# Westfield NJ House Stalker **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 25, 2015, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westfield-nj-house-stalker/723421 "2015-06-25T03:50:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![raventhief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raventhief/32/4_2.png) [@raventhief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raventhief)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2015, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westfield-nj-house-stalker/723421/1 "2015-06-25T03:50:45Z")
I just saw a few articles about a family in NJ who have fled their house. They’ve been getting letters from someone who calls himself the Watcher. He and his family, the letters claim, have been watching the house for decades, and he’s calling for “fresh blood”: [‘Have they found what is in the walls yet? In time they will. I am pleased to know your names and the names now of the young blood you have brought to me,’ one letter reads.](http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3137697/I-Watcher-Bring-young-blood-Family-forced-1-3m-dream-home-targeted-terrifying-stalker.html) Lovely home…shame about the psycho. More links: > **[New Jersey Family Reportedly Claims 'The Watcher' Is Targeting Them](https://abcnews.go.com/US/jersey-family-reportedly-claims-watcher-targeting/story?id=31937207)** > > A New Jersey family claims they are being targeted by an alleged stalker called "The Watcher." > **[Terrifying Letters from ‘The Watcher’ Force Family to Flee $1.3M Dream Home](https://fox40.com/news/national-and-world-news/terrifying-letters-from-the-watcher-force-family-to-flee-1-3m-dream-home/)** > > WESTFIELD, N.J. — It was a million-dollar dream home for one New Jersey family, located in picturesque Westfield, New Jersey — until the letters started showing up. The threatening note… ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2015, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westfield-nj-house-stalker/723421/2 "2015-06-25T04:12:35Z")
Good luck selling the house now. Wouldn’t the next buyer become an instant suspect? ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2015, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westfield-nj-house-stalker/723421/3 "2015-06-25T04:14:29Z")
Isn’t this story, insane? I can’t wait for the next shoe to drop. I’m sure it will turn out to be the prelude to somebody’s dumb film school project but I’m enjoying this bit of summertime fun for now. Here’s the full scan of the lawsuit the family the filed against the people who sold the house: > **[Here Is “The Watcher” Lawsuit In All of Its Terrifying Detail](https://documents.gawker.com/the-watcher-lawsuit-1713657328)** > > The full text of “The Watcher” lawsuit recently filed in Union County, New Jersey, can be found below. Starting on page 5, plaintiffs Derek and Maria Broaddus of Westfield begin quoting disturbing letters sent by “The Watcher” about their young... They seem to be claiming that the sellers had a duty to report if any else had a controlling interest in the property and that the sellers are at fault for not reporting the Watcher’s claims of control. I assume the sellers will respond saying that the Watcher’s hunger for young blood doesn’t not constitute a legal claim of control. Should be fun to see how this goes. ---
**Author:** ![raventhief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raventhief/32/4_2.png) [@raventhief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raventhief)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2015, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westfield-nj-house-stalker/723421/4 "2015-06-25T04:29:14Z")
I would love to know more of the history of the house. It sounds lovely. > **[657 Boulevard, Westfield, NJ 07090 | Zillow](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/657-Boulevard-Westfield-NJ-07090/40090611_zpid/)** > > 657 Boulevard, Westfield NJ, is a Single Family home that contains 3869 sq ft and was built in 1905.It contains 6 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms.This home last sold for $959,000 in July 2019. > > The Zestimate for this Single Family is $1,457,100, which has... Fireplaces, covered porch, bath with skylight, playroom in the basement, possible creepy things in the walls… Apparently, [Charles Addams](http://westfieldnj.com/addams/) is from Westfield, NJ. Good town to invoke the creep factor in! I imagine it’ll turn out to be a prank or a scam to reduce the resale price or something, but still- deliciously creepy! ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2015, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westfield-nj-house-stalker/723421/5 "2015-06-25T17:38:59Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > Good luck selling the house now. Wouldn’t the next buyer become an instant suspect? This may have been mentioned in the links but as it happens the current owners were never able to move in and are suing the previous owners for not disclosing this harassers existence. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2015, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westfield-nj-house-stalker/723421/6 "2015-06-25T17:42:02Z")
IT’S COMING FROM INSIDE THE HOUSE!!! Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2015, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westfield-nj-house-stalker/723421/7 "2015-06-25T17:46:42Z")
Now that I have that off my chest, is there evidence that the same guy harassed the previous owners? First three principles of real estate - location, location, harassment from psychos. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Honey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honey/32/5074_2.png) [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2015, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westfield-nj-house-stalker/723421/8 "2015-06-25T17:58:10Z")
The letters make it sound like the “watcher” is someone who used to live in the house. He says he used to play in the halls. He also asks if the children will be playing in the basement. The listing for the house said there’s a playroom in the basement. Creepy. ---
**Author:** ![Honey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honey/32/5074_2.png) [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2015, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westfield-nj-house-stalker/723421/9 "2015-06-25T18:02:09Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Now that I have that off my chest, is there evidence that the same guy harassed the previous owners? > > First three principles of real estate - location, location, harassment from psychos. > > Regards, > Shodan One of the articles said the previous owners received a letter the day before the closing. It didn’t say if there had been prior letters. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2015, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westfield-nj-house-stalker/723421/10 "2015-06-25T20:07:29Z")
> [@Honey](#): > > The letters make it sound like the “watcher” is someone who used to live in the house. He says he used to play in the halls. He also asks if the children will be playing in the basement. The listing for the house said there’s a playroom in the basement. Creepy. Now that is interesting. I wonder if any previous owner had the house repossessed. No pun intended, BTW. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2015, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westfield-nj-house-stalker/723421/11 "2015-06-26T00:35:48Z")
I live in North Jersey and my local paper had an article about it last week (which I think is what kicked up the recent interest in the story). The article said the letters go back decades which is the crux of their suit. The previous owners allegedly knew this creep was out there and said nothing and now the new owners have a White Elephant of a house they cant get rid of. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2015, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westfield-nj-house-stalker/723421/12 "2015-06-26T01:57:23Z")
Not being a lawyer, this sounds winnable. Which is to say, I am certainly sympathetic. Perhaps an actual lawyer can weigh in. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![BeeGee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5a626/32.png) [@BeeGee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeeGee)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2015, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westfield-nj-house-stalker/723421/13 "2015-06-26T04:19:47Z")
Well, it worked for George and Kathy Lutz. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2015, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westfield-nj-house-stalker/723421/14 "2015-06-26T10:20:20Z")
> [@Quimby](#): > > I live in North Jersey and my local paper had an article about it last week (which I think is what kicked up the recent interest in the story). The article said the letters go back decades which is the crux of their suit. The previous owners allegedly knew this creep was out there and said nothing and now the new owners have a White Elephant of a house they cant get rid of. Seems rather odd that someone would just go on receiving threatening letters for _decades_ without ever, say, calling the police. I’m calling either hoax or viral marketing for a movie. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2015, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westfield-nj-house-stalker/723421/15 "2015-06-26T12:43:00Z")
Another weird detail: not only do the letters supposedly go back many many years, the current letter writer claims to be the third generation doing this. He says his grandfather started the letters, the father continued and now him. I’m not sure this is a hoax because I live not far from where this house is and I vaguely remembering hearing gossip about something like this many years ago. I could be wrong though. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2015, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westfield-nj-house-stalker/723421/16 "2015-06-26T14:10:05Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Seems rather odd that someone would just go on receiving threatening letters for _decades_ without ever, say, calling the police. Yes. Plus how seriously do you take ominous letters from the grandson when neither the father nor the grandfather ever did anything? > [@](#): > > I’m calling either hoax or viral marketing for a movie. You might be on to something here. Or else they can’t afford the house, and want to get out of the sale. I’d like to see the letters from ninety years ago, or whatever it is that establishes their existence. Of course, if a red-eyed pig named Jodie shows up, all bets are off. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2015, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westfield-nj-house-stalker/723421/17 "2015-06-26T14:23:35Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Of course, if a red-eyed pig named Jodie shows up, all bets are off. > > Regards, > Shodan How can one tell what color eyes an invisible pig has? Wasn’t Amityville (sp) a hoax or con of some sort? ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2015, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westfield-nj-house-stalker/723421/18 "2015-06-26T14:29:18Z")
> [@Quimby](#): > > Another weird detail: not only do the letters supposedly go back many many years, the current letter writer claims to be the third generation doing this. He says his grandfather started the letters, the father continued and now him. > > I’m not sure this is a hoax because I live not far from where this house is and I vaguely remembering hearing gossip about something like this many years ago. I could be wrong though. Is there any evidence that the letters go back decades, or is just something the author of the letters claimed? My vote is for a couple of middle school kids writing scary letters as a prank and not realizing how far it’s gone. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2015, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westfield-nj-house-stalker/723421/19 "2015-06-26T14:35:16Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > Is there any evidence that the letters go back decades, or is just something the author of the letters claimed? My vote is for a couple of middle school kids writing scary letters as a prank and not realizing how far it’s gone. Perhaps a series of MS kids over several years. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2015, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westfield-nj-house-stalker/723421/20 "2015-06-26T15:40:14Z")
A neighbor or a real estate speculator wants that house. Dirty Tricks Ensue. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westfield-nj-house-stalker/723421.md?page=2)