[BREAKING] THE ‘SOULMATE’ SPEAKS: US Coast Guard Seizes Brian Hooker’s Yacht as Evidence in Wife’s Chilling Disappearance

FORT PIERCE, FL – In a dramatic escalation of an investigation that has gripped two nations, the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) has intercepted and seized the 46-foot sloop, The Soulmate, in international waters. The vessel, belonging to Brian Hooker, is now being treated as a mobile crime scene at the Coast Guard station in Fort Pierce, Florida.

This development marks a potential death knell for the “tragic accident” narrative maintained by 58-year-old Brian Hooker since his wife, Lynette, vanished on April 4th in the Abaco Islands.

The Interception: A “Ghost Ship” Attempting to Vanish?

Reports indicate that The Soulmate had been neo-dating in Marsh Harbour, Bahamas, for five weeks following Lynette’s disappearance. However, suspicious activity peaked when the yacht reportedly departed with its GPS tracking system deactivated.

The vessel was intercepted by the Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS) as it crossed into international waters. Forensic teams are now scouring every inch of the boat, looking for digital data, clothing, and forensic traces that could contradict Brian’s timeline.

The “Kill-Switch” Theory Under Fire

Brian Hooker’s original account centered on a freak accident. He claimed that while traveling on an 8-foot dinghy in rough seas, Lynette—who was allegedly wearing the engine’s kill-switch cord—fell overboard. According to Brian, this killed the motor instantly, leaving him to watch helplessly as his wife was swept away by “strong currents.”

However, seasoned sailors and Lynette’s family have raised a major red flag:

The Operator vs. The Passenger: It is highly unusual for a passenger to wear the kill-switch.

The Inconsistency: If Brian was driving, why was Lynette wearing the tether? If Lynette was driving, why is Brian the one who survived to tell the story?

The Smoking Gun: “Ghost Flares” from the Yacht

The most damning evidence may come from above. While Brian claimed he spent eight agonizing hours battling the waves with a single paddle after the dinghy motor failed, new information from Ashleigh Banfield’s Drop Dead Serious podcast suggests otherwise.

CCTV footage and witness reports indicate that distress flares were launched from the 46-foot yacht itself during the window when Brian claimed he was stranded on the small dinghy miles away. If Brian was on the yacht, his entire story of the “8-hour rowing struggle” is a fabricated alibi.

A Pattern of Alleged Misconduct

The investigation is further clouded by allegations of past domestic v*olence. Lynette’s daughter, Karli Aylesworth, has publicly stated that Brian had a history of “choking” her mother and had previously threatened to “throw her overboard” during alcohol-fueled disputes.

Photographic evidence of bruises on Lynette’s body has since surfaced, painting a much darker picture of the “Soulmate” than the boat’s name suggests.

The Cold Reaction

Witnesses in the Bahamas describe Brian’s behavior following the incident as “unnervingly calm.”

“He wasn’t crying… there were no tears,” said Edward Smith, a security guard who met Hooker after he finally reached the shore. “He seemed more exhausted than emotional.”

Even more bizarrely, during a subsequent transport by Bahamian police, a handcuffed Brian Hooker “fell” overboard again, suffering minor injuries in what some call a desperate move for attention or a failed escape.

U.S. Coast Guard seizes sailboat in probe of Lynette Hooker’s disappearance in the Bahamas, sources say

The sailboat used by Brian and Lynette Hooker in their travels around the Bahamas — named “Soulmate” — has been seized by U.S. Coast Guard investigators, according to two sources with knowledge of the investigation.

The boat departed Marsh Harbour in the Bahamas on Friday and it was on its way to the U.S. when the Coast Guard took it into custody Saturday.

This comes as the Coast Guard Investigative Service probe into the disappearance of Michigan mother Lynette Hooker has intensified in recent days, according to a source briefed on the investigation.
The “Soulmate” is seen before departing the Bahamas.Cindy Comtois to CBS News
CBS News has confirmed Coast Guard investigators have been actively conducting interviews with potential witnesses.

Last week, investigators released images of another sailboat and said they wanted to interview the occupants or owners of that vessel.

Lynette Hooker’s daughter, Karli Aylesworth, said in a Mother’s Day video message that she was aware that the Soulmate had left the Bahamas but she has not received any update from the Coast Guard.

“It’s the first mother day without my mom,” Aylesworth said in the video posted to social media. “It’s pretty hard right now to know that she’s not a text away anymore.”

Lynette Hooker was last seen near Aunt Pat’s Bay, near Elbow Cay and Hope Town, on the night of April 4, 2026, according to her husband who reported to local authorities that she fell overboard during their nighttime dinghy ride.

Brian Hooker has denied any wrongdoing and has not been charged with a crime. He was held for questioning by Bahamian authorities but released after five days.

After being released from custody, he traveled to the U.S. to see his ailing mother, according to Brian Hooker’s Bahamian attorney. His current whereabouts are not known and his U.S. based attorney would not comment to CBS News.