShiz-ie5be]

@@neszero That literally makes zero sense. If these people decided right off the bat that they were going to create a hoax, why would they not do it in an environment where their financial losses would be much smaller?

[@giaparmer]

@@neszero can you explain this?

[@modernfckinman]

@@neszero actually, if we were to use the sunk cost fallacy, it would point towards their innoncence. All in all, the family spent probably over 2 million dollars on this house. Once the letters got very threatening, it would be natural for them to decide to move away from the house. The sunk-cost fallacy would go something like this: "oh well, our lives and our children's lives are potentially in danger because of this creepy stalker, but we already spent so much money on this house, we should just stick it out and deal with it".

[@everythingbobbywolfe]

Once again, as I've said before, this movie is about 35% accurate. This is the Netflix sensational version. In real life, mutual friends have found this to be rather humorous. The actual story is these people were slightly shady and were most likely the types to try and profit from a situation, even if they had to lie about something. Movies are fake, even ones that are based on talk stories and people. Even documentaries are badly skewed in only one direction (hello Michael Moore)

[@nodancingpalmtrees7931]

Fun fact: there is a street in Toronto named “Avenue Road.” 😉

[@BigZebraCom]

I like the jalapeno lights behind Dr. Grande. The Doctor's videos always have good lighting.

[@katiejackson2187]

Those are actually cactus

[@BigZebraCom]

@@katiejackson2187 You are absolutely right! By why would Dr Grande get cacti that could pass as jalapenos at first glance? Diabolical!

[@critterfestsanctuary2446]

Years back I got the brilliant idea of renting out the spare bedroom. The lady who moved in liked the place so much she decided to take it. It was 5 weeks of hell. My girlfriend even looked at a storage place for OUR stuff because it was so bad. At the last moment she jumped on a great deal renting a house. She moved into a hotel room for two days close to it until it was ready and for some stupid odd reason she gave the the owner my number. They called and I said don't do it she's crazy !!! The next day crazy lady called me saying the place fell through and she needed the room back immediately. (She didn't know I talked to the owner.) I laughed and hung up. Crazy lady then wrote me letters threatening to sue me because she feels she should have 5 days to move back in after move out day if she wanted. Bye bye crazy lady. Btw.... DONT RENT OUT YOUR SPARE ROOM. TEANETS HAVE MORE RIGHTS THAN YOU REALIZE !!!!!! Be safe.

[@twodumbcats390]

"even if the ground, is New Jersey" Grande with the great side jab on the way out.

[@maxoblivion]

"It's hard to imagine anyone doing this"? Dr. Grande, you've presented many cases where people have done weirder things than sending threatening letters to someone. You know there are people who get big thrills from frightening other people so it shouldn't be a stretch to think someone was preying upon the family. "Stand one's ground"? Easy to say when you aren't receiving implied threats against your children.

[@pamelalc63]

The doctor just seems off, not in touch

[@whitedragoness23]

There was a letter sent to a camp and later the sender did harm and kill some kids. I agree the parents did the right thing and protected their kids. You never know when the sender will act on their written intentions.

[@kaycho717]

As someone who grew up in terrible New Jersey- your jokes always make me laugh 🤣💯🤣💯

[@angelascharmedlife]

My childhood best friend's brother had schizophrenia. When he was about 20 he was on the internet writing letters. He thought he was solving mysteries with who he called, "the greenback boys" which was his pack of dogs. Well, things got serious when he wrote the white house saying a friend's dad had illegal eagle feathers. That house got raided. There weren't eagle feathers, but psychedelic mushrooms. So that poor guy went to jail. My friend's brothers actions affected many more people's lives before he got real treatment.

[@petegallows5494]

Or it could have been a colleague/"friend"/family member, who didn't really have to watch them do anything - they only knew where they lived, they obviously knew the kids, they knew what was going on in the house, because the owners themselves told them what was going on in the house. You don't have to waste your time watching the house, if somebody simply tells you, because they don't suspect you, because you're their "friend", sister or a colleague.

[@shh5627]

The primary suspect was the son of the elderly next door neighbor. The neighbors said he was odd, but harmless. He was interviewed by the police but they did not have enough evidence to arrest him. He died in a hospice center 1-2 months after his mother and a few months after the new owners moved into the house.

[@sarahhollister150]

I know Street Rd very well. My parents grew up in Lower Bucks. I never thought I’d hear about it on this channel lol. I miss home

[@janedoe7229]

My friend lives near there.

[@MommaHorse]

" Thanks for Watching" ...your last line and its dry delivery was 💯 better than any scooby snack...🤣, well done 😉.

[@Robert08010]

There is one female you have forgotten to consider as a suspect. Michael's mother. You said he lives with his mother. Consider, the young man is schizophrenic. The mother wants to protect him from prying eyes. The mother may be the one trying to keep that house vacant to create a larger privacy zone for him, her self or her yard. Or it may even be simpler than that. She may just hates the idea of noisy kids and possibly noisy pets moving in next door. Is Schizo hereditary? Maybe she is just a bit off too. Imagine the DNA belongs to Michael's mother. Now... if they took Michael's DNA, then this female DNA might have been a close match to his. But what if because it was female DNA, they never even got a sample from him to compare? If it is the mother and if she is just a bit crazy, I think the police figured it all out and decided not to pursue it. That's the only reason why I would imagine them excluding Michael as a suspect, because they figured the Mother is far more likely a suspect.

[@piperjaycie]

I did wonder if the writer was female. I know they said they’re father and grandfather watched the house but I’m not sure if they ever revealed their gender. Are we assuming they are male because that is the pattern? Maybe also a sibling which is just bored of having to live with their mother and brother who is disabled/ill. In another video I heard that the son also had a cognitive disability which is why the police thought he could not have written the letters.

[@Robert08010]

@@piperjaycie I know nothing besides what was presented here. Dr Grande did say they detected female DNA on the letter. That is the first clue that led me towards the mother. Now I think (not sure) but even if it was female DNA, if it was mother and son, the DNA would likely still be close enough to be a match. So that led me to wonder if they ever took a sample from the son to compare with the letter. If they eliminated him early, maybe they did not.

[@sheilagravely5621]

I thought about that too, but eventually decided on the realtor because I don't know how micheals mother would have all the information.

[@Robert08010]

@@sheilagravely5621 Some think most old folks are tech illiterate but some old folks are big time in to facebook. And of course if you're a lonely old woman who has nothing better to do that spy on the neighbors, why wouldn't she look them up on facebook? The good doctor said all the details about the children was already on facebook.

[@joesther8058]

Rob your take sounds right on to me. Interesting

[@michaelphelan423]

No trolling here, when I lived in New Jersey, we pronounced Kearney "Car-knee". Just FYI, fun show!

[@heatherhoffman9869]

I'm from Nebraska and we also have a Car-knee. :)

[@resop3]

So Kearney is pronounced the same as "carny"? That would explain a lot. lol

[@EllieVelli]

I agree but every now and then, I get in an argument from someone from Jersey who says KERney

[@valeried.9056]

Car-ney and many streets and places in NJ are called "Boulevard" (Elmwood Park, for example) as quite a few streets are called "Le Boulevard" in France.

[@LDiamondz]

There still a lot of Irish and Scots there? Sheehans? They have the best food there. Scones were my favorite.

[@Mrs.Self.Distruct]

Oh geeze, go figure Netflix bought the rights to the story for a series 🙄

[@Well_Ill_Be_GodDangled]

They already did a Lifetime movie on this shit too.

[@LDiamondz]

Nothing really happened, except somebody sending letters. Doesn't seem like it would be a great movie.

[@looneytoons4008]

@@LDiamondz Lol

[@LDiamondz]

@@looneytoons4008 It might make a good comedy, tho. Satire?

[@looneytoons4008]

@@LDiamondz i just thought it's funny you said it doesnt seem like it would make a great movie but they just made a whole netflix series about it. but yeah i agree with you nothing really happened other than receiving letters

[@staceytheresatammytinataco5488]

Good letter writing is a lost art. This guy nailed it. Hmm, I do need a new hobby and striking terror into the hearts of my enemies does seem like an interesting idea🤔

[@SKY-wt2pp]

The terror involved with editing, grammar, composition, rewriting, getting a proof reader (who you may have to silence later). Not worth the paper cuts. 😉. Not to mention the effort involved with all the watching......Ain't nobody got time for dat.

[@anonymousstrangeness7348]

@tracey cooper - And you wouldn't have to worry about the police (they seem unable to solve this type of case) ☺ 👍

[@asalindstrom6652]

Good writing.

[@tankthearc9875]

lol

[@visionaryventures12]

I remember watching a video on KZbin about this. I recall hearing about it being due to jealousy. The Watcher claiming to be entitled to the house by virtue of a deserved inheritance.

[@jari6560]

Maybe it was someone who thought they got a raw deal in a insurance claim , since the guy was VP of an insurance company

[@jeffstellarry7996]

I'm a New Jersian who happens to actually kinda like living in New Jersey. However, I still love doc's jersey jokes. Priceless stuff!

[@betterbee1304]

I'm from cherry hill and I remember hearing about this story! I love the shade. I mean, jersey is my home but no one was probably interested in buying the house because of the property taxes!

[@feelthejoy]

My theory is everyone is just secretly jealous of us ☺️

[@alimar0604]

What is the issue with New Jersey? It looks lovely 🇬🇧

[@kevinc809]

NJ has some of the nicest small towns in the country , I know because I live in one. right on the ocean.

[@LDiamondz]

I love the Jersey jokes, too! I live there, also. At least we can laugh at ourselves, unlike those DELAWARIANS! 😆 Just kidding! ❤

[@reneelibby4885]

Deck the halls with lights of cacti!

[@kamalindsey]

I don't know if it was a hoax, but I do find it very plausible that the Board was involved somewhat to try to scare them out of the neighborhood. Homeowner Associations are truly nuts about the décor of a neighborhood, ESPECIALLY an upper class one like that, and such and remember, they were renovating the house. That they were renovating is something that conceivably could be gathered by, who else, the HoA. This dovetails with the first letter mentioning the contractor, the pulling up of the sign, that "greed" (by renovation and flipping) is what brought them to the house, and also the emphasis on "tradition" or age with the numerous "Watchers" since the 20s to the present, clearly emphasizing the importance of continuity to "The Watcher" or rather, the watchers. This creates a motive, which is they want to preserve the look of the neighborhood which also motivated their refusal to split the lot as well. Seems like the family were extremely frustrated about them. Their reaction to this incident was quite cold and oddly detached, multiple houses in the neighborhood are tormented by a house peeker for (if you believe "The Watcher") decades. And yet they treat it like it's nothing.

[@marlinfisher2529]

Dear Dr Grande. You are a brilliantly intelligent highly educated analytic and extrodinary humorous man. I so enjoy your channel. It is a constant joy to listen to you superbly modulated voice presenting another analysis. Your devoted fan.

[@JR-lw3ms]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 💋🍑🤡🤮

[@SirenaSpades]

Ok fanboy

[@espai99]

I think this story is a hoax in that it's someone playing a trick... Like the letters reference all kinds of supernatural stuff and imply the house is some important andmysterious site. I think whoever wrote the letter just did that to get a reaction from readers. It was either funny to the writer or exciting for them to make up some "wider conspiracy" references in the letters. But i waver back and forth on the motive. The house losing so much value and being unable to live there feeling safe makes me think the couple who moved in weren't involved, but for others in the neighborhood, why would they want to spook a new family that they don't even know? Unless they thought the new family "didn't match the area" or some other NIMBY / snobbish type of community. Now that it's so famous in the media, I guess the house will be valuable in infamy if nothing else, similar to the Amityville house.

[@RealmCenter40]

That is one hell of a high stakes hoax. That could easily be seen as terroristic and someone stood to be put away for a very long time. This is one of the more enigmatic cases for sure.

[@Andreamom001]

What do you mean by “hoax”? The letters weren’t sent? The person sending them wasn’t really watching? It seems like real letters were sent by someone and that person either knew the family or was actually watching them.

[@espai99]

@@Andreamom001 sorry should make it clear.... by hoax I mean I don't think the Watcher was some mysterious member of a hidden society protecting the house for a supernatural reason. The whole references in the letter to "fresh blood" and "guardian of the house" and so on. I don't think the letter writer believed the content, I think they wrote it like that to spook the family Of course the letters really were written

[@Delaterius]

I think the story about being an important person in a line of important people as well as the claims that seem to be divorced from reality fit very well with the neighbor having schizophrenia. Of course, his schizophrenia could present in a completely different way, so it's not open and shut. The process of winding up to the idea that the kids have to die also reminds me of my experience with a person with schizophrenia.

[@hanfred]

@@Delaterius The detachment from reality could fit, though such an elaborate execution without ever exposing oneself doesn't make me think of a schizophrenic person.

[@samuraifencer]

As someone that ‘tours’ New Jersey every day (2 hour commute up from south Jersey up to near Westfield, 2 1/2+ home) I can wholeheartedly say the shade at the end thrown at the state is 100% deserved. State motto should be ‘The place where dreams go to die’

[@samanthab1923]

It's a shame. Great place to grow up. Everyone's dads commuted to NYC or North. 80's brought the overdevelopment & traffic. I'm the oldest of 5 & none of us, my mom included live in Jersey now.

[@russellsantana]

'Stand your ground, even if that ground is New Jersey.' Hilarious!

[@giaparmer]

This was CRAZY when I read it on the cut….usually hoaxes are disappointing but not this time!! I remember when I read the article thinking if this actually happened how did they ever sleep again??? Maybe because I have OCD but I don’t think that I would’ve just been able to move on from that one.

[@mixpick138]

Hey! Take it easy on Jersey Doc! I was born there but, err, I forget what exit... ;-) Besides, if we can produce the Boss, we can do anything! Great but very strange story nonetheless... (I think it was the butler with the candlestick FWIW).

[@LDiamondz]

Exit 11? 😁

[@samanthab1923]

L Diamondz 11 was my Turnpike exit

[@LDiamondz]

@@samanthab1923 Seriously? Woodbridge Township? lol. I grew up in Woodbridge proper! What town were you from? It's a small world, isn't it? 💙💙🤣

[@rullmourn1142]

I know of this case, it reminds me of an old twilight zone episode where the space creatures experiment on the humans by sowing seeds of fear, and distrust among them. It ends in a complete riot. It was called, The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street.

[@infamousla815]

It was about the "Red Scare". Communist "Witch Hunts"

[@rullmourn1142]

@@infamousla815 ..ya, I know it could have been disguised as that. Sci-fi writers often comment on real events in a hidden way.

[@anitasmith4559]

@@infamousla815 The 1950's flick "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" was said to represent the spread of communism.

[@bg6364]

One of my favorite episodes!

[@siubhan2047]

I think you missed theory number 4. Someone connected to the family, perhaps another family member. That would explain the watcher knowing details about the family fairly easily. I personally think it was the neighbour. Schizophrenics do not need motives to act paranoid and/or delusional. To me theory 3 is just not on the cards at all. First of all, it is a huge stretch to think that Derek and/or his wife would have done it, considering a negative outcome from the get go. There is virtually nothing in it for them (assuming Derek was not severely mentally ill himself). Quite a number of the things you mentioned could have reasonable explanations. For example, why continue working on the renovations? Simple, they would have had hope that the watcher would either stop or be caught. To me this would be reasonable behaviour. Very very few people (in my opinion) would simply walk away from a $1m home. Also, and I do not know anything about their financial situation, but from what you said, it appears that you didn't either, in which case putting that up as a potential reason is not tenable.

[@sabrinashelton1997]

He doesn't have to KNOW anything to posit it as a theory, which is what he is doing.

[@r.vancil129]

I was thinking about "option 4" as well, but perhaps someone at the husband's job, who either had a crush on him and was choosing to express it this way, or someone who works for or with him who hates him. If it was a workmate, and he keeps pictures of his family in his office and talks about them, that could explain how the watcher knew certain details. Whoever it was, it was a sick thing to do.

[@siubhan2047]

@@sabrinashelton1997 I am baffled by your reply. He stated his opinion, i stated mine. What are you even on about??

[@asalindstrom6652]

Im lauthing...

[@cejannuzi]

The way I could motivate it was they hoped to sell story rights for a large sum of money. That is about the only way. Not saying this is true or that I even think it is.

[@ShadowWizard123]

In my opinion, the key fact in this case is something you mentioned near the beginning of the video: the house was purchased above the listed price. It seems to me another potential buyer might have offered the listed price or maybe even slightly above, and been upset when their offer was not accepted. Embittered by losing out on the house despite offering the asking price, this person proceeded to seek retribution by sending the letters anonymously. It's just a theory, but I know some people will spend inordinate amounts of time and effort when they feel unfairly treated.

[@privard89]

Great point. It would not be the first time something like that happened.

[@janecoe9407]

BUT HOW DID THEY OTHER BIDDER KNOW THE NICKNAMES OF DEREK AND MARIA KIDS??

[@YT-is.the.new-TV]

Stephanie Harlowe YT channel covers this in a lot more detail. There were no other bidders. The sellers said the few serious buyers all backed out due to “normal” life reasons. The police ruled this angle out. Nobody was interested in buying it at the time. BUT this was the first I’ve heard they paid over asking price. Did DB get a bit swindled here in thinking there WERE multiple buyers? That would be a motive but I still find it hard to believe DB would risk his whole life over it.

[@showmethosejazzhands]

i remember when that case happened i use to drive by that neighborhood every day to get to school,, it was a weird time i had friends who lived the street over

[@Big_Tex]

I suspect you’re The Watcher

[@Stayc_Jane]

Were you watching?

[@showmethosejazzhands]

@@Big_Tex it’s true i was the watcher at age 7

[@catspajamas2961]

When Derek Broadus opened the first letter the family received, he had a kind of hissy fit, raced around the house turning off all the lights at 10 pm, called the police to come see a letter after 10 pm, and then drove home to tell his wife about the letter when he had planned on spending the night at the house. In addition to the anonymous letters he sent to neighbors, a reporter talked about meeting him at a coffee shop a year or so later, and Derek had all kinds of papers with him that he displayed on their table, all of which makes me think he over-reacts to things, maybe comically. It made me wonder if there was someone at his work who was doing this just to watch his reactions at work. That could explain the unknown female DNA, and someone at work could know details about the family and their hobbies etc. if he talked about them. If the writer were Derek or a member of his family, the motive didn't have to be financial. It could be some kind of mental illness. Also if you want to sell your house because something about the neighbors bothers you, the smart thing (maybe not the most moral thing) to do is to never call the police or complain or let anyone know why you want to move, but just put it on the market and let a realtor sell it.

[@samanthab1923]

I don't know. If they were newbies to the area & didn't have small kids but she grew up in Westfield & her parents still lived there.

[@cosmosadorabilis7677]

Nothing he did sounds like he overreacted.

[@pamelalc63]

@@YT-is.the.new-TV yes, I agree. This whole incident has been handled poorly. I do not suspect the father or the wife.

[@pamelalc63]

I agree with you completely !!

[@JRPLawyeress1]

My husband and I recently tried to watch the first episode of “The Watcher”. It was too disturbing. There were no sympathetic characters in the show save the murdered pet ferret. It was plain from the moment he slipped his cage in the middle of the night that he would meet a horrific end. The homeowners, played by Naomi Watts and Bobby Cannavale, were self involved, unlikeable and foolish. Comedienne Jennifer Coolidge managed to be creepy. Every neighbor was from a casting call for “Get Out”. Neighbors were dog cussing at the couple yet the father continued to confront them. There was a mentally challenged man who rode up and down in their dumbwaiter. The parents were extravagant beyond their means, the father was obsessed with his teenage daughter wearing lipstick, although we never saw her leave the house. Maybe if it had been sold as camp. I saw “Halloween” as a teenager and this series would be more likely to cause bad dreams. If the real family were half as unlikeable as the characters playing them, they would deserve no pity. I wouldn’t feel comfortable sharing a meal with the show’s writer. Ick.

[@karmaqueen3333]

I'm still just sitting here blown away that the cops actually did any of this investigating. They don't do anything like that around here even when it's much more menacing. They would laugh at you if you talked about doing DNA on a piece of paper.

[@yannick245]

If it's a boring/peaceful town, the cops might be bored to hell and this case was the only one in years, so that they can, what they assume to be, _"real police work"._ Instead of just driving/patrolling around eating donuts. I just don't know...

[@vixxxenfoxxx3660]

99th richest town probably has a lot to do with it

[@kless001]

Move to a better area. The police by me are fine.

[@drebk]

Yeah, I would tend to agree with the first ranking analysis. Unless, of course, anyone other than their seller received the same style of letters. I'd say the new buyer overpaid, banking on the subdivision. They wrote the first watcher letter and sent it to the seller to give them an out, our a way to reduce the price (but the seller just binned it). They kept it up Hoping it would help with the subdivision... But selling at a huge loss does not jibe with that theory... money talks and most people wouldn't sell at a 500k loss just to keep up a bit

[@saratucker1519]

I've heard a theory that it was Michael Langfords mom, she lived in the house too

[@Pattiepies55]

Thank you so very much for this analysis. What a scary story. Regarding Michael being harmless .. everyone thought Ed Gein was harmless too .

[@sammorrison5635]

My theory is that Dr. Grande is from New Jersey. The evidence that supports this is is willingness to make somewhat disparaging New Jersey jokes.

[@LDiamondz]

Or he has a relative or a friend in NJ and is poking fun at them. Or his wife's from NJ. 😆

[@susiebolt4021]

If that were true, he wouldn't be mispronouncing Kearny.

[@samanthab1923]

Sue Seyboldt Very good

[@samanthab1923]

I'm thinking PA.

[@susiebolt4021]

@@samanthab1923 you might be right, given his reference to Street Road.

[@vlee5737]

I thought this was a woman who was outbid on the house. And she was pissed off at them because she lost the house to them.

[@LDiamondz]

That's what I thought it was.

[@Robert08010]

In my home town in NJ, we had a "Wood Lane" that later became known as "Woodlane Road". Why is not clear. But it does happen that when 2 towns consolidate under one post office, they can't have any street names overlap. So it becomes necessary to modify the name of one street to avoid duplicate confusion. I would bet that is why. And re Street Road (a.k.a. Rt.132), the explanation here is MUCH simpler. Street happens to be the sir name of a well know family in the area. So in this case Street Road is not even the tiniest bit unusual. Can you imagine if your last name was Cul-de-sac or Loop or Court?

[@tombryant52jumpscoach]

That's not Mayor John Street, is it?

[@Robert08010]

@@tombryant52jumpscoach I didn't bring him up because I don't know WHEN Street Road was named and whether it was named for him or just somebody with that name.

[@samanthab1923]

Thomas Bryant Dear God, no!

[@samanthab1923]

Street Rd. in Philly was around since William Penn. The word street means paved, so it was a street road. The town I was from in NJ had a Longstreet Rd. Named for a farming family along the route. It's like the Outerbridge Crossing named after Dutchman Peter Outerbridge. In

[@Robert08010]

@@samanthab1923 Thank you for expanding that. I knew Street Road was named that long before Mayor Street was mayor but no idea whether it was named for his family or what.

[@TheAngiepangie424]

“Even if the ground is New Jersey.”🔥 Nice burn!

[@brianf1132]

Hey Doc, I love that you mentioned Street Road. It's right around the corner. I enjoy your humor and content. Keep killing it, Doc.

[@jasonmims5057]

If I had been in this situation I would have still moved into the house, lived there and completely ignored the letters. Yes it was very creepy situation but ultimately nothing else besides creepy creative writing happened. There were no break inns or physical violence done to them. So I think this was just some unhinged person who read too many Stephen King novels and got too inspired by their community college creative writing course .

[@shellymavs3725]

What about kids though….the watcher mentioned in details information about the children. I don’t know…there’s no way I would want to put in danger…hoax or not.

[@d3l3tes00n]

​@@shellymavs3725 Yeah.. I find it weird that people would just ignore it. If someone is taking the time to observe & write down detailed info about me/my family, I'd find another place to live. Way too much of a risk of it ending badly.. especially with kids.

[@molliwilson5639]

The owner of the house put pictures of their children on Facebook. There were many things they didn’t do to find out who it was.. like a small camera in the postbox since the woman was hand delivering them.. I think that they generated the hoax. For some unknown reason .

[@pinkpearl4063]

I love this story! I first watched it on buzzfeed unsolved. Ryan and Shane have a much different style then the doc but still a lot of fun to listen to.

[@bg6364]

I love the Doc, but no one can compete with the boys.

[@rosenbaum75]

Has anyone else memorized Dr. Grande's introduction word for word? Lol

[@burprobrox9134]

As a Pennsylvanian your disparaging comments regarding NJ are heartwarming. I guess the people of Delaware experience the same situations.

[@SakuraAsranArt]

If anyone is intrigued and wants to know more there's a KZbinr called Cadaber who made a short documentary on this case. It's really good and I highly recommend checking out his channel.

[@LDiamondz]

Thanks for the info. I watched the video on Cadaber. The letters he showed, were a lot more disturbing than they seemed here. I couldn't move into that house, when the stalker was creepily targeting my kids. I don't think the Broaddus family was lying. I subbed to the channel. Thanks for the recommendation. ❤👍

[@janecoe9407]

@@LDiamondz I WONDER HOW THE STALKER KNEW THE CHILDREN'S NICKNAMES?

[@LDiamondz]

@@janecoe9407 Some people said they think it was the family's neighbor in back of their property. Maybe they heard the parents call the children by their nicknames? Only speculation, we'll never know what really went on. Strange case. 🤔

[@CalebGordon08]

Am I the only one wondering if the Woods were being honest about the amount of letters they got? They said they only received one but just threw it away…that seems questionable to me

[@gloriaelmore9092]

Really interesting episode. I always enjoy the wide variations in your videos and your level headed analyses. Thanks so much!

[@cantthinkofone6995]

Excited to watch this one! Btw - we have a Boulevard in Atlanta, so I was confused… I didn’t realize it wasn’t very common. :)

[@digigalbytes2445]

There are a couple of "The Boulevard" in different states in Australia.. Not sure if adding "the" makes a difference?

[@vi0let831]

OOH I'VE BEEN WONDERING ABOUT THIS CASE FOR SO LONG. Thank you for covering it!!!!

[@Bette_Fontenot]

I always assume it was related to a bidding competition while the family was buying the house. The family paid over asking price leading me to believe there was a bidding war prior to sale. Maybe the rejected buyer was hoping to get the family to sell the house, and if the price was reduced, all the better.

[@Jay23445]

I live in Westfield, and yeah we were all creeped out by this story when it happened.

[@hayleybourgault4114]

Its very sad when you're excited about moving into your new house and then the letters started coming.I don't think the new owners would do this, it doesn't make sense. A great story Dr.G.💜🤓

[@jadetaylor2443]

Glad you're doing this story, Dr. Grande.

[@callie6146]

"Even if the ground is New Jersey" IM DEAD

[@lindadegraaf9297]

Hey @Dr Todd Grande-I've written and asked you a few times, but am not sure if you saw my request...Can you PLEASE consider doing an analysis, of ''Big Edie'' and ''Little Edie'' Bouvier (aunt and cousinm respectively,) of Jaqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onasis, and the ''Grey Garden's'' infamy? Their story is not only incredibly poignant, but very entertaining as well. Thanks Dr Todd!!!

[@patriciabuuck5277]

Yes Dr Grande please do a story about the two Edies. They were fascinating

[@womansworkproductionco]

@@patriciabuuck5277 Here's another vote for the two Edies!

[@raquelalejandrarodriguez7264]

Edies! Edies!

[@pepelemoko01]

I am not sure anyone would be interested . There is only a documentary,a movie, and a musical.

[@JUUJJII]

@@pepelemoko01 I’m sure Dr Grande will unveil never-seen-before evidence

[@michaelbeams9553]

Ah the good old days ,when you needed a stamp and envelope to threaten someone anonymously.

[@amandahunter7737]

Nah, this happened sometime around 2013. It just fit better with the creepiness and the feeling of the house being “watched” for 100 years. Definitely theatrical setting for movie fodder. 😂 This sounds straight out of the 70s.

[@monicawylie3985]

There was an article in a digital magazine that was written by the person living in the watched home that I read about two years ago. It alludes to the fact that the father of the three children might be the actual “Watcher.” Left me perplexed 😕

[@yellowjellybean4267]

My family had a stalker who was known to us . Initially he was infatuated with my daughter who was a teenager at the time . He then became infatuated with our family unit. Over four years he did some really disturbing things . It took a tremendous toll on all of us . Eventually he ended up going to prison for it . I had reached my limit . I was seriously considering taking matters into my own hands out of desperation because law enforcement was unable to get enough to arrest him . I attempted restraining orders twice only to be denied. The night he was finally charged , I told law enforcement if you don’t do something you will be back to arrest me and I meant it . Those letters are something I would have taken seriously.

[@julieannballard6333]

Always excited to find a new post! 😍

[@jamiezebra23]

You keep me updated !!!!! I am buying that book

[@lnc-to4ku]

Such an incredibly creepy case! I really can't see the Broaddus couple doing this, just because of the substantial amount of money loss they'd suffer just to play some hoax. And I have to respectfully disagree that they overreacted- when you have young children, and it's your responsibility to protect them at all costs, coupled with the knowledge that there's very disturbed people out there in the world, I personally would not live there with my children! But that's just a point of view of mother that perhaps lets logic give way to gut felt emotions. Inspite of a couple of differences in opinion, this was a great episode, Dr. Grande! I laughed so hard when you said "Did some Scooby-Doo villain decide to scare the Broaddus family away?" ;D

[@whynothanks2047]

This is my main problem too-I really just can’t see how they gained anything from this. They lost BOATLOADS of money, and received a lot of negative attention, damaging their credibility. This totally consumed their lives. I just can’t wrap my head around this one!

[@Brianvanmoustache]

Have never heard anyone say a date like that, "June Two" . But think I'm going to start doing that too

[@sublimemime183]

Thanks again Dr.Grande. You’re like our unofficial online psychology professor.

[@danielallen4450]

I agree that the hoax theory is the most likely. I have felt this way since I first heard of this case. I could never figure out how the watcher could know nicknames of the children which I've always imagined wouldn't be spoken loud enough for anyone to hear outside the property Edit. Also forgot to bring this up, but my guess is that the video game character the watcher was actually the witcher. Admittedly it's interesting that with another letter coming the renters stayed. I'd be curious to see if they ended up being the buyers as well

[@Magdalene777]

What I find difficult to believe about blaming the neighbors is how would they know details about the children or what went on inside the house? If it was a stranger who did this, I'd be more inclined to think a real estate agent or contractor was involved.

[@janecoe9407]

PERHAPS SOMEONE PUT A BUG INTO THE HOUSE ??? A LISTENING DEVICE?

[@shh5627]

I grew up in the next town. The primary suspect was the son of the elderly next door neighbor. He was considered odd but harmless. He was interviewed by the police but they did not have enough evidence to arrest him. He would have known what was going on by overhearing the family talk, hearing them call out their kids names and from watching what was going on at the house. He would have watched the contractors coming and going and possibly spoke to some of the contractors that were doing work on the house. He would have also gotten information from other neighbors, as neighbors like to talk. He died in a hospice center in 2020, 1-2 months after his mom and a few months after the new owners moved in (which may be why the letters stopped).

[@elliotabraham5082]

Im loving the frequency of new content! Legend.

[@dominikhehemalas8846]

Hi Dr. Grande! Interesting. In that situation, I would've thought of installing a few cameras to catch the "watcher"... I'm sure you would find a witty phrase such as "the watcher eventually got caught on film". 😅

[@rayross997]

Please cover the Circleville Letters?

[@endgargoyle1]

Hi Dr Grande, would you consider doing a video on Martin Bryant, the Port Arthur massacre, and the subsequent changes to gun control laws in Australia?

[@julieyoung3315]

Boy, it was a Long Weekend without one of your analysis!! Been Waiting.

[@humphet]

i checked out your book on amazon, I want to get it for my dad for xmas. You have written quite a few books. congrats

[@ForPapaandGrandma]

You had hubby and me in stitches with this one! 😂