. >> reporter: andy skabitski was mayor of westfield at the time. >> it was reported we didn't do enoughtrust me, the westfield police department is very capable, unlike those depicted in the movie. >> they did all they could with the information they had in that they did dna samples on the few letters. there were only four letters total, so they didn't have a lot to go on. >> reporter: the family of five so fearful, never moved in. they struggled for years to offload the home, ultimately taking a $400,000 loss when they sold it in 2019. later selling their story rights to netflix. >> "i am the watcher." >> the show has been exaggerated and hollywoodized in all kinds of ways, but i think it at least, you know, captures some of the truth of what the broaduses went through. >> it's so far from reality, it's silly. i was mayor in westfield for 12 1/2 years. we have our share of characters. but none of them are like the ones that are depicted in the show. >>fid polic ofal reluctant to talk about the renewed attention to the case. they say, out of respect for the home's current occupants. >>