U.S. Coast Guard investigators have seized an 8-foot dinghy in the Bahamas that was allegedly being used by Brian Hooker and his wife, Lynette Hooker, before she disappeared in early April. The small boat was taken by tender to a U.S. Coast Guard cutter on Thursday, and investigators were seen aboard it examining the vessel, including holding up a life jacket. A cadaver dog also accompanied the search team.
The dinghy is being treated as a key piece of evidence in the disappearance of the 55-year-old Michigan woman, who has not been found. Brian Hooker reported her missing on April 5 and originally told investigators that the couple had taken a nighttime ride from Elbow Cay when Lynette Hooker fell overboard in rough water. He said she was “bounced off” the dinghy, swept away by the current, and left him to paddle back to shore after the boat’s keys were lost.
Brian Hooker was detained by Bahamian authorities shortly after the disappearance but was released after five days of questioning. He has since returned to the United States and has not been charged with any crime. He denies wrongdoing. Investigators are now examining GPS data from an electronic device seized in the case, and that information reportedly appears to conflict with his version of events, prompting renewed activity in the Bahamas.
The couple had been traveling aboard a sailboat in the Bahamas, and that vessel was seized by the Coast Guard last month as part of the broader investigation. Authorities have not publicly concluded what happened to Lynette Hooker, and the search remains active as investigators continue to piece together the timeline surrounding her disappearance.
