The U.S. Coast Guard has taken possession of the dinghy that was occupied by Lynette Hooker, a mother who vanished in the waters of the Bahamas over two months ago while on vacation with her husband.
This week, cadaver dogs and divers continued to comb the area as the investigation intensified, placing greater scrutiny on her husband, Brian Hooker.
The couple was returning to their sailboat, named Soulmate, when Lynette disappeared beneath the surface in early April.
Coast Guard personnel were observed loading an 8-foot dinghy onto a truck for further investigation.
Following the retrieval of the boat, divers began surveying new regions of the Sea of Abaco, as reported by FOX35.
Search efforts for 55-year-old Lynette resumed after GPS data from her husband’s phone conflicted with his statements to law enforcement.
Brian Hooker, 59, had initially been taken into custody as a suspect after his wife’s disappearance but was released shortly thereafter.
He has not faced any charges related to this disturbing case and continues to assert his innocence, yet remains the main suspect.
No trace of Lynette Hooker’s body has been found.
In May, authorities received consent to search the Soulmate, the boat they lived on together.
The yacht was confiscated from the Bahamas and docked in Fort Pierce, Florida, before being moved to Fort Lauderdale, according to reports.
Friends and acquaintances have begun to share their concerns regarding Brian Hooker’s alleged abusive behavior towards Lynette, indicating that their relationship was fraught with tension.
Jordan Prenz, a neighbor of the couple from Michigan, expressed his hope that the Coast Guard would finally uncover some answers but voiced doubts over whether Lynette actually drowned.
“I think something happened before that,” he remarked. “I hope she was trying to escape a domestic violence situation, and I hope justice is served.”
