BEAN POINT, Fla. — According to court documents, Douglas Naeher is accused of attempting to murder his wife, Stephanie, during a boating trip off the coast of Bean Point, Florida.
The couple, married for three years and together for six, set out on a trip where Naeher became violent, documents said. He physically assaulted the victim, hitting, kicking, and attempting to throw her overboard. When she tried to call for help, he took her phone and threw it into the ocean. Stephanie described being repeatedly punched, stomped on, and eventually losing consciousness after being knocked down.
In an attempt to survive, she pretended to be dead, court documents said. Naeher then allegedly strangled her while saying, “I’m going to [expletive] kill you.” When another vessel approached, he let her go and fled the scene by boat, leaving her in open water. He later returned, dragged her by the hair, and assaulted her again when she climbed back aboard. Eventually, she escaped and called the authorities. Surveillance footage confirmed parts of the timeline, but Naeher’s location remained unknown.
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