Newly obtained GPS data has prompted U.S. investigators to relaunch a search for the body of Lynette Hooker, a Michigan woman who disappeared in the Bahamas. The data, derived from one of her husband Brian Hooker's electronic devices, contradicts his account of the night she vanished, according to a U.S. official familiar with the investigation. The GPS data shows the device was out on the water, stopping in the Sea of Abaco before returning, providing investigators with a more precise location to search for additional evidence, including Lynette Hooker's body.
Coast Guard investigators have also requested DNA samples from Lynette Hooker's family members to assist in the investigation. The FBI is still processing other evidence from the case, but the GPS information has identified previously unsearched areas where divers should now look. Because the search would take place in Bahamian territorial waters, U.S. authorities must seek permission from the Bahamas, even though the vessel involved is U.S.-flagged.
Brian Hooker told authorities that his wife fell from an 8-foot dinghy during a nighttime ride in the Abacos and was swept away with the boat keys, leaving him unable to restart the engine. He claimed to have paddled for hours before reaching shore. However, the newly obtained GPS data raises questions about his account.
Separately, data obtained by Fox News Digital shows that the couple's sailboat, Soulmate, stopped transmitting its location via the Automatic Identification System (AIS) for over 11 hours on the night Lynette disappeared. The signal went dark at 9:29 p.m. on April 4 and did not resume until 8:40 a.m. the following morning. Kenneth Engerrand, an adjunct professor of maritime law, told Fox News Digital that the 11-hour blackout is "highly unusual." Brian Hooker had previously told authorities that he paddled to shore and arrived at Marsh Harbour around 4 a.m. on April 5 after his wife fell overboard.
The latest developments mark one of the most significant turns in the investigation into Lynette Hooker's disappearance, raising new questions about Brian Hooker's account of what happened on the night of April 4.