GPS data casts doubt on Michigan woman's Bahamas disappearance

GPS data from one of Brian Hooker’s electronic devices has pushed investigators toward a new search area in the Sea of Abaco. Lynette Hooker, 55, of Onsted, Michigan, was reported missing on April 5 after a dinghy ride the previous night from Hope Town toward Elbow Cay.

Lynette Hooker disappeared on April 4 while traveling on an 8-foot hard-bottom dinghy called Soulmate. Brian Hooker told authorities she fell overboard during the nighttime trip and was carried away by strong currents. Lynette Hooker was holding the boat key when she went into the water. Brian Hooker then paddled back to shore and reported the incident after reaching a marina around 4 a.m. on April 5.

GPS data from one of Brian Hooker’s devices does not line up with what he told police, and investigators have moved the search into the Sea of Abaco. The Bahamian government granted permission for U.S. Coast Guard divers to search previously unsearched areas.

The U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service seized the Soulmate about 40 nautical miles south of Florida. Investigators have been processing the vessel as evidence, including an infrared camera made by FLIR that could detect heat radiation and use cloud memory storage. The boat’s electronics and camera system are being examined for clues to what happened on the night Lynette Hooker disappeared.

Authorities have also asked family members for DNA samples to help identify remains or other evidence if anything is recovered from the water. Investigators are examining a sailboat moored in Aunt Pat’s Bay, near Hope Town and Elbow Cay, when Lynette Hooker vanished, and are trying to identify its owners or occupants.

Brian Hooker has denied wrongdoing and has not been charged. Bahamian police released him after questioning, and his lawyer denied any criminal conduct. Lynette Hooker’s daughter, Karli Aylesworth, rejected his account and called for a full and complete investigation.