Sailboat tracking shutoff could be crucial in Lynette Hooker disappearance, expert says

LAS VEGAS — A erstwhile national authoritative who wrote a publication connected no-body execution cases told Fox News Digital that a "key question" successful the hunt for a missing American pistillate is wherefore her husband's sailboat stopped transmitting determination information connected the nighttime she disappeared.

Brian Hooker and Lynette Hooker near enactment astatine Hope Town successful the Bahamas astatine astir 7:30 p.m. connected April 4, Brian Hooker told authorities that unsmooth waters caused his woman to autumn disconnected their dinghy. Brian Hooker paddled to enactment and arrived astatine Marsh Harbour astir 4 a.m. connected April 5, according to authorities.

The mates was headed backmost to their sailboat Soulmate, their full-time location successful retirement, erstwhile Lynette fell overboard, Brian claims. The mates often sail astir the U.S. and Caribbean, according to their societal media pages.

Data obtained by Fox News Digital done marine tracking institution VesselFinder shows the Soulmate's Automatic Identification System (AIS), which broadcasts a vessel's identity, velocity and position, went acheronian astatine 9:29 p.m. connected April 4 and did not resume until 8:40 a.m. the pursuing morning, a blackout of much than 11 hours.

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Brian Hooker leaves his edifice with lawyer Terell A. Butler successful Freeport, The Bahamas, connected April 14, 2026. Hooker was released from constabulary custody the erstwhile nighttime aft being questioned successful transportation to the disappearance of his wife, Lynette Hooker. (Matthew Symons for Fox News Digital)

Blaine Stevenson, a person of Brian Hooker's, antecedently told Fox News Digital that Brian returned to his sailboat with hunt and rescue officials connected the greeting of April 5. The Coast Guard Investigative Service is conducting a transgression probe into Lynette Hooker's disappearance.

Tad DiBiase, a erstwhile national authoritative and writer of the publication "No-Body Homicide Cases: A Practical Guide to Investigating, Prosecuting and Winning Cases When the Victim is Missing," told Fox News Digital that uncovering retired however the tracking information went acheronian volition beryllium a cardinal question for investigators.

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The vessel Soulmate is docked astatine the U.S. Coast Guard presumption successful Fort Pierce, Fla., connected May 13, 2026. The vessel, owned by Brian Hooker and his missing woman Lynette Hooker, was reportedly brought backmost to the U.S. from The Bahamas by the Coast Guard. (Obtained by Fox News Digital)

"I judge there's grounds that the tracking of the vessel was turned disconnected astatine a clip that intimately parallels astir the clip that she went missing. All of those things are highly suspicious," DiBiase said.

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DiBiase said if helium were a authoritative being consulted connected this case, he'd privation to spot a fewer questions answered.

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Brian Hooker leaves Central Police Station successful Freeport, The Bahamas, connected April 13, 2026, aft being released from custody. He was questioned astir the disappearance of his wife, Lynette Hooker, who helium says fell overboard from their dinghy earlier this month. (Matthew Symons for Fox News Digital)

"I'd wanna cognize a batch much astir their narration and past I would privation to beryllium precise definite that the tracking strategy was turned off, what clip it was turned off, each of that benignant of forensic evidence," helium said. "I'd privation to marque definite that it was precise coagulated and precise wide what happened and what the presumption of the vessel was, arsenic opposed to wherever helium said the vessel was."

U.S. authorities precocious asked the Bahamian authorities for clearance to hunt a caller country successful the Sea of Abaco for Lynette Hooker's remains aft investigators recovered GPS information that allegedly contradicted what her hubby told investigators connected the nighttime she disappeared, CBS News archetypal reported and sources confirmed to Fox News Digital.

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Lynette Hooker is missing aft disappearing successful the Bahamas.  (Lynette Hooker/Facebook; Brian Hooker/Facebook)

A root successful the Bahamas told Fox News Digital that the caller search, if approved by Bahamian authorities, volition absorption connected an country of the Sea of Abaco with waters reaching 25-foot depths. The renewed efforts are based connected GPS information from Brian Hooker's phone, successful which helium was utilizing a marine navigation app. The Hookers' dinghy allegedly visited the aforesaid area, a U.S. authoritative confirmed to Fox News Digital.

The Coast Guard seized the couple's sailboat, Soulmate, successful aboriginal May and took it to Fort Pierce, Florida, but it was precocious moved to Fort Lauderdale, arsenic authorities couldn't propulsion it from the water.

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U.S. Coast Guard investigators hunt the vessel Soulmate docked astatine their presumption successful Fort Pierce, Fla., connected May 13, 2026. The vas belongs to Brian Hooker and his missing woman Lynette Hooker and was brought backmost to the U.S. from The Bahamas by the Coast Guard. (Obtained by Fox News Digital)

Brian Hooker's Michigan-based lawyer antecedently asked Americans during an interrogation with ABC News to springiness him the payment of the doubt.

"I would inquire those watching to dainty him the mode you would privation to beryllium treated, to springiness him the payment of the doubt, and to see that not each of us, nor you, considering your ain relationships, the mode you talk to 1 another, we each grip things successful antithetic ways," Crystal Marie Hauser said.

Fox News Digital reached retired to Brian Hooker's lawyer for comment.