A former federal prosecutor, author of a book on no-body murder cases, highlighted a critical issue to Fox News Digital regarding the disappearance of an American woman. The key question revolves around why her husband’s sailboat stopped transmitting location data on the night she vanished.
On April 4, around 7:30 p.m., Brian and Lynette Hooker left Hope Town in the Bahamas. Brian Hooker reported that his wife fell off their dinghy due to rough waters. He paddled to Marsh Harbour, arriving around 4 a.m. on April 5, as per authorities.
The couple was returning to their sailboat, Soulmate, their retirement home, when Lynette fell overboard, according to Brian. The couple frequently sails around the U.S. and Caribbean, as shared on their social media.
Fox News Digital obtained data from VesselFinder, revealing that the Soulmate’s Automatic Identification System (AIS), which broadcasts a vessel’s identity, speed, and position, went dark at 9:29 p.m. on April 4 and remained off until 8:40 a.m. the following day, marking an over 11-hour blackout.
Blaine Stevenson, a friend of Brian Hooker, informed Fox News Digital that Brian returned to the sailboat with search and rescue officials on the morning of April 5. Meanwhile, the Coast Guard Investigative Service is conducting a criminal investigation into Lynette Hooker’s disappearance.
Tad DiBiase, a former federal prosecutor and author of “No-Body Homicide Cases: A Practical Guide to Investigating, Prosecuting and Winning Cases When the Victim is Missing,” emphasized to Fox News Digital that understanding how the tracking data went dark is a significant question for investigators.
“I believe there’s evidence indicating the boat’s tracking was turned off around the time she disappeared. All of this raises suspicion,” DiBiase stated.
DiBiase noted that if he were consulted as a prosecutor on this case, there would be several questions he would want to see addressed.
Here’s the latest on Lynette Hooker, the US woman who vanished after falling off a boat in the Bahamas
“I’d want to understand more about their relationship and confirm whether the tracking system was deactivated, when it was turned off, and gather all relevant forensic evidence,” he remarked. “Ensuring clarity on what transpired and the boat’s actual position versus the claimed position is crucial.”
Recently, U.S. authorities sought permission from the Bahamian government to search a new area in the Sea of Abaco for Lynette Hooker’s remains. This request followed the discovery of GPS data that allegedly contradicted Brian Hooker’s account of the night she disappeared, as reported by CBS News and confirmed by sources to Fox News Digital.
A source in the Bahamas indicated to Fox News Digital that if approved, the new search will focus on an area of the Sea of Abaco with water depths reaching 25 feet. These renewed efforts are based on GPS data from Brian Hooker’s phone, which used a marine navigation app. The Hookers’ dinghy allegedly visited this same area, as confirmed by a U.S. official to Fox News Digital.
The Coast Guard seized the couple’s sailboat, Soulmate, in early May and transported it to Fort Pierce, Florida, though it was later moved to Fort Lauderdale due to difficulties in removing it from the water.
Brian Hooker’s attorney from Michigan had previously appealed to Americans during an ABC News interview to give him the benefit of the doubt.
“I would ask those observing to treat him as you would wish to be treated, offering him the benefit of the doubt, considering that everyone handles situations differently, including those in relationships,” Crystal Marie Hauser stated.
Fox News Digital reached out to Brian Hooker’s lawyer for comment.
