What to Know
- A family started receiving creepy letters from "The Watcher" after they bought their dream home in New Jersey
- Derek and Maria Broaddus started receiving the letters from the anonymous talker after they purchased the home in Westfield in 2014
- Netflix has won a bidding war for the film rights to the tale
The story behind New Jersey’s creepiest house to live in is coming to Netflix.
The entertainment site Deadline reports the online-streaming company won a bidding battle for the film rights to the tale of “The Watcher.”
A New Jersey couple had bought their dream house in Westfield only to quickly move out after it turned into a nightmare when they started receiving creepy and sometimes threatening letters from an anonymous stalker.
The stalker, known as “The Watcher,” claims his family owns the property and has been watching the home for nearly a century.
Derek and Maria Broaddus had filed a lawsuit against the former owners of the Westfield home, saying they knew about the "The Watcher" before they sold them the home in 2014. A judge threw out the remaining counts of the civil lawsuit.
The family ultimately decided they couldn’t live in the house after receiving the letters, which contained threats toward their children. They recently spoke out about the terrifying ordeal in an interview with New York Magazine.
“Why are you here?” one letter read. “I will find out.” The same letter also asked, "Do you need to fill the house with the young blood I requested?"
The Broadduses were eventually able to find renters who didn’t mind living at the property. Last year, the house landed on Thrillist’s List of creepiest urban legends.
