However, an author who conducted in-depth research into the events of that day on the canoe has now revealed the truth of what happened, including the last words he ever spoke.
According to him, the last thing Rockefeller said before embarking on a 10-mile swim through a crocodile-infested stretch of water was: “I think I can make it.”
Carl Hoffman, who hired a private investigator and visited both the tribe and police in the years following Rockefeller’s death, wrote extensively on the topic of the disappearance.
Although there’s much he doesn’t know about the National Geographic photograph, Hoffman claims he has uncovered the details of Rockefeller’s death based on accounts from those who lived in the area.
Apparently, when Rockefeller reached land, he washed ashore in nothing but his underwear and was immediately confronted by familiar faces: the Otsjanep warriors.
Although Rockefeller was known for his respect and kindness towards the tribe, it seems they weren’t in the mood for visitors at that moment.
When they saw him lying helpless on the shore, one of them allegedly stabbed him with a spear through his ribs, and the rest proceeded to cannibalize him.
While Hoffman can’t be certain why they decided to kill him that day, he believes it was in retaliation for an incident a year earlier when Dutch colonists burned huts and murdered high-ranking tribesmen.
While we may never know the full truth, it’s a compelling theory.
