Case 177
657 Boulevard
Married couple Derek and Maria Broaddus were house hunting when a property in the affluent neighbourhood of Westfield, New Jersey immediately caught their attention. 657 Boulevard was a striking six bedroom, four bathroom Dutch Colonial style home that was the perfect place to raise their family – or so they thought.
As the couple began renovations on the homestead in 2014, their actions drew the ire of a mysterious objector known only as The Watcher. The Watcher sent letter after letter to the Broaddus family, each more threatening than the last. But who exactly was The Watcher and why were they so attached to 657 Boulevard?
CREDITS
EPISODE:
Research & writing – Jessica Forsayeth
Creative direction – Milly Raso
Narration – Anonymous Host
MUSIC:
‘Flatline intro’ and ‘Come play with me’ intro and outro – www.dl-sounds.com
Audio production – Mike Migas
Music – Mike Migas
OTHER:
Logo and website design – Paulina Szymanska
RESOURCES
NEWS ARTICLES
The “Watcher” house is sold years after a family was terrorised with creepy letters – CNN
Inside the spooky “Watcher” house that terrorized a wealthy New Jersey family – All That’s Interesting
The real life story of The Watcher feels like a Steven King novel – The Things
Family spooked by letters at New Jersey’s “Watcher” house says neighbors made nightmare worse – NBC
The Watcher – New York Magazine
NEWS ARCHIVES
“Watcher” letters spur N.J. family to flee $1.4M home, sue sellers – The Morning Call
Report: “Watcher” house suit dismissed – The Record
Home sells for $400K less than purchase after threat to kids – The Central New Jersey Home News
Family sues town to demolish house after creepy letters – The Daily Journal AP
Couple’s dream home turns into a nightmare – Standard-Speaker
Fearing “The Watcher,” family sells home at loss – Springfield News-Sun
AUDIO/VISUAL
The eerie case of The Watcher – Buzzfeed Unsolved Network
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