A Florida man “irate” over his fishing line snapping allegedly took his anger out on his wife while the two of them were over 30 miles from shore on his boat, untying a rope the woman was holding as she floated in the ocean and then beating her severely when she tried to get back on, according to police.
According to police, Douglas Naeher yelled, “I’m going to f—ing kill you!” as he attempted to murder his wife on July 20.
The 60-year-old is charged with attempted first-degree murder for allegedly attempting to kill the woman, who has not been publicly identified, while the two were on a Sunday morning fishing trip, according to an arrest affidavit filed by the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office on Monday.
According to court documents, Naeher and his wife allegedly left around 7 a.m. on his 30-foot Sterling “center console boat” from the dock outside their Holmes Beach home. They have been married for three years and together for six.
“On the way to their destination, the victim noticed that the defendant’s demeanor seemed off, as he was not as talkative as usual and appeared to be angry,” according to the complaint. “Once they reached their destination, 33 miles off the coast of Bean Point, the defendant started fishing.”
While casting from a “bean bag chair,” Naeher allegedly snapped his line and became “irate while fishing.” According to the affidavit, his wife chose to get into the water “to avoid an altercation” with him.
According to the sheriff’s office, the woman allegedly watched Naeher untie her from the boat and “put it in gear” while floating on a pool noodle and clutching a rope tied to it.
She later told cops that she felt Naeher was “leaving her out there to die” and that he only decided to return for her after spotting another boat in the distance that appeared to be heading their way.
“When the victim climbed into the boat, the defendant began repeatedly punching her on the right side of her head,” according to the confession. “He stomped on her head with both feet several times.
The victim claimed to have gone in and out of consciousness while being punched and stomped on.
The woman told cops that she “pretended to be dead” and “tried to slow her breathing” to save her own life. When Naeher stopped hitting her, he allegedly dragged her by her hair to the back of the boat and into the water, according to the affidavit. “The defendant then placed both hands around the victim’s throat attempting to strangle and drown her in the water,” according to the evidence.
Naeher allegedly told his wife that he was “going to f—ing kill” her as she gasped for air and struggled to stay afloat. According to police, Naeher abandoned the woman in the water and attempted to flee, but she refused to give up her fight for survival.
“The victim was able to interlock her feet around the ladder at the rear of the vessel and hold on,” according to the paperwork. “The defendant dragged the victim behind the boat for a brief period.
The victim was fighting to stay above water. She believes the defendant tried to leave her but didn’t realize she was still hanging on.
Naeher allegedly stopped the boat, believing he was safe, while his wife used the boat’s back ladder to reboard her “battered” body. He noticed she was behind him and “shoved her overboard” again, according to police.
“The victim saw a rope dangling from the rear of the boat and wrapped it around her right ankle just before the defendant started to drive away a second time,” according to the confession.
Naeher’s wife returned to the boat a third time as he approached their dock and jumped off before he could reach her again, according to police.
Naeher’s wife sustained a concussion and multiple contusions as a result of his alleged assaults. Naeher was being held on Thursday without bail.
