Holmes Beach Man Arrested for Attempted Murder After Offshore Boating Incide

A 60-year-old Holmes Beach resident was arrested July 21 on charges of attempted premeditated first-degree murder and domestic battery, following a harrowing offshore boating incident involving his wife.

Douglas Naeher was taken into custody by Holmes Beach Police and Manatee County Sheriff’s deputies after his wife reported he had choked and battered her during a trip approximately 30 miles off the coast earlier that day. Fearing for her life, she reportedly jumped from the boat as it entered a residential canal and fled to the Holmes Beach Police Department to seek help.

The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO), which has jurisdiction over the offshore area where the alleged attack occurred, launched an investigation and executed search warrants on both the couple’s boat and Naeher’s residence. Arrest warrants were subsequently issued based on the victim’s account.

Naeher initially fled the island by vehicle after docking the boat. Holmes Beach Police entered the vehicle's information into the city’s license plate recognition system and received an alert when it reentered the city the next day, around 2 p.m.

Officers located the vehicle at Naeher’s home and coordinated with MCSO deputies to make the arrest. Naeher surrendered peacefully upon their arrival and was transported to the Manatee County jail, where he remains in custody.

Attempted premeditated first-degree murder is a first-degree felony, carrying a potential sentence of life imprisonment or the death penalty if convicted. The accompanying domestic battery charge is a first-degree misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in jail, probation, and fines.

As of July 22, no arraignment date had been scheduled.