Wagner fried and ate the flesh of his final victim, David Johnson., Adelaide Advertiser, 19 September 2005 At his sentencing, Wagner rose in the dock and stated:
"Pedophiles were doing terrible things to children. The authorities didn't do anything about it. I decided to take action. I took that action. Thank you.", Lateline, 29 October 2003
On 27 September 2002, Wagner pleaded guilty to three charges of murder for the murders of Barry Lane, Fred Brooks and David Johnson. He would plead not guilty to the remaining seven murder charges against him, and eventually be convicted of them, bringing the total number of victims to ten.