NJ town won’t let owners tear down $1.4M home haunted by ‘The Watcher’

WESTFIELD — The infamous "Watcher" house, which has inspired two lawsuits and a Lifetime movie, will remain standing for the time being.

The township's Planning Board on Wednesday unanimously rejected a plan to demolish the home whose owners say they were stalked by an anonymous creepy-letter writer known as "The Watcher."

Derek and Maria Broaddus say they have not been able to move into the home they bought in 2015 for $1.4 million after they received threatening letters asking “Do you need to fill the house with the young blood I requested? Once I know their names I will call to them and draw them too (sic) me.”

The couple later sued the previous owners, claiming they did not tell them about the person who, according to the suit, has a "mentally disturbed fixation” on the house. The previous owners deny the allegation and have filed a countersuit.

Police have three letters in their possession, according to TAP into Westfield, but have not been able to determine who sent the letters.

According to the the Planning Board's agenda, the Board considered a proposal to tear down the six-bedroom house and subdivide the lot on the Boulevard to build two new homes.

Residents who live near the home told the board that the house was "magnificent" and "beautiful" and razing it would destroy their block.

"Everyone is united in opposing this plan. The people who filed this application are doing this for economic benefit," said Bevan, one of several people who claimed the Broadduses were out to make money, according to NJ.com.

The story inspired a movie last October on Lifetime called "The Watcher" about a young couple that moved into a home "and that someone — or some thing — is determined to drive them out."

The Associated Press contributed to this report

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com.

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