Starting off strong with the mysteries this week with this creepy little tale…

So pull up a chair, and let me recount the eerie saga of 657 Boulevard in Westfield, New Jersey – a dream home that turned into a nightmare for one unsuspecting family.

In 2014, Derek and Maria Broaddus purchased the stately six-bedroom house at 657 Boulevard for $1.3 million. Situated in the affluent suburb of Westfield, just 45 minutes from New York City, the town was known for its safety and tight-knit community.

Maria had grown up in Westfield, making the move feel like a homecoming. Derek, having worked his way up to a senior vice president position at an insurance firm in Manhattan, was eager to settle into this idyllic setting with their three young children. Their excitement, however, was short-lived.

Just days after closing on the property, as they began renovations, Derek checked the mailbox and found a white envelope addressed in thick, clunky handwriting to “The New Owner.” The letter began innocuously but soon took a sinister turn:

“657 Boulevard has been the subject of my family for decades now, and as it approaches its 110th birthday, I have been put in charge of watching and waiting for its second coming. My grandfather watched the house in the 1920s, and my father watched in the 1960s. It is now my time.”

The author, who signed the letter as “The Watcher,” posed unsettling questions:

“Do you know what lies within the walls of 657 Boulevard?

Why are you here? I will find out.”

They also made references to the Broaddus children, calling them “young blood,” and hinted at a desire to learn their names to “draw them to me.”

Alarmed, Derek contacted the Westfield Police Department. Detective Leonard Lugo advised him not to share the details of the letter with neighbours, who were now potential suspects. The Broadduses also reached out to the previous owners, John and Andrea Woods, who admitted they had received a similar letter just before moving out but had dismissed it as a prank and thrown it away.

Over the next few weeks, more letters arrived. The Watcher seemed to be closely monitoring the family’s activities, mentioning specific details such as the contractors they had hired and the children’s nicknames.

One letter read:

“Have they found what is in the walls yet? In time they will.”

Another stated:

“I am pleased to know your names now and the name of the young blood you have brought me.”

The author also hinted at a desire to bring the children into their fold, writing:

“Once I know their names I will call to them and draw them too [sic] me.”

The content of the letters grew increasingly menacing. The Watcher questioned whether the children would play in the basement, noting that it was far from the rest of the house and suggesting that if they were upstairs, they would never hear them scream. They also inquired about which bedrooms the children would occupy, stating that it would help them plan better.

Feeling threatened and fearing for their children’s safety, the Broadduses decided not to move into the house. They continued to pay the mortgage and property taxes while living with Maria’s parents. The financial strain and emotional toll were immense. They hired private investigators and even reached out to former FBI agents to analyze the letters, but no definitive leads emerged.

The letters contained literary references and exhibited an “old-fashioned” writing style, leading some experts to believe the author was an older individual. However, DNA analysis of one of the envelopes suggested that the sender might be female.

The Broadduses also considered the possibility that The Watcher was someone in the neighborhood. The letters mentioned specific details about the house’s layout and the family’s activities, indicating that the author was familiar with the property.

One neighbor, Michael Langford, became a person of interest. He lived next door with his family, and his house provided a clear view of 657 Boulevard. However, after police questioning and investigation, no concrete evidence linked him to the letters.

Desperate to rid themselves of the house, the Broadduses attempted to sell it but found it difficult due to the notoriety surrounding the property. They even proposed demolishing the house and dividing the lot into two smaller parcels, but the planning board rejected their proposal, citing zoning regulations and concerns from neighbors about changing the character of the neighborhood.

In 2016, the Broadduses decided to rent out the house. Shortly after the renters moved in, they received another letter from The Watcher. This time, the tone was even more aggressive, addressing Derek and Maria directly and threatening harm. The letter read:

“Maybe a car accident. Maybe a fire. Maybe something as simple as a mild illness that never seems to go away but makes you feel sick day after day after day after day after day.”

It also mentioned the renters, stating:

“The house survived your attempted assault and stood strong with its army of supporters barricading its gates.” Throughout this ordeal, the identity of The Watcher remained elusive.

Despite their growing fear and frustration, the Broadduses remained determined to uncover the identity of The Watcher. Investigators considered multiple possibilities, including former housekeepers, real estate competitors, and even local teenagers playing an elaborate prank. But each theory fell apart due to a lack of evidence.

One of the most discussed suspects was the Langford family, particularly Michael Langford, a man in his 60s who lived with his elderly mother and siblings in the house next door. The Langfords had lived there since the 1960s, which seemed to align with The Watcher’s claim that their family had been watching 657 Boulevard for decades. Neighbors described Michael as eccentric but harmless. Police interviewed him multiple times, but he denied any involvement, and there was no physical evidence linking him to the letters.

The Broadduses hired a forensic linguist to analyze the letters, hoping to uncover hidden patterns or clues. They even considered hiring an actor to stage a fake housewarming party, hoping The Watcher might attend out of curiosity. But nothing led them closer to solving the mystery.

As time passed and media attention on the case grew, theories about The Watcher’s identity ran wild. Some believed it was a disgruntled neighbor unhappy with the Broadduses’ renovations. Others speculated that it was someone with a deep connection to the house, possibly an old tenant or a family member of a previous owner.

More outlandish theories suggested a member of a secret society, a paranormal presence, or even someone trying to lower property values in the area for financial gain.

A controversial theory that gained traction was that the Broadduses themselves had written the letters. Sceptics pointed out that they never officially moved into the house, yet they continued to make mortgage payments while living elsewhere. Some wondered if they had buyer’s remorse and created the story as a way to escape their financial obligations. However, the Broadduses strongly denied this accusation. They had spent thousands of dollars on security, investigators, and legal fees, which seemed like an odd choice if they were orchestrating a hoax.

In 2019, after five years of stress and financial strain, the Broadduses finally sold the house for $959,000 – over $400,000 less than they had paid. The new owners have remained private and have not reported receiving any letters from The Watcher. Some see this as evidence that The Watcher was targeting the Broadduses specifically, while others believe the entire ordeal ended when the media attention died down.

To this day, the identity of The Watcher remains unknown. No one has ever been charged, and the case remains open. The eerie letters, the sense of being watched, and the unanswered questions have made this one of the most chilling real estate horror stories in modern history.

Further Reading:

The Cut’s Deep Dive into The Watcher

CBS News on The Watcher Case

Weird NJ’s Take on The Watcher

Netflix Series The Watcher – Inspired by the True Story