A new investigation is set to begin into the disappearance of Lynette Hooker, who vanished while aboard the sailboat “Soulmate” with her husband in the Bahamas.
Authorities are preparing to thoroughly examine the sailboat shared by Lynette and Brian Hooker in search of any evidence that might shed light on her mysterious disappearance, as reported by Fox News Digital.
The couple from Michigan had made the vessel their home, embarking on global travels. Their latest adventure took an unfortunate turn during what was supposed to be a relaxing trip to the Bahamas.
The incident unfolded when the Hookers were returning to the “Soulmate” on a dinghy, and Lynette, aged 55, unexpectedly fell into the sea.
Although Brian Hooker, 59, has not faced any charges and denies wrongdoing, he is still considered a suspect in the case surrounding his wife’s disappearance.
Officials have taken custody of the sailboat from the Bahamas, initially docking it in Fort Pierce, Florida, before relocating it to Fort Lauderdale, as detailed by Fox News.
The next step is to pull it out of the water and bring it to a warehouse to be searched, a US official told the outlet.
“Any sort of digital devices that you can take, any computer systems that you can extract, anything of that sort, will be taken in,” Nicole Parker, former FBI special agent, told Fox.
This advancement comes as US dive teams plan to search a new section of the Sea of Abaco because GPS data tracked from Brian Hooker’s cellphone apparently contradicts the story he told the cops.
He was initially detained by authorities, but later released.
Lynette Hooker’s daughter, Karli Aylesworth, previously called for investigators to look into Brian, who is not her biological father.
“There have been prior issues brought to my attention, which may be important for any thorough investigation. If this truly was an accident, I can understand and live with it,” Aylesworth, 28, said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
Brian Hooker’s lawyer did not immediately return a request for comment.
