Lynette Hooker, a 55-year-old Michigan woman who went missing in April, is being investigated as a “possible foreign murder of a U.S. national,” according to a U.S. official. The U.S. Coast Guard cutter Margaret Norvell arrived in Marsh Harbour on Tuesday with a team of specialized divers, having been granted permission by the Bahamian government.
The divers will search for new evidence based on GPS data from an electronic device and have already visited the Abaco Inn, where Hooker was last seen alive. The investigation has been ongoing for weeks under federal statutes covering foreign murder of U.S. nationals, with no charges filed yet.
Brian Hooker’s account that Lynette fell into rough waters and drifted away contradicts GPS data showing her movements on the water before returning to shore near Elbow Cay. Despite this discrepancy, Brian was released from arrest after initially being detained in connection with his wife’s disappearance.
Friends of Lynette hope new evidence will lead to a resolution for their case.