Latest Missing Persons News | Fox News

Skeletal remains found by hikers in Washington state woods identified as woman missing since 2024

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 20:06:02 -0400

Washington state authorities confirmed hikers had recently found the skeletal remains of a missing 33-year-old woman who disappeared nearly a year and a half ago in Rose Valley.

Two young men hiking in a wooded area on Sunday discovered skeletal remains and clothing in Rose Valley and notified authorities, according to the Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office.

A photo of the bones was sent to a forensic anthropologist who identified them as human.

The following day, the Cowlitz County Coroner’s Office coordinated with the sheriff’s office and multiple search and rescue teams to conduct an organized search of the area for additional remains.

MISSING PREGNANT WOMAN FOUND DEAD AFTER MYSTERIOUS TEXAS DISAPPEARANCE

One of the men who had found the bones led the search party to the area, and nearly complete skeletal remains were found as well as multiple items of clothing and personal belongings, according to the sheriff's office.

The location was in the middle of an area that a detective had identified through investigation and interviews as an area of interest in the disappearance of Hailey E. Athay, 33, of Cowlitz County, who was last seen by her family in Kelso, Washington, in November 2024.

She was reported missing in January 2025, according to the sheriff's office.

A friend of Athay said she was going mushroom picking with a man before her disappearance, local affiliate FOX 13 Seattle reported.

Prior searches had been conducted near the area, but the sheriff's office said no evidence had been recovered.

On Tuesday, a forensic odontologist examined the recovered skull and compared the teeth to dental records for Athay, confirming a match.

Officials said Athay's cause and manner of death remain under investigation pending an analysis by a forensic anthropologist.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

It is unclear if any suspects have been identified in Athay's disappearance or if foul play is suspected.

Athay’s mother, Nicole Brooks, told local outlet KPTV Athay was a mother of three daughters.

Daughter of missing American in Bahamas says Brian Hooker using mother's illness as 'excuse' to leave country

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 15:15:24 -0400

The daughter of the American woman missing in the Bahamas says she thinks Brian Hooker is using his mother's illness as an "excuse" to leave the island nation after he spent five days in a Freeport jail.

Karli Aylesworth told Fox News Digital on Friday that Hooker's mother has been "terminally ill for a while." Hooker abruptly left the Bahamas Wednesday after saying he would remain in the country to search for his missing wife, Aylesworth's mother, Lynette.

He was released from a Bahamian jail Monday night after five days behind bars and made that promise in interviews with news outlets on Tuesday morning.

Aylesworth told NBC on Friday that she "never imagined" her mom would disappear, adding that "she was a great person and didn't deserve this." She said part of her feels like her stepdad is "going to get away with this" and walk away a free man, but "I hope that doesn't happen."

FRIEND OF BRIAN HOOKER SPEAKS OUT, QUESTIONS DISAPPEARANCE OF WOMAN IN BAHAMAS MYSTERY

Hooker has denied any wrongdoing and has not been charged with a crime.

Hooker's attorney, Terrel Butler, told Fox News Digital Tuesday that he "wants to continue with the search for his wife because that is his main focus So, as long as he can remain in the Bahamas, he'll remain in the Bahamas."

But about 24 hours later, Hooker changed his mind.

"Following his release from custody without charge, Mr. Hooker is now facing another emergency. In addition to the trauma of his wife of 25 years being missing, Mr. Hooker has received urgent word of his mother’s grave illness," Butler told NBC News Wednesday afternoon.

"He has traveled to [the] United States of America to be at her bedside during this critical time."

Butler did not say where in the U.S. Hooker was going, but a source familiar with the case told Fox News Digital he landed in Atlanta.

COAST GUARD OPENS CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION INTO MISSING WOMAN LAST SEEN IN BAHAMAS

Aylesworth, who arrived in the Bahamas Thursday, has been critical of her stepfather since her mother Lynette went missing.

"I think it shows his character. He somehow lost my mom at sea and cries on camera saying he’ll never stop searching, then leaves the next day," Aylesworth told the New York Post upon her arrival in the town of Marsh Harbour, close to where her mother went missing.

LIKE WHAT YOU'RE READING? FIND MORE ON THE TRUE CRIME HUB

Hooker abandoned the couple's 40-foot sailboat, "Soulmate," anchored near a marina in Marsh Harbour.

The New York Post snapped close-up photos of the idle boat.

Immediately after Lynette's disappearance, Aylesworth told Fox News Digital she was aware of "prior issues" with Brian's behavior.

FOLLOW THE FOX TRUE CRIME TEAM ON X

"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 said. "However, there needs to be an intensive review of the facts and circumstances of this tragic incident before that can be determined."

SIGN UP TO GET TRUE CRIME NEWSLETTER

She also told "Fox and Friends" that something "doesn't add up" with her mother's disappearance, and accused Brian of having a "history of domestic violence" and anger issues.

Hooker says Lynette's disappearance was an accident caused by high wind and rough seas. The pair left The Abaco Inn bar on Elbow Cay in their dinghy at dusk on April 4, headed to their anchored sailboat just off the cay's western coast. The ride was a short one, but Brian said Lynette fell overboard in the choppy waters.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

He has always maintained that he is innocent of wrongdoing, and has not been charged with a crime.

He spent five days in jail — the maximum allowable under Bahamian law — while police investigated. That investigation remains ongoing despite his release.

Rep Burlison demands FBI probe after top US scientists vanish or turn up dead

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 13:40:36 -0400

House Oversight Committee member Eric Burlison is demanding the FBI get involved after a string of "disturbing" disappearances and deaths involving U.S. scientists and researchers with access to top-level secrets.

Burlison described the pattern as "too coincidental" to ignore after at least 10 researchers have gone missing or turned up dead in the last two years.

"This is a rattling call to pay attention to this issue and make sure that our nation's top scientists are safe and secure. This is too coincidental," the Missouri Republican said Friday on "Fox & Friends."

"We have to be investigating this. We need to have our nation’s top investigators, the FBI and every agency looking into this matter," he added.

GOVERNMENT WITHHOLDING INFORMATION ON UFOS FROM THE PUBLIC, GOP REP SAYS

Burlison said his office first became aware of the trend last year when an individual scheduled to speak with him, Matthew Sullivan, died by suicide under what he described as suspicious circumstances. He said his office referred the case to the Office of the Inspector General and the FBI, which he said deemed it "credible and urgent."

The recent disappearance of retired Air Force Maj. Gen. William "Neil" McCasland in February was another wake-up call. McCasland had been involved in research on unidentified anomalous phenomena and held top roles in space research.

Authorities at the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office in New Mexico said he walked out of his home while his wife was out, leaving his phone behind but taking his wallet and a gun. McCasland’s wife wrote on Facebook that her husband retired years ago, and that it’s "quite unlikely that he was taken to extract very dated secrets from him."

MISSING RETIRED AIR FORCE GENERAL CONSULTED ON UFOS FOR BLINK-182'S TOM DELONGE

Still, Burlison said the number of cases warrants an investigation.

"What's really disturbing when you look back and reflect on it, you've got Monica Reza, you've got Anthony Chavez, you got Melissa Casias and you have Steven Garcia, all of which, along with Gen. McCasland, walked out of their homes," Burlison said.

MISSING GENERAL, SCIENTIST DEATHS TIED TO SECRET US WORK PROMPT WHITE HOUSE PROBE

"These are some of the most advanced scientists, researchers in our nation, some of the most important people for our nation's national security efforts, and they all just mysteriously disappeared," he added.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

President Donald Trump addressed the disappearances this week but did not say whether he believes the cases are connected. He noted he would know more soon, having just emerged from a briefing on the subject.

"Hopefully, I don't know, coincidence, if you want it, whatever you want to call it. But some of them were very important people, and we're [going to] look at it," Trump said.

Singer D4vd arrested and held without bail in case tied to teen found dead in Tesla: Police

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 21:55:21 -0400

Singer David Burke, known as D4vd, was arrested Thursday in connection with the murder of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, whose body was found in September 2025 inside the trunk of an abandoned Tesla in Los Angeles.

"Detectives from Los Angeles Police Department, Robbery-Homicide Division have arrested David Burke, a 21-year-old resident of Los Angeles, for the murder of Celeste Rivas," the LAPD said in a social media post. "Burke is being held without bail."

In another post, police said, "The case will be presented to the District Attorney’s office on Monday for filing consideration."

Until Thursday, authorities had not publicly named D4vd as a suspect in the case, though in February he was the target of a Los Angeles County grand jury investigation into Hernandez’s death.

WORLD CHAMPION FIGURE SKATER CHANGES ROUTINE MUSIC AFTER SINGER IS INVESTIGATED IN DEATH OF TEENAGE GIRL

The Associated Press reported in February that Hernandez’s body was found decomposed in an abandoned Tesla registered to D4vd and towed from the Hollywood Hills, citing court documents.

Prosecutors described the Houston-born alt-pop singer as the target of the investigation in grand jury subpoenas issued Jan. 15, seeking testimony from three of his relatives.

The Associated Press obtained the once-sealed documents, which were made public after the singer’s mother, father and brother appealed the subpoenas in Texas.

ATTEMPTED TRUMP ASSASSIN RYAN ROUTH SENTENCED TO LIFE IN PRISON, PLUS 7 YEARS

The documents state: "Target may be involved in having committed the following criminal offenses against the laws of the State of California, to wit: One count of Murder."

The body of Hernandez was found Sept. 8, a day after she would have turned 15. She had been reported missing in 2024 as a 13-year-old seventh-grader from her hometown of Lake Elsinore, about 70 miles southeast of Los Angeles. Authorities say she was 14 when she was killed, according to court documents.

The subpoena states that investigators searching a 2023 Tesla Model Y at a tow yard found a cadaver bag "covered with insects and a strong odor of decay."

TIGER WOODS TOLD AUTHORITIES HE WAS 'TALKING TO THE PRESIDENT' BEFORE DUI ARREST, BODYCAM FOOTAGE SHOWS

"Detectives partially unzipped the bag and observed a decomposed head and torso," the subpoena states. Investigators from the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office responded to the scene.

"Upon removing the cadaver bag from the front storage compartment, it was discovered the arms and legs had been severed from the body," the document says. "A second black bag was discovered underneath the cadaver bag. Upon opening the second bag, the dismembered body parts were discovered."

The singer was on a U.S. tour at the time and continued performing after the body was discovered. He later canceled the remaining shows, along with a planned European tour, as reports linking him to the case gained wider attention.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

D4vd built a following among Gen Z fans with his blend of indie rock, R&B and lo-fi pop. He gained traction on TikTok in 2022 with "Romantic Homicide," which climbed to No. 4 on Billboard’s Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart. He later signed with Darkroom and Interscope Records and released Petals to Thorns and The Lost Petals in 2023.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Missing pregnant woman found dead after mysterious Texas disappearance

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 20:55:24 -0400

The family of a 23-year-old Texas woman who vanished while eight months pregnant confirmed she was found dead Thursday in southwest Houston.

Ashanti Allen, who had a high-risk pregnancy, disappeared Friday after leaving her home, according to a report from affiliate FOX 26 Houston.

Police said a body was found Thursday, which Allen's family confirmed was hers, according to the outlet.

Allen's father, Edward, told reporters he has been numb ever since learning his daughter's fate.

BELOVED COFFEE SHOP OWNER, MOTHER OF TWO DISAPPEARS NEAR HOME, URGENT SEARCH UNDERWAY

"We [were] hoping for the best, but now we've heard the worst," Edward Allen said. "I don't think I even processed the fact that my daughter is gone. ... I love my baby girl. Only girl, my baby girl. And then she had my only baby grandson."

He said the 23-year-old graduated from community college and was working at a hospital.

"Her life was going somewhere," Edward Allen said. "She expecting a baby. I mean, she had baby clothes. I was about to go buy a car seat and stroller and all this other stuff. I mean, she's just a normal girl, pretty girl, working and trying to live life."

He added that he believes his daughter was kidnapped before her death.

Video taken at the scene showed authorities scouring a taped-off area, seemingly looking for evidence.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Edward Allen pleaded with the public to call the police if they have any information about what happened to his daughter.

No arrests had been reported as of Thursday afternoon.

Daughter of missing American woman touches down in Bahamas, slams stepdad after he fled amid investigation

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 18:28:24 -0400

The daughter of a woman who remains missing in the Bahamas lashed out against her stepfather after arriving on Great Abaco Island Thursday.

Karli Aylesworth previously slammed her stepfather, Brian Hooker, who was the last person to see her mother, Lynette Hooker, alive on April 4. Brian said Lynette fell overboard from their dinghy around 7:30 p.m. as the pair motored toward their sailboat, which was anchored off Elbow Key.

Brian was arrested by the Royal Bahamas Police Force April 8 and spent five days behind bars while police investigated Lynette's disappearance. He was released Monday night without being charged with a crime.

On Tuesday morning, he told several news outlets he would remain in the island nation to search for Lynette but jetted off Wednesday for the United States, landing in Atlanta in mid-afternoon, a source familiar with the matter told Fox News Digital.

COAST GUARD OPENS CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION INTO MISSING WOMAN LAST SEEN IN BAHAMAS

"I think it shows his character. He somehow lost my mom at sea and cries on camera saying he’ll never stop searching, then leaves the next day," Aylesworth told the New York Post upon her arrival to the town of Marsh Harbour, close to where her mother went missing.

She deplaned at the tiny Leonard Thompson International Airport in Marsh Harbour with her boyfriend, Steve Hansen. They were reportedly met by a uniformed police officer before taking off in a taxi.

Hooker's attorney, Terrel Butler, said he was going to visit Hooker's mother.

FOLLOW THE FOX TRUE CRIME TEAM ON X

"He has traveled to [the] United States of America to be at her bedside during this critical time."

After her mother's disappearance, Aylesworth told Fox News Digital she was aware of "prior issues" with Brian's behavior.

MISSING AMERICAN’S HUSBAND HAD 'SPOTTY' CELL SERVICE DURING 8-HOUR TREK TO REPORT DISAPPEARANCE: TELECOM BOSS

Aylesworth said she has been "privy to very little information," adding her "sole concern is to find out what happened to my mother and make sure a full and complete investigation is performed into her disappearance."

She also told "Fox and Friends" that something "doesn't add up" with her mother's disappearance, and accused Brian of having a "history of domestic violence" and anger issues.

SIGN UP TO GET TRUE CRIME NEWSLETTER

Meanwhile, Bahamian police said their search for Lynette was coming to an end as early as Thursday after analyzing "tide, drift and wind" and deciding there was nowhere else to look. A U.S. Coast Guard investigation remains ongoing.

Brian has maintained he had nothing to do with Lynette's disappearance and that it was purely an accident driven by windy conditions and choppy seas.

LIKE WHAT YOU'RE READING? FIND MORE ON THE TRUE CRIME HUB

Before he was jailed, he said he was "heartbroken" over Lynette's disappearance.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

"I am heartbroken over the recent boat accident in unpredictable seas and high winds that caused my beloved Lynette to fall from our small dinghy near Elbow Cay in the Bahamas," he wrote.

"Despite desperate attempts to reach her, the winds and currents drove us further apart. We continue to search for her, and that is my sole focus."

FBI receives DNA data from hair sample in Nancy Guthrie case: sources

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 16:24:42 -0400

The FBI has received DNA evidence recovered from the Tucson, Arizona, home of Nancy Guthrie, including test results from a hair sample, sources familiar with the investigation told Fox News Digital.

A source with knowledge of the investigation confirmed that investigators had collected DNA, including hair, from Guthrie's home and shared it with the FBI. It was expected to undergo more advanced testing.

CeCe Moore, a leading investigative genetic genealogist at Parabon Nanolabs, said a hair sample is unlikely to be part of the mixed DNA sample investigators were having trouble with.

"Not after it is cleaned for contamination," she said. "They have that process in good shape, but it can take some time."

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

A Pima County Sheriff's Department (PCSD) spokesperson said that they've been "sharing a lot of things" with the FBI lab since the beginning of the Guthrie investigation.

"PCSD has worked with the FBI since the beginning of the Guthrie investigation. This is not new information," the department wrote on X. "The private lab we utilize in Florida continues to share information with the FBI lab & other partner labs across the country. DNA analysis remains ongoing."

Fox News Digital reached out to the FBI.

Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos previously said DNA recovered from the scene had not yet led police to a suspect in the Feb. 1 kidnapping of the 84-year-old mother of "Today" co-host Savannah Guthrie.

Earlier in the investigation, the sheriff's department sent a sample to the FBI to check against its CODIS database. That came back without a hit, and authorities later ruled out a connection to the case. There was also another mixed, partial sample that was not strong enough to develop a profile suitable for CODIS.

More than 11 weeks after her disappearance, it remains unclear what answers that sample may be able to provide. Based on how long it’s taken, experts believe it is a complex mixture containing DNA from three or more people.

"I would assume it would be Nancy plus two or more unknowns," said Moore.

At least one of the contributions came from a male, authorities said previously.

Other DNA has already been processed. Blood on the front porch traced back to Guthrie. The lab also tested a suspicious glove recovered about two miles from her home, which authorities said appeared similar to those worn by a masked suspect on Guthrie’s Nest doorbell camera.

The glove provided no answers after it did not match any known criminals in the FBI’s CODIS database and did not match any other samples recovered inside the home.

FOLLOW THE FOX TRUE CRIME TEAM ON X

LIKE WHAT YOU'RE READING? FIND MORE ON THE TRUE CRIME HUB

Investigators and the Guthrie family have repeatedly appealed to the public for help. There is a combined reward of more than $1.2 million in connection with the case — a million of it from the Guthrie family for their mother's recovery. The family has asked anyone with information to call 1-800-CALL-FBI.

SIGN UP TO GET TRUE CRIME NEWSLETTER

Missing general, scientist deaths tied to secret US work prompt White House probe

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 15:40:21 -0400

Susan Wilkerson was gone for just one hour when her husband, retired Air Force Maj. Gen. William "Neil" McCasland — who once oversaw some of the military’s most advanced and highly classified research programs — reportedly vanished from their Albuquerque home.

McCasland, 68, left his phone behind, but his wallet and a .38-caliber revolver were missing, according to the Bernalillo County, New Mexico, Sheriff’s Office.

The general previously had said he was experiencing what he described as a "mental fog," according to investigators, but authorities stressed there was no indication he was disoriented at the time of his disappearance.

"Arguably, he would still be the most intelligent person in the room," Albuquerque police Lt. Kyle Wood said March 16.

McCasland’s disappearance is one of 10 recent cases involving scientists tied to U.S. military and government research that have drawn attention, including at the White House, where officials said they are looking into the matter after being asked about a potential pattern.

"I hope it's random, but we're going to know in the next week and a half," Trump told reporters Thursday. "I just left a meeting on that subject."

The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) told Fox News Digital it is looking into the matter.

"NNSA is aware of reports related to employees of our labs, plants, and sites and is looking into the matter."

Here’s what we know about the scientists who have disappeared or died under a range of circumstances over the past three years.

MISSING RETIRED AIR FORCE GENERAL CONSULTED ON UFOS FOR BLINK-182'S TOM DELONGE

Neil McCasland: Disappeared Feb. 27, 2026

McCasland disappeared Feb. 27 and police have found no trace of him since. His phone, prescription glasses and wearable devices were found at home, but his hiking boots, wallet and a .38‑caliber revolver were reported missing, according to the Bernalillo County, New Mexico, Sheriff’s Office.

McCasland held senior roles in space research and acquisition, including leadership positions at the Air Force Research Laboratory and the National Reconnaissance Office, according to the Air Force. He held senior roles at the Pentagon and commanded the Phillips Research Site of the Air Force Research Laboratory at Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico, and the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio, according to the Air Force.

McCasland’s name also surfaced in an unexpected place years earlier — the 2016 WikiLeaks release of emails from Hillary Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta. In those messages, musician and UFO enthusiast Tom DeLonge described working with McCasland on discussions related to unidentified aerial phenomena, noting that the general had previously led the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base — a facility long tied in UFO lore to the alleged 1947 Roswell crash.

"Neil does not have any special knowledge about the ET bodies and debris from the Roswell crash stored at Wright-Patt," his wife, Susan, wrote on Facebook shortly after his February disappearance.

The 1947 Roswell incident involved debris later identified by the U.S. government as part of a classified military balloon program, though it has long been the subject of UFO and extraterrestrial conspiracy theories.

RETIRED GENERAL WHO ONCE LED AIR FORCE RESEARCH LABORATORY GOES MISSING

Susan Wilkerson also noted that her husband retired in 2013.

"It seems quite unlikely that he was taken to extract very dated secrets from him," she said on Facebook.

Monica Jacinto Reza: Disappeared June 22, 2025

Reza, 60, was hiking with a friend in the Angeles National Forest near Los Angeles on a well-traveled trail around 9 a.m. on the morning of her disappearance, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

The friend was about 30 feet ahead, and told police he turned around to check on her, and she smiled and waved, indicating she was doing fine. The friend turned back to continue hiking, and when he looked back again moments later, she was gone, according to, according to case details released during the search.

He immediately alerted authorities, who sent out a search party. Since then, there have been no sightings or any trace of Reza or her belongings.

Reza, an aerospace engineer, was the co-creator of Mondaloy, a nickel-based alloy capable of withstanding the extreme heat of rocket engines. At the time of her disappearance, she was the Director of Materials Processing at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).

Reza’s work in advanced rocket materials was funded in part by the Air Force Research Laboratory — the same organization McCasland later led — placing the two in overlapping corners of the U.S. defense research ecosystem, though no direct relationship between them has been publicly confirmed.

Steven Garcia: Disappeared Aug. 28, 2025

Garcia, 48, was last seen leaving his home in Albuquerque around 9 a.m., captured on surveillance footage walking away on foot while carrying a handgun. He left behind his phone, wallet, keys and car, and has not been seen since, according to Albuquerque police.

Garcia was a government contractor tied to the Kansas City National Security Campus, a key facility responsible for producing the vast majority of non-nuclear components used in the U.S. nuclear weapons arsenal. His role reportedly gave him high-level security clearance and oversight of sensitive assets.

Authorities initially warned Garcia "may be a danger to himself," raising concerns about his mental state. But an anonymous source familiar with the case pushed back on that assessment to the Daily Mail, describing him as "a very stable person" and disputing suggestions that he was suicidal or experiencing mental health issues.

Both Garcia and McCasland lived in the same region of New Mexico, a hub for U.S. nuclear and defense research, though authorities have not confirmed any connection between the cases.

Carl Grillmair: Killed Feb. 16, 2026

Grillmair, 67, a California Institute of Technology astrophysicist known for his work on exoplanets and the discovery of water on distant worlds, was shot and killed outside his home in Llano, California, early in the morning. Deputies responding to a call found him on his front porch with a gunshot wound; he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Authorities later arrested a 29-year-old suspect in connection with the killing, charging him with murder as well as carjacking and burglary in separate incidents. Investigators said the suspect had previously been reported for trespassing on Grillmair’s property in the weeks leading up to the shooting.

Grillmair had spent decades working on major NASA-backed missions, including the Hubble and Spitzer space telescopes, contributing to research on galactic structure, dark matter and the search for habitable planets.

Nuno Loureiro: Killed Dec. 15, 2025

Loureiro, 47, a renowned Massachusetts Institiute of Technology physicist and director of the university’s Plasma Science and Fusion Center, was shot at his home in Brookline, Massachusetts, and died from his injuries the following day.

His killing came within months of both the disappearance of McCasland and the fatal shooting of Grillmair, adding to growing attention around a series of cases involving scientists tied to defense and aerospace research.

Loureiro was a leading figure in fusion energy research, studying plasma physics and working on technologies aimed at harnessing near-limitless clean energy.

Authorities later linked his killing to a suspect connected to a separate mass shooting at Brown University days earlier. Investigators said the suspect, who had previously attended university with Loureiro in Portugal, died by suicide after the attacks, effectively closing the case.

Despite early speculation online, officials have not indicated Loureiro’s death was connected to his research or to any broader pattern.

Frank Maiwald: Died July 4, 2024

Maiwald, 61, a longtime engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, died in Los Angeles on Independence Day.

The only widely available public record of Maiwald’s death is a brief online obituary. No cause of death has been publicly disclosed, and reporting indicates no autopsy was performed.

Maiwald spent decades at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory developing advanced instruments used to study Earth and distant planetary environments, including tools capable of detecting chemical signatures such as water and organic molecules.

CHINESE MILITARY COMPANY'S MACHINERY IN USE AT NATION'S TOP SECRET RESEARCH LAB, OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE SAYS

His work focused on building instruments capable of detecting chemical signatures including water, organic molecules and other indicators scientists use to assess whether environments beyond Earth could support life.

Melissa Casias: Disappeared June 26, 2025

Casias, 53, was last seen on June 26, 2025, in Taos County, New Mexico, walking alone along State Road 518 near the community of Talpa.

Earlier that day, Casias, an administrative employee with security clearance at Los Alamos National Laboratory, had left work and spent time in Taos, New Mexico. At one point, her niece told local media, she picked up a Subway sandwich and dropped it off for her daughter, who was working at a coffee shop in the Taos Plaza area.

When family members returned home, they found her car, purse, keys and both her personal and work-issued phones inside. The phones had been factory reset, wiping recent data and communications.

Family members have strongly pushed back on the idea that she left voluntarily.

"All of her friends keep telling us this is not like her… she wouldn’t leave her daughter," her sister, Trudy Najera, said.

The family added that Casias had been preparing to care for their mother during an upcoming surgery.

Despite multiple searches, no confirmed trace of Casias has been found since that afternoon.

Anthony Chavez: Reported missing May 8, 2025

Chavez, 78, a retired Los Alamos National Laboratory employee, is believed to have last been seen around May 4, 2025, at his home in Los Alamos, New Mexico. He was reported missing four days later, May 8.

When authorities and family members searched his home, they found his wallet, keys and other personal items left behind inside, while his car remained locked in the driveway. There were no signs of forced entry or a struggle, according to the Los Alamos Reporter.

Investigators reviewed hours of surveillance footage from nearby homes and businesses but have not publicly identified any confirmed footage showing Chavez after he left his residence.

Chavez had worked for decades at Los Alamos National Laboratory before retiring in 2017, placing him within the same northern New Mexico defense corridor as others who later vanished.

Jason Thomas: Missing Dec. 13, 2025, found deceased March 17, 2026

Thomas, 45, an associate director of chemical biology at pharmaceutical company Novartis, was reported missing in December 2025 after leaving his home in Wakefield, Massachusetts, late at night. Surveillance footage captured him walking near train tracks shortly after midnight, and he left behind his phone and wallet.

Thomas worked in chemical biology, a field at the intersection of chemistry and biology that uses small molecules to study and manipulate biological systems — work that plays a central role in modern drug discovery and the development of new treatments.

At Novartis, he focused on identifying and testing compounds that could target disease-related proteins, part of a broader effort to develop new medicines for complex conditions.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

In the months after his disappearance, authorities conducted extensive searches but found no trace of him.

A body believed to be Thomas was recovered from Lake Quannapowitt, Massaschusetts, March 17, after the ice thawed. Officials said no foul play was suspected, though the cause and manner of death have not been publicly disclosed.

The overlap in timing and profession has fueled questions about whether something more is at play. But investigators have not identified any evidence of a broader pattern, and the cases themselves, ranging from confirmed homicides to disappearances and natural deaths, point in different directions.

Mystery clouds deaths, disappearances of scientists with UFO research ties: timeline

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 14:37:22 -0400

A series of suspicious deaths and disappearances of high-level scientists across the country over the past several years is reaching a fever pitch and catching the attention of online sleuths all the way to the White House.

Since 2023, at least eight people, mostly involved in researching space and nuclear science, have died or vanished, some under murky circumstances. Some have had connections to UFO research.

Asked Wednesday by Fox News' Peter Doocy about the trend, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the Trump administration will likely look into the matter.

"I haven’t spoken to our relevant agencies about it. I will certainly do that, and we’ll get you an answer," Leavitt said. "If true, of course, that’s definitely something I think this government and its administration would deem worth looking into. So let me do that for you."

1) Amy Eskridge

Date: June 11, 2022

Age: 34

Cause of Death: Suicide

Eskridge co-founded the Institute for Exotic Science and described her work as focused on experimental propulsion concepts, including what she referred to as "antigravity" research.

"We discovered antigravity, and our lives went to (expletive) and people started sabotaging us," she said in a 2020 interview with Youtuber Jeremy Rys. "It’s harassment, threats. It’s awful.

"If you stick your neck out in public, at least someone notices if your head gets chopped off," Eskridge added. "If you stick your neck out in private, they will bury you. They will burn down your house while you’re sleeping in your bed, and it won’t even make the news."

2) Michael David Hicks

Death: July 30, 2023

Age: 59

Cause of Death: Not released

Hicks was a scientist working at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory from 1998 to 2022, according to the Daily Mail. He worked on the space program's Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) project, which focused on understanding the physical properties of asteroids and comets, and whether they could be re-directed in outer space.

3) Frank Maiwald

Death: July 4, 2024

Age: 61

Cause of Death: Not released

Maiwald also worked in the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. He designed a critical instrument for a project called Surface Biology and Geology (SBG) – Visible to Shortwave Infrared (VSWIR), a future NASA mission to launch a satellite into space and map the "living color" of the Earth in far greater detail than can be observed by the human eye, according to his obituary.

Just over a year before he died, he was working on a program to help astronauts on space missions identify signs of life on other planets, including Jupiter's moon, Europa, Saturn’s moon, Enceladus, or the dwarf planet Ceres, the Daily Mail reported.

4) Monica Reza

Missing: June 22, 2025

Age: 60

Status: Unknown

Monica Reza went missing while hiking in Mount Waterman in the Angeles National Forest in California. A missing person's flyer from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office said there was concern for Reza's well-being, and asked tipsters to call 818-248-3464.

Reza also worked for NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory as an aerospace engineer, reportedly overseeing the lab's Materials Processing Group, which "focuses on developing new materials and advanced manufacturing technologies for spacecraft, specializing in bulk metallic glass alloys and metal additive manufacturing," according to NASA.

LIKE WHAT YOU'RE READING? FIND MORE ON THE TRUE CRIME HUB

5) Melissa Casias

Missing: June 26, 2025

Age: 53

Status: Unknown

Casias worked as an administrative assistant at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, which reportedly developed nuclear weapons for the Manhattan Project.

On the day she disappeared, she dropped off lunch for her daughter and was never seen again.

6) Anthony Chavez

Missing: May 8, 2025

Age: 79

Status: Unknown

Chavez also worked at Los Alamos National Laboratory until he retired in 2017, according to the Daily Mail. He was last seen leaving his house in Los Alamos on foot, with his car locked in his driveway. He did not bring his phone, wallet or keys on his walk.

SIGN UP TO GET TRUE CRIME NEWSLETTER

7) Steven Garcia

Missing: Aug. 28, 2025

Age: 48

Status: Unknown

Garcia went missing in Albuquerque after leaving his home on foot carrying only a handgun, according to NewsNation. He worked at the Kansas City National Security Campus, which develops most of the nonnuclear components that go into building nuclear weapons.

He had a top secret security clearance.

FOLLOW THE FOX TRUE CRIME TEAM ON X

8) Carl Grillmair

Death: Feb. 16, 2026

Age: 47

Manner of Death: Homicide

Grillmair was a renowned research scientist at Caltech’s Infrared Processing and Analysis Center, which partners with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory providing "science operations, user support, archives and data services, and scientific vision to maximize discovery with observatories both in space and on the ground."

The Daily Mail reported that he was personally involved in space telescope projects with NASA.

He was shot and killed outside his home. A man named Freddy Snyder, 29, was charged with his murder.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

9) Retired Air Force Maj. Gen. William Neil McCasland

Missing: Feb. 27, 2026

Age: 68

Status: Unknown

McCasland was the former commander of the Air Force Research Laboratory, and had connections with the Los Alamos National Laboratory, like Casias and Garcia. He reportedly possessed top secret information on UFOs.

He, too, disappeared in New Mexico. He left his home with only a part of boots and a handgun, leaving his phone, keys and glasses, the Daily Mail reported.

Body of New York woman who jumped from moving vehicle in panic and went missing is found weeks later

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 12:48:46 -0400

A corpse found floating in the Long Island Sound was the body of 32-year-old Brittany Kritis-Garip, according to the Suffolk County Police Department in New York.

"Brittany Kritis-Garip, 32, of Oyster Bay, has been identified as the woman found deceased in the Long Island Sound in Lloyd Harbor on April 13. Detectives believe her cause of death to be non-criminal in nature," according to the department.

The woman went missing last month.

LONG ISLAND WOMAN MISSING AFTER JUMPING FROM MOVING VEHICLE IN PANICKED STATE

Fernando Garip, the woman's husband, said that she had been in a panicked state, jumped out of a moving vehicle, tossed her phone into a bush, and ran away, News 12 Long Island reported last month.

Patch reported last month that to clarify any confusion regarding the woman jumping out of a family member's vehicle, her brother Niko Kritis said "She hopped out unexpectedly after pulling forward after a stop sign."

MISSING TEEN FOUND HIDING IN CONVICTED SEX OFFENDER'S CLOSET IN FLORIDA, SHERIFF SAYS

"The search for my sister has come to a close," Kritis wrote in a Wednesday post to a Facebook group dedicated to the search for his sister.

"With heavy hearts, we share that Brittany has been found and has passed. We take comfort in knowing that God has called her into His care, and that she is now at peace," he noted.

HUSBAND OF MISSING AMERICAN WOMAN RETURNS TO US AFTER BAHAMAS JAIL RELEASE, SOURCE SAYS

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

"Brittany was, and will always be, a light in the lives of everyone she met. Her warmth, kindness, and spirit left a lasting mark on so many people. That light does not disappear—it lives on in all of us who knew and loved her," he wrote.

Fox News Digital's Louis Casiano contributed to this report

Husband of missing American woman returns to US after Bahamas jail release, source says

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 10:20:57 -0400

GREAT ABACO ISLAND, Bahamas — Lynette Hooker's husband left the Bahamas on Wednesday to tend to his "very ill" mother, according to his attorney.

Brian Hooker's attorney, Terrel Butler, told Fox News Digital her client has left the Bahamas and returned to the United States, though she declined to say where.

A source familiar with the matter told Fox News Digital that Brian Hooker landed in Atlanta, Georgia, on Wednesday afternoon.

His departure comes as Bahamian authorities intend to wrap up their search for missing American woman Lynette Hooker in the near future, while the U.S. Coast Guard confirmed that its criminal investigation into her disappearance continues.

The island nation's military says the search could be suspended as early as Thursday, according to an NBC report. After analyzing "tide, drift and wind," authorities say they are running out of locations to search, the report said.

WATCH: Brian Hooker leaves Freeport for Nassau after jail release

The U.S. Coast Guard confirmed to Fox News Digital on Wednesday that its criminal investigation into Lynette Hooker's husband, Brian Hooker, remains ongoing.

Meanwhile, Hooker's attorney, Terrel Butler, told Fox News Digital on Wednesday morning that Brian is waiting for Bahamian police to return the keys to his boat before he resumes his own search for Lynette.

LYNETTE HOOKER MISSING IN BAHAMAS: TIMELINE OF MICHIGAN WOMAN'S DISAPPEARANCE, HUSBAND'S ARREST

A local boat captain told Fox News Digital during a recreation of Brian and Lynette Hooker's doomed dinghy ride that he was shocked Lynette's body hadn't been found.

Mo Monestime has spent 15 years chartering boats in the Great Abaco Island area.

SEND US A TIP HERE

"Not being found, that’s the mystery," he said.

"It is very hard to disappear, because, again, we’re so close to land," Monestime continued. "So if you do fall overboard [and] drown, somebody will see you the next day. Again, we can see bottom, you know? I’ll be driving the boat, I will see stingrays, I will see turtles, so I would see a human body. Somebody would see something. Somebody would say something, like, ‘Hey, we just saw something strange in the water.'"

DINGHY ROUTE TAKEN BY MISSING AMERICAN WOMAN AND JAILED HUSBAND RECREATED AS DETAILS OF DISAPPEARANCE EMERGE

Monestime said drownings happen occasionally near Elbow Cay, but then reiterated that victims are recovered quickly.

"Again, you could see land all the way, the whole time," he said. "Even if you fall overboard in pitch dark, you still could see the lights from the shore."

Brian Hooker, 58, was arrested and jailed last Wednesday as police investigated his wife's disappearance. The pair left the Abaco Inn in their dinghy at around 7:30 p.m. on April 4 during rough weather. Choppy seas and high winds caused Lynette to fall overboard with the initiation key in her pocket, disabling the boat, Brian said.

LIKE WHAT YOU'RE READING? FIND MORE ON THE TRUE CRIME HUB

He was released from custody Monday night after five days, but the investigation remains ongoing.

SIGN UP TO GET TRUE CRIME NEWSLETTER

Brian said that in the ensuing panic after Lynette fell off the dinghy, he tossed a flotation device to her. He said he thought she was attempting to swim to their anchored yacht, and called out to her for about an hour. He paddled and drifted for about eight hours before washing ashore at Marsh Harbour on Great Abaco Island, where local security guards at a marina assisted him.

LISTEN TO THE NEW 'CRIME & JUSTICE WITH DONNA ROTUNNO' PODCAST

The couple from Michigan was pursuing their retirement dream of living on their yacht and sailing around the world.

Brian said in a Facebook post that he was "heartbroken" by Lynette's disappearance.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

"I am heartbroken over the recent boat accident in unpredictable seas and high winds that caused my beloved Lynette to fall from our small dinghy near Elbow Cay in the Bahamas," he wrote. "Despite desperate attempts to reach her, the winds and currents drove us further apart. We continue to search for her and that is my sole focus."

Hooker said Tuesday upon his release that he intends to continue to search for Lynette.

Missing teen found hiding in convicted sex offender's closet in Florida, sheriff says

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 11:44:55 -0400

A missing 17-year-old girl was found hiding in a convicted sex offender’s closet in Florida, authorities said Tuesday, leading to the man’s arrest on multiple charges.

Polk County detectives went to the home of Alexis Diaz-Toledo, 30, on Monday after getting a tip from Orange County deputies that a runaway teen might be with a man in Dundee, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office said.

Diaz-Toledo initially told investigators he had not seen the girl for several days and denied knowing her whereabouts, according to the sheriff's office.

Authorities said he also initially refused to let detectives search his home.

FLORIDA TEACHER ACCUSED OF SEX WITH STUDENT WHOSE PARENTS TRACKED HIS LOCATION

Detectives then determined Diaz-Toledo was in violation of his sex offender registration requirements for failing to report two vehicles being kept at his home.

When investigators eventually searched his home, authorities said detectives found the missing girl hiding in a bedroom closet.

The teen was safely returned to her family, the sheriff’s office said, without elaborating on how she ended up at the home of Diaz-Toledo.

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd underscored concerns about the suspect in a statement to Fox News Digital.

"A 30-year old male sex offender is not the kind of person you want giving a 17-year old girl a place to stay," Judd said. "I can assure you that Alexis Diaz-Toledo did not have the missing juvenile’s best interests in mind. Suffice to say, we gave Alexis a place to stay for a while — at the Polk County Jail."

FLORIDA DOCTOR CHARGED AFTER ALLEGEDLY REMOVING WRONG ORGAN DURING SURGERY

Diaz-Toledo was arrested and charged with two counts of failure to comply with sex offender registration requirements, interfering with custody of a minor, sheltering a minor without notifying a parent and providing false information to law enforcement during a missing person investigation.

Diaz-Toledo remained in custody as of Wednesday, and was not eligible for bond, according to online jail records.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Diaz-Toledo has been a registered sex offender since a 2014 conviction for lewd and lascivious battery involving a minor between 12 and 15 years old, the sheriff’s office said.

Athena Strand’s killer searched ‘missing girl,’ FedEx truck cameras after kidnapping, expert testifies

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 17:48:38 -0400

A former delivery driver who murdered 7-year-old Athena Strand searched "do FedEx truck cameras constantly record" after the killing, an expert testified in week two of the capital murder trial.

The second week of Tanner Horner's punishment phase began with Scott Morris, a digital forensic examiner employed by the FBI, who exposed the search history of the FedEx driver's cellphone.

He talked about Horner's browser cache and search history on the day of Dec. 1, including the phrases "Paradise missing girl" and "do FedEx truck cameras constantly record."

SEND US A TIP HERE

Horner, 34, a former delivery driver accused of kidnapping and strangling the 7-year-old after hitting her with his van in 2022, admitted to her capital murder in Tarrant County, Texas last week.

SIGN UP TO GET TRUE CRIME NEWSLETTER

On Monday, medical examiner Dr. Jessica Dwyer testified that the cause of death was blunt force injuries, smothering, and strangulation.

LISTEN TO THE NEW 'CRIME & JUSTICE WITH DONNA ROTUNNO' PODCAST

Under questioning from prosecutors, Dwyer said she believed the victim suffered before she died.

Addressing the lack of physical evidence of sexual trauma, Dwyer noted that while none was found, its absence does not rule out the occurrence of an assault.

LIKE WHAT YOU'RE READING? FIND MORE ON THE TRUE CRIME HUB

Prosecutors also played five separate phone calls between Horner and family members. During one call, Horner's mother asked him what happened during the abduction.

"What did you do? Did she die on her own?" his mother asked.

"No," Horner admitted.

"Oh my God," his mother exclaimed.

"I know," Horner said.

She also asked him whether he sexually abused Athena.

"Tanner, I just hope you didn't do nothing weird to that little girl," his mother said.

"I didn't," he said.

"OK. I didn't think you did. I just know how you get," his mother said.

"Well, actually with my medication, I barely even have a libido as it is," Horner said.

In a call conversation with his grandmother, Horner once again denied raping Athena.

"Are you remorseful, Tanner?" his grandmother asked.

"How can I not be?" he replied. "I haven't been on my medication for the last few weeks, and I'm feeling emotional."

He also, according to FOX 4 Dallas, broke down on the call when discussing that he would not be able to spend Christmas with his young son.

Following the murder, Horner wrote a letter to Athena's heartbroken family, writing: "To Athena's family. I wanted to start by saying how sorry I am about Athena. The entire time I've known my legal counsel, they continued to tell me how. I don't need to apologize, didn't apologize, and the trial? And frankly, I can't hold it in any longer. I can't tell you how many countless nights I've stayed awake, unable to sleep. I pray for you. For all of you. So many were affected by my breakdown. Not just your family, but my own as well. You'll never get to see your baby girl grow up. And I'm sorry," the letter to Athena's family said.

At the start of the trial, Horner admitted to abducting Athena while delivering a package to her father’s home in Paradise, a town of fewer than 500 people about 60 miles northwest of Dallas. Her body was found on Dec. 2, two days after she was reported missing less than 10 miles away from the property.

Horner, authorities said, was delivering a package of Barbie dolls intended to be Athena's Christmas present. She was set to return to Oklahoma with her mother after the holidays and had been staying with her father, Jacob Strand, and stepmother, Ashley Strand, in Wise County.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

According to the arrest warrant, Horner told investigators that he strangled the 7-year-old after accidentally hitting her with his van while making a delivery at her father’s home. He said Athena wasn't seriously hurt after he hit her while backing up, but he panicked and put her in his van.

Athena was reported missing, and eventually an Amber Alert was issued, leading to 72 hours of searching.

Missing American woman’s husband Brian Hooker released after arrest in Bahamas disappearance

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 15:25:35 -0400

GREAT ABACO ISLAND, Bahamas – Bahamian authorities released Brian Hooker, the husband of missing Michigan boater Lynette Hooker, after a Monday evening deadline to charge him or let him go in connection with her disappearance, his attorney said.

The Royal Bahamas Police Force said the decision followed consultation with the Department of Public Prosecutions, which recommended that Hooker be released pending the outcome of further investigations.

Hooker had been held in custody since he was arrested on Wednesday, April 8, as investigators examined the circumstances surrounding his wife’s disappearance near Elbow Cay earlier this month.

Hooker’s immediate next steps remained unclear Monday night. His attorney, Terrel Butler, told Fox News Digital she did not know whether he still has his passport and said she would need to "discuss that further with him and the police" when asked if he is free to leave the Bahamas.

Butler said both she and Hooker were exhausted following the ordeal and that she chose to "give him space" after his release, allowing him to return to his hotel. She said they plan to reconvene in the morning.

LYNETTE HOOKER MISSING IN BAHAMAS: TIMELINE OF MICHIGAN WOMAN’S DISAPPEARANCE, HUSBAND’S ARREST

She added that around 7:50 p.m. that authorities did not file charges before the 7:20 p.m. deadline, requiring his release under Bahamian law. Hooker walked out of the police station shortly afterward.

Butler had earlier criticized the delay, saying she had not received an update from police after the cutoff and calling the situation "totally unacceptable and disrespectful."

Earlier in the day, Butler said Hooker feels "a bit drained and tired from this whole ordeal," and that he's "just hoping to have closure to be released so that he can continue to search to find out what has happened to his wife."

Body language expert Susan Constantine told Fox News Digital that Brian Hooker’s demeanor following his release stood out as notably restrained, with little visible emotion.

"He doesn’t show a lot of expression in his body movement. There’s not a lot of movement — he’s not gesturing," Constantine said. "If you didn’t know the situation, you might think he was walking into a business meeting."

Constantine said Hooker appeared "very matter of fact" and "collected," adding that there was "no sense of urgency," which she described as unusual given the circumstances.

"He’s looking relaxed — creating that presence that he doesn’t have a care in the world," she said. "That can be someone who is trying to project, ‘I’m innocent,’ and perform that way."

Property records indicate that Brian and Lynette sold their home in the town of Kentwood, Michigan, in 2020. Fox News Digital was not able to verify any further property records related to the Hookers, who bought a boat in Texas and fixed it up before beginning their sailing trips in 2023, according to videos they shared on their YouTube account, "The Sailing Hookers."

Police continue searching for Lynette by air, land and sea, though the effort has shifted from a rescue mission to a recovery operation.

Final hours under scrutiny

Lynette Hooker was last seen the night of April 4 after the couple left the Abaco Inn on a dinghy headed back to their anchored yacht.

DINGHY ROUTE TAKEN BY MISSING AMERICAN WOMAN AND JAILED HUSBAND RECREATED AS DETAILS OF DISAPPEARANCE EMERGE

Fox News Digital previously retraced the route — a short trip through waters local experts say are typically shallow, clear and heavily trafficked.

According to Brian Hooker’s account, Lynette fell overboard in worsening weather and strong winds. He has said the couple was not wearing life jackets and that the dinghy lost power after the ignition key went into the water.

In a recorded phone call obtained by CBS, Hooker described the incident as a series of mistakes, saying Lynette "basically just bounced off the dinghy" before he lost sight of her in the dark.

He has said he later paddled for help after searching for her.

WATCH: Volunteer fire and rescue team searches for missing Lynette Hooker

Family raises concerns

In an interview on Ashleigh Banfield’s "Drop Dead Serious" podcast, Lynette’s mother described a volatile relationship and said her daughter had left her husband multiple times in the past.

"They had a lot of highs and a lot of lows," she said. "When there were bad times, they were bad times."

She alleged Brian Hooker could become "mean" and "hateful" when drinking and said there had been instances where he became physical, adding she had long feared for her daughter’s safety.

Lynette had been planning to leave the marriage, her mother said in the interview.

FRIEND OF BRIAN HOOKER SPEAKS OUT, QUESTIONS DISAPPEARANCE OF WOMAN IN BAHAMAS MYSTERY

Separately, Lynette’s daughter, Karli Aylesworth, has questioned Brian Hooker’s version of events, saying the circumstances surrounding her mother’s disappearance "don’t add up."

In a previous appearance on "Fox & Friends," she also alleged he had been physically violent in the past.

"I've seen him choke out one of his daughters before. And we had to go to court for that," Aylesworth said. "So he's just repeating patterns."

MISSING AMERICAN’S HUSBAND HAD 'SPOTTY' CELL SERVICE DURING 8-HOUR TREK TO REPORT DISAPPEARANCE: TELECOM BOSS

Brian Hooker has denied wrongdoing and has spoken publicly about the incident, saying in a Facebook post that he is "heartbroken."

FOLLOW THE FOX TRUE CRIME TEAM ON X

Attorney: Hooker denies wrongdoing

Hooker’s attorney said his client wants "closure" to find out what happened to his wife.

"He denied the allegations and he maintained his innocence," Terrel Butler said, adding that a decision on whether to charge him would likely come before the deadline.

SIGN UP TO GET TRUE CRIME NEWSLETTER

The attorney also said the case would ultimately be handled by prosecutors, not just investigating officers, and that Hooker is "drained and tired" as he awaits a decision.

If he is not charged by the deadline, authorities would be required to release him, though re-arrest remains a possibility under Bahamian law.

SEND US A TIP HERE

Search continues as deadline nears

A flotation device believed to have been thrown to Lynette was recovered, according to multiple reports, but authorities have not announced that they have found her body.

Royal Bahamas Defence Force Commander Origin Deleveaux told NBC News that authorities were continuing to search for Lynette, and that early efforts were complicated by severe weather.

LISTEN TO THE NEW 'CRIME & JUSTICE WITH DONNA ROTUNNO' PODCAST

Fox News Digital has also reported that local boaters say it would be unusual for someone to disappear without a trace in the area due to the water clarity and proximity to land.

LIKE WHAT YOU'RE READING? FIND MORE ON THE TRUE CRIME HUB

The Hookers had documented their boating lifestyle online after buying and restoring a sailboat in Texas, eventually making their way to the Bahamas.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Police said the investigation remains ongoing and are urging anyone with information to come forward.

It remains unclear whether authorities could pursue charges at a later time as the case develops.

Fox News Digital's Adam Sabes contributed to this report.

Dinghy route taken by missing American woman and jailed husband recreated as details of disappearance emerge

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 01:12:15 -0400

GREAT ABACO ISLAND, Bahamas — As more details emerged about Brian Hooker's final moments with his wife before she disappeared into the sea, Fox News Digital recreated the route Brian and his wife Lynette took moments before disaster struck.

Mo Monestime, who has spent 15 years chartering boats in the Great Abaco Island area, guided the excursion through the tropical Bahamian waters. He first exited a small harbor across from the Abaco Inn, where the Hookers had drinks before attempting to return to their boat.

The route calls for a turn southwest after clearing the harbor, and is followed by a short ride between the western coastline of Elbow Cay and the eastern coastline of Lubbers Quarters. That was the route the Hookers attempted to take at around 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 4.

LYNETTE HOOKER MISSING IN BAHAMAS: TIMELINE OF MICHIGAN WOMAN'S DISAPPEARANCE, HUSBAND'S ARREST

According to digital maps reportedly drawn by Brian and sent to his friends, the Hookers' return trip ended abruptly near the southwestern turn, about halfway through the ride to their anchored yacht, which sat in a popular channel used by tourists and locals alike.

The water surrounding the cays is clear enough to see to the bottom and sometimes as shallow as only four feet, Monestime said. At high tide, he estimated the water rises to about 10 feet.

The small channel between the two cays is rife with activity, as boaters motor through, anchor, and maneuver their dinghies in and out of shallow waters. Nearby is Tahiti Beach, along with a large sandbar that features a floating bar when weather conditions allow.

The ride from the harbor to the popular anchoring spot took only about four minutes.

But wind gusts may have created choppy waters before Brian said his wife fell overboard, separating the pair.

In a recording of a phone call Brian made to a friend on April 7 obtained by CBS, Brian gave the most detailed account yet about what he says is an accident that led to Lynette's disappearance.

"She basically just bounced off the dinghy in the middle of a little blow, like 20-something knot winds that popped up," he said on the call, adding that he and his wife were not wearing life jackets.

BOATYARD EMPLOYEE FOUND ‘EXHAUSTED’ MISSING AMERICAN'S HUSBAND WHEN HE WASHED ASHORE AFTER NIGHT ADRIFT

"It was sun down, and the sun set like basically 10 minutes after she fell over," he said. "The dinghy key went over with he because it wasn't clipped to anything or anybody, and she had the spare dinghy key in her dry bag, which was with her."

Brian continued, saying the wind rapidly blew the couple apart and that he thinks Lynette tried to swim back to the yacht, which he said was about 1,000 yards or so from where the incident occurred.

"I yelled to her that I lost an oar, and then I threw the anchor out, anchored the dinghy, and just, yeah, I yelled. I couldn't see her anymore because the moon had not risen yet," he said.

Later, he said he threw a flotation cushion toward Lynette right after she went into the water, but he couldn't tell whether she was able to grab it. He said he yelled for her for about an hour.

"By the time I got the anchor set, I was probably a quarter to a half a mile away from her, and I decided that I had to go get help," he said, "but I could not get to the island, so I paddled."

"And it was a cascade of failures, and it's something I'm never going to forgive myself for," he said. "We stayed to long, we left too dark, all kinds of s---. No life jackets. I f---ing threw the dinghy out last— the anchor out last — instead of first. Can't really explain it, you know?"

MISSING AMERICAN WOMAN'S HUSBAND HAD ‘SPOTTY' CELL SERVICE DURING 8-HOUR TREK TO REPORT DISAPPEARANCE: TELECOM BOSS

Eventually, Brian claims, he washed ashore about four miles northeast of where the incident reportedly occurred, on a beach covered with jagged rocks, adjacent to a boat repair and storage facility called Marsh Harbor Boatyard. There, he was met by a security guard who eventually called the police.

Brian was arrested at around 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, four days after the incident.

He is currently being held in jail in Freeport, a separate Bahamian island, while police continue to investigate Lynette's disappearance. Bahamian law allows a 48-hour initial hold time before filing charges against a suspect, which can be extended under certain circumstances. The first deadline for his release was Friday night, but his detention was extended by 72 hours. He is expected to be released or charged with a crime by Monday night.

Lynette's fate remains uncertain, but local authorities have announced that their investigation has shifted to a recovery effort.

Butler said Brian has been cooperating with authorities and "categorically and unequivocally denies any wrongdoing."

Brian has maintained throughout the investigation that he is innocent of any criminal wrongdoing, and issued a statement on Wednesday mourning his wife's disappearance.

"I am heartbroken over the recent boat accident in unpredictable seas and high winds that caused my beloved Lynette to fall from our small dinghy near Elbow Cay in the Bahamas. Despite desperate attempts to reach her, the winds and currents drove us further apart. We continue to search for her and that is my sole focus," he said on Facebook.

"Not being found, that’s the mystery," Monestime told Fox News Digital.

"It is very hard to disappear, because, again, we’re so close to land," Monestime told Fox News Digital. "So if you do fall overboard [and] drown, somebody will see you the next day. Again, we can see bottom, you know? I’ll be driving the boat, I will see stingrays, I will see turtles, so I would see a human body. Somebody would see something. Somebody would say something, like, ‘Hey, we just saw something strange in the water.'"

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Monestime said drownings happen occasionally near Elbow Cay, but then reiterated that victims are recovered quickly.

"Again, you could see land all the way, the whole time," he said. "Even if you fall overboard in pitch dark, you still could see the lights from the shore."

Lynette Hooker missing in Bahamas: Timeline of Michigan woman’s disappearance, husband’s arrest

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 15:16:07 -0400

HOPE TOWN, Bahamas — Bahamian police are searching for missing American Lynette Hooker, five days after her husband says she fell out of a dinghy and was swept away by a strong current near Elbow Cay in the Caribbean country.

Her husband, Brian Hooker, has been arrested in her disappearance, according to his attorney.

The case is unfolding more than three years after the couple bought their boat in Texas, worked together on repairing it and sailed along the southern coast before ending up in the Bahamas.

Here's what we know about the Hookers' journey from buying their boat to Lynette's disappearance and Brian's arrest.

HUSBAND ARRESTED IN CONNECTION WITH DISAPPEARANCE OF AMERICAN WOMAN IN THE BAHAMAS

Jan. 10, 2023

Lynette, 55, and Brian, 58, documented their experience buying and cleaning up their boat in Rockport, Texas, in a video posted on YouTube Jan. 10, 2023, on their account called "The Sailing Hookers."

She said the couple had spent years looking for a sailboat to buy before finding a Morgan 461 sailboat in Texas, a 1980 charter boat from the Virgin Islands.

She said it was "a little rough on the edges."

"But we knew we were up for the task," she added in the video, which showed photos and footage of the couple repairing the boat.

March 17, 2023

The Hookers posted a video on their YouTube channel showing them sailing from the Industrial Canal Lock and navigating the Mississippi River toward Lake Pontchartrain near New Orleans.

March 26, 2023

Lynette and Brian shared a video of their first attempt at crossing the Gulf of America. Gale force winds forced them to stop in Morgan City, Louisiana.

April 24, 2023

The couple posted a video of Walmart supplies being delivered to them while they were in New Orleans.

Aug. 13, 2025

The next video on the Hookers' YouTube channel was more than two years later, when they said they were in Fernandina Beach, Florida.

Sept. 29, 2025

The couple posted a 13-second video from a bridge over a creek in Coloma, California.

March 9, 2026

Lynette and Brian shared a video of them paddleboarding in Marsh Harbour in the Bahamas.

Saturday, April 4, 2026, 7:30 p.m.

Local authorities say the couple left Hope Town's Abaco Inn on a dinghy headed toward their anchored yacht. According to Brian, Lynette fell overboard from the small boat and into the water. He said Lynette had the ignition key to the dinghy when she fell, causing it to shut off, and that despite attempts to save her, she was swept away.

Brian then paddled to the shore in Marsh Harbour.

Sunday, April 5, 2026, 4 a.m.

Brian reported Lynette missing.

Sunday, April 5, 2026, 5:51 p.m.

The Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) announced an investigation into Lynette's fall was underway.

That U.S. Coast Guard briefly participated in the search Sunday.

HUSBAND TAKEN INTO CUSTODY IN CONNECTION WITH MISSING AMERICAN WOMAN LAST SEEN IN BAHAMAS

"The Royal Bahamas Defense Force (RBDF) is the lead agency for this search," the agency told Fox News Digital. "On Sunday, the U.S. Coast Guard provided support for approximately one hour using an HC-144 aircraft, but the search yielded no results. Since then, the RBDF has not requested additional assistance from the U.S. Coast Guard."

WATCH: Lynette Hooker, husband document boating life

Tuesday morning, April 7, 2026

Lynette Hooker's daughter, Karli Aylesworth, called for a thorough investigation in a statement to Fox News Digital. Aylesworth is not Brian's biological daughter.

She said she has been "privy to very little information," adding her "sole concern is to find out what happened to my mother and make sure a full and complete investigation is performed into her disappearance."

Tuesday afternoon, April 7, 2026

Richard Cook, a team leader with Hope Town Volunteer Fire and Rescue, told People officials "don't suspect foul play at the moment."

"It was just a lot of bad decisions," he added. "Night time, very windy, no moon out yet. So, it was pitch dark and very rough conditions for the small boat they were in."

He also told the magazine search efforts have transitioned to a recovery effort.

WATCH: Lynette and Brian Hooker share scenes from boating life

Tuesday, April 7, 2026, 7:12 p.m.

RBDF released a second statement informing the public that "search operations and investigative efforts remain active."

The law enforcement entity said that it, along with the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, local fire and rescue teams and the Bahamas Air Sea Rescue Association, are investigating.

The U.S. State Department also confirmed to Fox News Digital that it is working with the Bahamian government.

HUSBAND OF AMERICAN WOMAN MISSING IN THE BAHAMAS SPEAKS OUT FOR FIRST TIME, SAYS HE IS 'HEARTBROKEN'

Wednesday, April 8, 2026, 6:42 a.m.

Aylesworth joined Griff Jenkins on "Fox & Friends" and said she has seen Brian become physically violent toward one of his own children.

"I've seen him choke out one of his daughters before. And we had to go to court for that," Aylesworth said. "So, he's just repeating patterns."

She described her mother as a "very fit person" who wouldn't lose her balance on a boat.

"I'm confused why she has the keys because she never drove the dinghy. It was always Brian. So, the story just doesn't add up right now," Aylesworth said.

Aylesworth also said Brian Hooker left a voicemail message telling her authorities found Lynette's flotation device.

"Hello, honey, it's Dad. I just got a call from Hope Town Search and Rescue, and they found the flotation device that I threw to mom when she fell overboard," Brian Hooker said in the voicemail, according to CBS News.

AMERICAN COUPLE CHASING RETIREMENT DREAM IN BAHAMAS BOATING MYSTERY WERE 'INEXPERIENCED': FRIEND

Wednesday, April 8, 2026, 10:04 a.m.

10:04 a.m.: Brian spoke out for the first time since the incident.

"Our family is deeply grateful for the Bahamian people's assistance, especially that of the Hopetown Volunteer Fire & Rescue team, Royal Bahamas police force, Royal Bahamas Defense Force, and the U.S. Coast Guard, who have worked tirelessly in an ongoing effort to bring Lynette back to us. Thank you to everyone for keeping Lynette in your thoughts and for your support of our family during this difficult time."

WATCH: Private investigator TJ Ward reacts to Brian Hooker's arrest

Wednesday, April 8, 2026, 6:30 p.m.

A vessel operated by the Royal Bahamas Police Force approached Brian's yacht, which was positioned between two land masses, to inspect it.

Two officers appeared to secure an item, possibly a rope, to the side of the boat, according to ground source AJ Skuy. One officer was also seen looking through a window before the crew departed the vessel minutes later.

No further activity was observed around the yacht.

FOLLOW THE FOX TRUE CRIME TEAM ON X

Wednesday, April 8, 2026, 7:34 p.m.

The U.S. Coast Guard launched an investigation into Lynette's case, Fox News Digital confirmed.

WATCH: Donna Rotunno breaks down Brian Hooker's arrest

Wednesday, April 8, 2026, 8:33 p.m.

The RBPF announced on Facebook that a 59-year old man had been arrested in Marsh Harbour in the incident. The police force did not name the suspect but said he was being questioned.

Thursday, April 9, 2026, 3 a.m.

Attorney Terrel Butler confirmed to Fox News Digital that Brian Hooker was taken into custody Wednesday in the disappearance of his wife. He has not been charged with any crime.

Butler said Brian has been cooperating with relevant authorities and "categorically and unequivocally denies any wrongdoing" in Lynette's disappearance, specifically allegations of his potential involvement made by her daughter, Aylesworth.

SIGN UP TO GET TRUE CRIME NEWSLETTER

Thursday, April 9, 2026, morning

Lynette's mother said she wants to hear what her son-in-law has to say after his arrest in her daughter’s disappearance in the Bahamas, according to The Associated Press.

"I’m going to be interested in what he says, because I haven’t heard from him in almost two days," Darlene Hamlett told the AP.

Hamlett, who was driving home from the Bahamian Consulate in Miami after securing a passport to travel to the islands, also told the AP that her daughter was experienced on the water, having grown up around lakes, boats, sailing and swimming.

"Our family grew up on water, and, so, Lynette her whole life has been near lakes, on boats, sailing and swimming," Hamlett said. "It would be a miracle if (she’s rescued), but I’m still counting on one."

LISTEN TO THE NEW 'CRIME & JUSTICE WITH DONNA ROTUNNO' PODCAST

Aylesworth that her stepfather’s arrest appears to be bringing the case "the attention it deserves" as investigators work to determine what happened in the Bahamas.

She was interviewed for about two hours Wednesday by the U.S. Coast Guard’s Detroit sector, her attorney, Ron Marienfeld, confirmed to CNN.

In a statement after Brian's arrest, Marienfeld told Fox News Digital the family’s goal had been to get answers after they had "not hearing anything in the beginning."

"After learning of the arrest last night, it appears this matter is getting the attention it deserves," Marienfeld said.

He said Aylesworth’s efforts, along with those of Lynette's mother, helped intensify scrutiny on the case by drawing media attention. Marienfeld added that the family felt better once it learned the U.S. Coast Guard was involved in the investigation.

"The events as initially reported just did not seem to add up," he said.

Marienfeld called the case "nothing short of a tragedy" and said the family is now waiting to see where the evidence leads. He also thanked the Royal Bahamas Police Force, the Coast Guard, the media and others who have worked on the case.

LIKE WHAT YOU'RE READING? FIND MORE ON THE TRUE CRIME HUB

Aylesworth told the "Today" show that Brian gave her the same account he later shared with authorities during a brief phone call Sunday after Lynette vanished during a dinghy ride from Hope Town to Elbow Cay, according to local authorities.

She said her stepfather sounded "monotone and relaxed" when he told her what allegedly happened the night her mother disappeared in the Bahamas.

Aylesworth said she was "in shock" by both the news and his tone.

"I was in shock," she said. "I was like, my mom’s missing? Like, what?"

Since the incident, Fox News Digital has spoken with two people who said the Hookers retired and began traveling in their boat full time.

John Waters, a freind of the couple, told Fox News Digital he met Lynette at an oyster bar in Panama City Beach, Florida, in 2023. He said the couple was on a journey around the Gulf of America.

SEND US A TIP HERE

"Their new lifestyle was this boat that they picked up in Texas. They spent a year working on it," Waters said.

One of Lynette's former neighbors in Kentwood, Michigan, told Fox News Digital the same and described Lynette as "just so freaking nice."

"She was just a sweetheart. She was always the nicest lady," the former neighbor told Fox News Digital. "She was — I don’t want to say she was like a hippie — but she kind of gave off this free spirit vibe, this ‘let’s go with the flow’ vibe."

He described Lynette as outgoing and said she would wave whenever she saw him. He also socialized with Lynette and Brian, recalling memories of drinking alcohol with them by the pool when the weather was nice. He told Fox News Digital she gave him motherly advice, adding that she spoke simply but that her words had a big impact, like when she gave him advice about choosing the right partner before he got engaged.

Friday, April 10, 2026, night

Brian Hooker’s attorney, Terrel Butler, said Friday night that officials decided to keep Hooker in custody for up to another 72 hours. The deadline for his release is now Monday at around 7:30 p.m., but he could be released at any time if authorities decide not to charge him.

Saturday, April 11, 2026

Edward Smith, overnight security guard at a boatyard on a Bahamian island, told Fox News Digital on Saturday that he encountered Brian Hooker when he washed ashore about eight hours after his wife disappeared into a dark and stormy sea last weekend.

"He said he was on a cay, like at a bar, having something to eat or drink, and they came out to go to another place or back to their boat, but somehow they got out in the rough weather, and they had that incident, the lady [went] overboard, or whatever," said Smith, who works at Marsh Harbour Boatyards, a boat storage and repair facility in the tourist destination.

Smith said Hooker did not appear suspicious when the pair met, adding that he "was more exhausted than anything else" and was asking for water.

Smith said he called the police to assist Hooker. He said the police arrived at about 5 a.m., and Hooker was still talking to them when Smith’s shift ended at 7 a.m.

Sunday, April 12, 2026

New details emerged about Brian Hooker's side of the disappearance story

In a recording of a phone call Brian made to a friend on April 7 obtained by CBS, Brian gave the most detailed account yet about what he says is an accident that led to Lynette's disappearance.

Brian continued, saying the wind rapidly blew the couple apart and that he thinks Lynette tried to swim back to the yacht, which he said was about 1,000 yards or so from where the incident occurred.

"I yelled to her that I lost an oar, and then I threw the anchor out, anchored the dinghy, and just, yeah, I yelled. I couldn't see her anymore because the moon had not risen yet," he said.

Later, he said he threw a flotation cushion toward Lynette right after she went into the water, but he couldn't tell whether she was able to grab it. He said he yelled for her for about an hour.

"By the time I got the anchor set, I was probably a quarter to a half a mile away from her, and I decided that I had to go get help," he said, "but I could not get to the island, so I paddled."

Fox News Digital rode along the route taken by the Hookers when they left The Abaco Inn before the incident. Charter captain Mo Monestime, who has 15 years of experience boating in the Great Abaco Island area, said it was odd that Lynette's body has not been found.

"Not being found, that’s the mystery," Monestime told Fox News Digital.

Monday, April 13, 2026

Butler arrived in Freeport Monday for a second official interrogation with her client inside the Central Police Station.

She confirmed that Hooker still maintains his innocence, but declined to give specific details about the questions asked due to attorney/client privilege.

Hooker must be released by 7:20 p.m. or charged with a crime.

"We're close to the wire. Close to a decision," she said. "Even if they decided to charge him, it's highly unlikely that he would go to court today. So we will know by 7:20 p.m. today what their decision will be."

She added that the decision to charge Hooker will not be made by investigators, but rather by the attorney general's office.

"So, as soon as [the investigator] receives his instructions, then he will know how to proceed from there," she said.

Butler said Hooker feels "a bit drained and tired from this whole ordeal," and that he's "just hoping to have closure to be released so that he can continue to search to find out what has happened to his wife."

She also said that Hooker could get rearrested.

"It is possible that when a person has completed their time, that when they walk out, they can be re-arrested and time starts again," she said.

Monday, April 13, 2026 at 8:00 p.m.

Hooker is released from the Central Police Station after authorities decided not to charge him with a crime.

Hooker, wearing a collared white shirt, made phone calls in the jail's lobby before he walked out the front entrance with Butler, smiling briefly at cameras as the pair hurried into a taxi.

Butler told Fox News Digital that she did not know whether he still has his passport and said she would need to "discuss that further with him and the police" when asked if he is free to leave the Bahamas.

Tuesday, April 14, 2026

Hooker left the Pelican Bay Hotel in Freeport at about 9:00 a.m. He stayed there overnight after his release from custody.

He spoke briefly with the media before leaving the property.

Butler told Fox News Digital that Hooker's immediate goal was to retrieve electronics confiscated from him by police during the investigation, but that he planned to stay in the Bahamas and continue searching for his missing wife.

"He wants to continue with the search for his wife, because that is his main focus," she said. "So as long as he can remain in the Bahamas, he'll remain in the Bahamas."

She later issued a press release saying he would not be conducting further media interviews.

The U.S. State Department has issued a level 2 travel advisory for the Bahamas. Americans are urged to "exercise increased caution" due to crime, beach safety, as well as jet ski and boating dangers.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Fox News Digital has reached out to Brian multiple times for comment, but has not heard back.

Fox News Digital's Sarah Rumpf-Whitten contributed to this report.

Malnourished boy found locked in father's van for more than a year unable to walk, hadn't showered since 2024

Sat, 11 Apr 2026 17:04:59 -0400

A malnourished 9-year-old boy was found lying in the fetal position in his father’s utility van in eastern France this week after allegedly being locked in the vehicle two years ago.

The boy, who was unable to walk after sitting for so long, was discovered Monday after a neighbor heard the "sounds of a child" coming from the van, local prosecutor Nicolas Heitz said Saturday.

Officers in the village of Hagenbach, near the border with Switzerland and Germany, found the boy "lying in a fetal position, naked, covered by a blanket on top of a mound of trash and near excrement" after forcing the van open, Heitz said.

The boy told authorities he hadn’t showered since 2024.

WISCONSIN COUPLE ALLEGEDLY STARVED SIX CHILDREN FOR YEARS, FORCING THEM TO EAT MOLD, BUGS AND DOG FOOD

The boy’s father was charged with kidnapping. He claimed to police that he had locked his son in the van in November 2024 to "protect" him from his partner who wanted to send him to a psychiatric hospital, according to the prosecutor.

But the prosecutor said there was no medical record of the boy having psychiatric problems, and he had gotten good grades in school.

When the boy disappeared, his teachers were told he had transferred to another school.

The man’s partner, who denied knowing the boy was locked in the van, has also been charged, including for failure to help a minor in danger.

MICHIGAN WOMAN ARRESTED FOR ALLEGEDLY STARVING, TORTURING DISABLED SISTER-IN-LAW SHE LOCKED IN BASEMENT

The boys’ family and friends told police they believed the boy was in a psychiatric hospital.

The boy’s 12-year-old sister and the 10-year-old daughter of the man’s partner are under the care of social services.

The boy has been taken to a hospital.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

He told authorities he thought his father had no choice but to lock him in the van and that he’d had "big difficulties" with his father’s partner.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Friend of Brian Hooker speaks out, questions disappearance of woman in Bahamas mystery

Sat, 11 Apr 2026 11:58:24 -0400

A seasoned boater and friend of Brian and Lynette Hooker said Brian’s account of his wife’s disappearance doesn't add up.

Daniel Danforth told "Fox & Friends Weekend" he and his wife became friends with the Hookers in 2023, bonding over their shared love of boating. After hearing news reports about Lynette’s disappearance in the Bahamas, Danforth reached out to Brian on Facebook and received a response he found concerning.

"I said, 'Hey, did I just see you on the news?' And then he gave me the account that’s in the text messages. And it didn't line up a lot," Danforth said Saturday.

Lynette Hooker vanished during a boating trip earlier this month, according to authorities. Her husband said she fell overboard with their dinghy’s ignition key, and they were separated by turbulent waters as she swam back to their boat.

COAST GUARD OPENS CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION INTO MISSING WOMAN LAST SEEN IN BAHAMAS

"If you’re an actual boater and people that boat every day know that the story don't really add up," Danforth said.

Brian told authorities the current carried his wife away while he paddled their dinghy back to a marina hours later, saying the engine had cut off. Hooker’s lawyer says he denies any wrongdoing, and Hooker is being held by Bahamian authorities.

Danforth said he initially believed Lynette’s disappearance wasn’t dire based on his correspondence with Brian. Danforth said the messages weren’t "serious" or "dramatic," and they continued talking about topics like sailboats.

DAUGHTER OF MISSING AMERICAN WOMAN IN BAHAMAS SAYS THERE WERE 'PRIOR ISSUES,' CALLS FOR FULL INVESTIGATION

"Then when it came out that he was arrested, I was completely shocked," Danforth said.

He said he heard the couple had problems and had separated in the past but tried to stay out of their fights. Hooker’s lawyer, Terrel A. Butler, said there was a domestic violence incident in 2015 and that Lynette was arrested.

Danforth confirmed the Hookers were "very experienced boaters" who knew what they were doing on the water. He questioned why Hooker didn’t return to their sailboat to check if his wife had swum there.

AMERICAN COUPLE'S BAHAMAS DINGHY WAS ILL-EQUIPPED FOR CONDITIONS NIGHT OF WIFE'S DISAPPEARANCE: FRIEND

Danforth said boaters typically travel in small groups and anchor in protected coves, which the Hookers did not do in this case.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

"You always take proper planning procedures ahead of time, and you sure don't go out in a small dinghy in rough waters. That's usually just for going to land or back to your sailboat," he added.

Hooker has not been charged with any crime related to his wife’s disappearance.

Missing American’s husband had 'spotty' cell service during 8-hour trek to report disappearance: telecom boss

Sat, 11 Apr 2026 06:00:32 -0400

FREEPORT, Bahamas — Brian Hooker spent about 8 hours paddling his way across a 4.5-mile channel in the Bahamas after his wife reportedly fell off their 8-foot dinghy before anyone notified police.

Bahamian officials said Lynette Hooker, 55, and Brian Hooker, 58, departed from Hope Town's Abaco Inn at around 7:30 p.m. on April 4 and went on a smaller boat, referred to as a dinghy, to travel to their yacht. Brian Hooker reportedly told officials that Lynette fell into the water with the ignition key, which caused the engine to cut off. Brian told authorities that the current carried Lynette away, and he paddled the dinghy toward a marina at Marsh Harbour. The couple were originally headed to their yacht in Elbow Cay.

Local authorities said that Brian Hooker arrived at a marina at Marsh Harbour at around 4 a.m. on April 5, roughly 8 hours after Lynette Hooker went overboard.

A staff member at the Marsh Harbour marina told Fox News Digital that the husband walked along the south shoreline before arriving at the dock area, which may have required covering a significant distance on foot. Once at the marina, he went to an office and reported that his wife was missing, prompting staff to call police.

DAUGHTER OF MISSING AMERICAN WOMAN IN BAHAMAS SAYS THERE WERE 'PRIOR ISSUES,' CALLS FOR FULL INVESTIGATION

What remains unclear is whether Brian Hooker had access to his phone, or cell service, during those 8 hours on the water. His attorney didn't respond to requests for comment from Fox News Digital.

Lynette's daughter, Karli Aylesworth, told Fox News Digital that the couple usually carried phones on them while boating.

Dimitry Malinsky, founder and CEO of IntraTEM, a telecommunications company, told Fox News Digital individuals can likely receive cellphone reception, even if it's spotty, over the 4.5-mile channel Brian Hooker paddled his dinghy through.

AMERICAN COUPLE CHASING RETIREMENT DREAM IN BAHAMAS BOATING MYSTERY WERE 'INEXPERIENCED': FRIEND

He said, however, some of the more remote Bahamian keys don't get cell service.

"If it's a remote key, like some of those remote keys in the Bahamas, it would be just as if you're in the ocean and not by land because if there are no cell towers," Malinsky said.

Criminal defense attorney Donna Rotunno told Fox News Digital it would be difficult to prove if Brian Hooker's phone had service, if investigators determine he had access to it.

AMERICAN COUPLE'S BAHAMAS DINGHY WAS ILL-EQUIPPED FOR CONDITIONS NIGHT OF WIFE'S DISAPPEARANCE: FRIEND

WATCH: Daughter of missing American woman in Bahamas says there was 'history of domestic violence'

"They may be able to show whether or not he was trying to conduct an outgoing call and he couldn't. But then again, if you're on some paddle boat trying to, you know, my guess is if he jumped in the water or if he tried to help her in any way, the phone was either left on the boat or the phone is in his pocket and then useless because of the water," Rotunno said. "Is that evidence? Yes. How compelling it is. We don't have that answer yet."

Brian Hooker’s lawyer, Terrel Butler, told Fox News Digital she doesn’t know whether her client had a cellphone on him the night his wife vanished.

Whether or not Brian Hooker had cell service, one local told Fox News Digital that the journey to Marsh Harbour presented a formidable physical challenge.

FOLLOW THE FOX TRUE CRIME TEAM ON X

A man who knew Brian and Lynette Hooker told Fox News Digital that paddling 4.5 miles from near Hope Town to Marsh Harbour without a working engine, which is what officials say Brian Hooker did was a significant achievement.

"To row four miles, the oars suck on the dinghies and they're very difficult to go anywhere. To row four is a Herculean task in these dinghies — we upgraded our oars because we couldn't go anywhere with the stock oars, and it's really a Herculean task, and it says a lot that he was able to even physically row that distance in the conditions," he said.

SIGN UP TO GET TRUE CRIME NEWSLETTER

Butler said on Friday that police were questioning Brian Hooker on a potential charge of causing harm resulting in death. The interview went from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Butler said.

Police, however, didn't question him about any physical or forensic evidence found, rather focusing on what the couple was doing in the Bahamas and what happened in the hours prior to Lynette falling out of the dinghy. He was also questioned on allegations of violence made by Lynette's daughter.

SEND US A TIP HERE

In a statement to Fox News Digital, Butler said her client denies the allegations made by Aylesworth.

LISTEN TO THE NEW 'CRIME & JUSTICE WITH DONNA ROTUNNO' PODCAST

"Mr. Hooker categorically and unequivocally denies any wrongdoing and in particular the allegations recently made by Karli Aylesworth. He has been cooperating with the relevant authorities as part of an ongoing investigation," Butler said.

Butler on Thursday night said that Hooker voluntarily gave a statement to police believing he was helping them find Lynette.

Brian Hooker hasn't been charged with any crime. Butler told Fox News Digital that police had until 7:20 p.m. on Friday to either file charges, release his client, or request an extension of detainment. When that deadline passed, Butler said police extended it and Brian would remain in custody until 7 p.m. Monday.

LIKE WHAT YOU'RE READING? FIND MORE ON THE TRUE CRIME HUB

The U.S. State Department has issued a level 2 travel advisory for the Bahamas. Americans are urged to "exercise increased caution" due to crime, beach safety, as well as jet ski and boating dangers.

A spokesperson for the State Department previously told Fox News Digital the agency is aware of reports regarding the missing American and is working with Bahamian authorities.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

The State Department declined to share any additional details.

Boating in the Bahamas isn't well regulated, and the State Department has said that "injuries and deaths have occurred."

American couple's Bahamas dinghy was ill-equipped for conditions night of wife's disappearance: friend

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 06:00:34 -0400

HOPE TOWN, Bahamas — After Brian Hooker's arrest in the disappearance of his wife, Lynette, in the Bahamas, a man who was friends with the couple and knew them from the Caribbean paradise says that their small dinghy was "underpowered" and "undersized" for the conditions they faced.

Officials in the Bahamas said Lynette Hooker, 55, and Brian Hooker, 58, left Hope Town's Abaco Inn at around 7:30 p.m. on Saturday and went on a smaller boat, referred to as a dinghy, to travel to their yacht. Brian Hooker reportedly told officials that Lynette fell into the water with the ignition key, which caused the engine to cut off. According to Brian, the current carried Lynette away, and he paddled the dinghy to a marina at Marsh Harbour.

Brian Hooker was arrested by Bahamian authorities on Wednesday night, but hasn't been charged with a crime.

A man who knew Brian and Lynette Hooker in the Bahamas told Fox News Digital that conditions on the night the American woman went missing were less than ideal, especially considering the fact they were on an 8-foot dinghy, as authorities have said. The man, who is also an American, asked to remain anonymous.

LYNETTE HOOKER MISSING IN BAHAMAS: TIMELINE OF MICHIGAN WOMAN’S DISAPPEARANCE, HUSBAND’S ARREST

"Their dinghy was really just too small to be out in those conditions. Their eight-foot hard bottom dinghy with that electric motor, you shouldn't be out in anything more than like 12, max 15 knots. It's really underpowered, undersized for the condition they were in," the man said.

Winds in the Hope Town area were gusting at around 26 knots on Saturday night, according to a review of data by Fox Weather. Improvesailing.com states that wind speeds above 25 knots are considered "rough for any small/mid-sized boat."

"If the wind [is] blowing 30 knots, you're moving at four feet in the opposite direction every one second, you're separating by seven and a half feet. Even an Olympic swimmer would have a hard time getting back on — it would be impossible for two people that are 55 and 58 to reunite," the man said. "I've done three dinghy rescues in three weeks, really. I mean, it's crazy."

DAUGHTER OF MISSING AMERICAN WOMAN IN BAHAMAS SAYS THERE WERE 'PRIOR ISSUES,' CALLS FOR FULL INVESTIGATION

The man, who is a sailor himself alongside his wife, said Brian and Lynette were a couple in what seemed to be a great marriage.

"They seemed very much like the happiest of people in an extremely happy relationship. People to aspire to in the sailing and cruising life," he said.

The friend of Brian and Lynette Hooker told Fox News Digital there are common misconceptions about the engine key, noting that in rough weather it's sometimes the lighter person who drives while the heavier one sits in the middle in order to provide stability.

"People are really confused about a dinghy key. It's common practice to wear the key — it goes on the outboard motor, and it's got a tether on it that you wear on your wrist as the driver. So if you fall overboard, it stops the motor from the dinghy motoring away from you. And that's what everybody does. And they're really saying, 'why did she have the key?' Well, she had the key because she was driving."

Lynette's daughter, Karli Aylesworth, painted a different picture of her stepfather, Brian Hooker, in an interview with Fox News' Griff Jenkins earlier this week. Her comments included allegations of alcohol-fueled domestic violence, which Brian has denied through his attorney. He has not been charged with any crime.

"I've seen him choke out one of his daughters before. And we had to go to court for that," Aylesworth said. "So he's just repeating patterns."

AMERICAN COUPLE CHASING RETIREMENT DREAM IN BAHAMAS BOATING MYSTERY WERE 'INEXPERIENCED': FRIEND

Aylesworth claimed that Brian Hooker had also become violent toward her mother.

"There's history of them choking her out and threatening to throw her overboard. So the fact that this is actually happening makes me believe there's more to the story," she said.

In a statement to Fox News Digital, Brian Hooker's attorney, Terrel Butler, said he denies the allegations.

FOLLOW THE FOX TRUE CRIME TEAM ON X

Butler on Thursday night said that Hooker voluntarily gave a statement to police believing he was helping them find Lynette.

Hooker was initially interviewed and released, then brought back for more questioning as a witness. Police brought him back a third time and questioned him as a suspect.

WATCH THE FULL FOX & FRIENDS INTERVIEW

Lynette Hooker was previously arrested in a domestic violence case, according to a police report obtained by Fox News Digital, but wasn't charged.

Brian and Lynette Hooker both accused each other of assault during the February 2015 incident.

While Lynette Hooker was the one arrested, charges weren't filed due to "insufficient evidence as to who started the assault."

SIGN UP TO GET TRUE CRIME NEWSLETTER

In a Wednesday Facebook post, Brian Hooker wrote he is "heartbroken" over Lynette's disappearance.

SEND US A TIP HERE

Darlene Hamlett, Lynette Hooker's mother, told The Associated Press that she hadn't heard from her son-in-law in several days.

"I’m going to be interested in what he says, because I haven’t heard from him in almost two days," Hamlett said.

LISTEN TO THE NEW 'CRIME & JUSTICE WITH DONNA ROTUNNO' PODCAST

The U.S. State Department has issued a level 2 travel advisory for the Bahamas. Americans are urged to "exercise increased caution" due to crime, beach safety, as well as jet ski and boating dangers.

LIKE WHAT YOU'RE READING? FIND MORE ON THE TRUE CRIME HUB

A spokesperson for the State Department previously told Fox News Digital the agency is aware of reports regarding the missing American and is working with Bahamian authorities.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

The State Department declined to share any additional details.

Boating in the Bahamas isn't well regulated, and the State Department has said that "injuries and deaths have occurred."

Philadelphia parking garage collapse leaves 1 dead, 2 missing

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 07:29:46 -0400

A search and rescue operation is underway in Philadelphia on Thursday following a partial parking garage collapse that left at least one person dead and two missing, according to the city’s mayor.

Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker said the incident unfolded Wednesday afternoon as the parking garage was under construction near 30th Street and Grays Ferry Avenue in South Philadelphia.

"Our first responders moved immediately, and search and rescue operations are still underway. One life has been lost, and two individuals remain unaccounted for," Parker wrote on X late Wednesday. "We are not giving up, and we will not rest until everyone is accounted for."

"This remains an active search and rescue scene. The immediate area, including the shopping plaza and surrounding stores, is closed, and there is no timeline yet for reopening," she added.

PHILADELPHIA MAN STABS PLANET FITNESS WORKER AFTER GETTING BANNED FROM GYM: POLICE

Philadelphia Fire Commissioner Jeffrey Thompson said two other people were rescued at the site and treated at a nearby hospital, according to FOX 29 Philadelphia. He reportedly added that crews need to stabilize the parking garage before rescue efforts can continue.

The garage was under construction for the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, and officials said all seven levels of its stair system were impacted by the collapse, FOX 29 reported.

The station cited Parker as saying that eight permits were properly issued, and all inspections were up to date and that the collapse happened when a roof segment being installed by a subcontractor failed.

TERRIFYING MOMENT CAUGHT ON CAMERA AS ROAD COLLAPSE SUDDENLY SWALLOWS VEHICLES IN BUSY INTERSECTION

"Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia is aware of a serious construction incident at our parking garage construction site on 3000 Grays Ferry Avenue in Philadelphia," the organization told FOX 29. "We are prioritizing the safety of the construction workers at this time and working closely with the City of Philadelphia and our construction partners. We will share additional information as it becomes available."

The identities of the deceased and missing were not immediately released.

"All of our prayers are with the family of the individual who has passed and the families of those we are still searching for tonight. I humbly ask all Philadelphians to join me in prayer for them," Parker said on X.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

"Lori and I are praying for those injured in the parking garage that partially collapsed in Grays Ferry today, for the family of the individual who was tragically killed, and for the families who continue to wait while first responders search for their loved ones," added Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, who said his administration is in touch with officials on the ground in Philadelphia.

Husband taken into custody in connection with missing American woman last seen in Bahamas

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 19:34:34 -0400

The husband of an American woman who went missing in the Bahamas has been arrested in connection with her disappearance, according to the attorney representing him.

Attorney Terrel Butler confirmed to Fox News Digital on Thursday that 58-year-old Brian Hooker was taken into custody on Wednesday in connection with the disappearance of his wife, Lynette Hooker. He currently has not been charged with any crime.

Lynette, who is roughly 56 years old, went missing Saturday evening while traveling by boat with her husband, according to Bahama officials. She reportedly fell into the water near Hope Town and was carried away by the current, according to Brian.

HUSBAND OF AMERICAN WOMAN MISSING IN THE BAHAMAS SPEAKS OUT FOR FIRST TIME, SAYS HE IS 'HEARTBROKEN'

The Royal Bahamas Police announced the arrest of a man on Wednesday evening, but did not provide any identification. The arrest happened shortly after the U.S. Coast Guard confirmed to Fox News Digital on Wednesday that officials opened a criminal investigation into Lynette's disappearance.

Fox News Digital confirmed that at approximately 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, a vessel operated by the Royal Bahamas Police Force approached Brian's yacht, which was positioned between two landmasses, to inspect it.

Two officers appeared to secure an item, possibly a rope, to the side of the boat, according to ground source AJ Skuy.

One officer was also seen looking through a window before the crew departed the vessel minutes later.

No further activity was observed around the yacht.

AMERICAN COUPLE CHASING RETIREMENT DREAM IN BAHAMAS BOATING MYSTERY WERE 'INEXPERIENCED': FRIEND

The incident began around 7:30 p.m. when the couple were on a small boat, known as a dinghy, en route to a yacht near Hope Town’s Elbow Cay.

When Lynette reportedly fell into the water, Brian said he tried to reach her, but turbulent currents ultimately carried them apart.

Brian added that Lynette had the ignition key when she fell into the water, which forced him to paddle back to the marina.

She was reported missing around 4 a.m. on Sunday.

"I am heartbroken over the recent boat accident in unpredictable seas and high winds that caused my beloved Lynette to fall from our small dinghy near Elbow Cay in the Bahamas," Brian said in a Facebook post. "Despite desperate attempts to reach her, the winds and currents drove us further apart. We continue to search for her and that is my sole focus."

However, Karli Aylesworth indicated that the circumstances described by Brian were unusual, emphasizing that her mother would not have operated the dinghy.

"I'm confused why she has the keys because she never drove the dinghy," Aylesworth said. "It was always Brian. So the story just doesn't add up right now."

She further described her mother as a "very fit person" who would not easily lose her footing while on a boat.

In addition, Aylesworth alleged that Brian has exhibited troubling patterns of aggression, issues she said "may be important for any thorough investigation."

"I've seen him choke out one of his daughters before. And we had to go to court for that," Aylesworth said. "So he's just repeating patterns."

"If this truly was an accident, I can understand and live with it," she added. "However, there needs to be an intensive review of the facts and circumstances of this tragic incident before that can be determined."

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Bahamian authorities have since launched extensive search-and-rescue operations, spanning marine, land, and aerial areas. Efforts have included the use of drones and professional divers to locate Lynette.

The U.S. Coast Guard was reportedly involved in the operation before announcing that it has decided to escalate the case by opening a criminal investigation.

Missing teen case flips as ‘kidnapped’ girl found alive, built secret life as mom of 3, investigator: report

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 19:23:58 -0400

An Arizona girl who vanished at 13 and was long feared abducted has been found alive — now living a quiet life as a married mother of three working for a private investigations company, according to a report.

Christina "Tina" Marie Plante, now 45, is living in Springfield, Missouri, more than 1,100 miles from where she disappeared in 1994, where she built a new life after leaving home as a teenager, according to the Daily Mail.

The outlet reported Plante married as a teen, raised three sons and later earned a psychology degree from Missouri State University. She now works in a supervisory role for a Springfield-based firm that investigates insurance fraud, according to the Daily Mail.

She shares a five-bedroom home with her husband of nearly three decades, Shawn Hollon, a software engineering manager.

ARIZONA GIRL LAST SEEN WALKING TO STABLE BEFORE VANISHING FOUND ALIVE DECADES LATER, AUTHORITIES SAY

Hollon told the Daily Mail that his wife has been processing the renewed attention after being identified and said she had shared her story with him before they married in 1998, though he declined to discuss the details publicly.

Authorities say Plante has been reluctant to provide specifics about how she disappeared.

FAMILY RAMPS UP SEARCH FOR MISSING COFFEE SHOP OWNER, MOTHER OF TWO, URGES PUBLIC TO CHECK CAMERAS

Gila County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Jim Lahti told the Daily Mail that Plante has not explained who she was with when she left or how she managed to get out of town. He said she acknowledged running away and indicated she had contact with another family member at the time.

FOLLOW THE FOX TRUE CRIME TEAM ON X

Plante was last seen around midday on May 15, 1994, leaving her home in Star Valley after telling others she was heading to a nearby horse stable. When she didn’t return, the case was classified as missing and endangered under suspicious circumstances.

SIGN UP TO GET TRUE CRIME NEWSLETTER

Her disappearance prompted an extensive search and years of investigation, with early concerns that she may have been abducted. Those fears were never confirmed, and the case eventually went cold.

SEND US A TIP HERE

Decades later, a cold case team reopened the investigation using modern tools, including social media and public records, ultimately identifying Plante and confirming she was alive.

LISTEN TO THE NEW 'CRIME & JUSTICE WITH DONNA ROTUNNO' PODCAST

"I guess she wasn’t happy with where she was living and who she was living with, and she ran away," cold case investigator Capt. Jamie Garrett told NewsNation.

LIKE WHAT YOU'RE READING? FIND MORE ON THE TRUE CRIME HUB

"I was dumbfounded," Garrett added. "I was like, ‘Oh, my gosh. OK, so you ran away.’ I told her, ‘You know, we were under the impression that somebody kidnapped you. It was deemed a criminal offense.’"

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Authorities say the case is now considered resolved.

While many details about how she left remain unclear, officials say Plante has since built a stable life and has chosen to keep much of her past private.

Athena Strand’s killer FedEx driver told police he ‘kind of tossed’ 7-year-old’s body into woods, video shows

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 17:57:47 -0400

A former FedEx driver who murdered 7-year-old Athena Strand told investigators he "kind of tossed" her into the woods after killing her, according to interrogation video shown to jurors as they weigh whether he should be sentenced to death or life in prison without parole.

The footage shown in court captured the moment officers pressed Tanner Horner about the missing Texas child’s whereabouts after searching his home for signs of the young blonde-haired girl.

"I can show you," Horner, who pleaded guilty Tuesday to capital murder, told investigators.

When one officer asked, "Is she alive?" Horner replied: "She wasn’t alive when I put her in the truck."

After authorities were unable to find her, Horner told police that he: "Just kind of tossed her in."

Horner, 34, initially claimed he had accidentally hit Athena with his delivery truck, but he has since admitted to strangling the girl after abducting her while delivering a package to her father’s home in Paradise, Texas.

The hours of evidence shown to jurors Wednesday came as prosecutors used opening statements to paint Horner as calculating, violent and remorseless in the killing of Athena.

"First thing Tanner Horner says to Athena when he picks her up, puts her in that truck, leans down, and he says, ‘Don’t scream or I’ll hurt you,’" prosecutor James Stainton told jurors in opening statements Tuesday.

"I’m going to tell you right now. One thing you’re going to hear that is something you can’t unhear is the level of fight that a 7-year-old girl has. When she’s facing down a certain death."

Stainton also said that the FedEx driver may have sexually assaulted the young girl.

"We have DNA. Not only do we have initial DNA from Athena that has Tanner Horner’s DNA under her fingernails. We also have Tanner Horner’s DNA in places where you shouldn’t find DNA on a 7-year-old girl," Stainton said in court.

FOLLOW THE FOX TRUE CRIME TEAM ON X

"We talk about warrior in America," he said. "I’ll tell you that little girl right there is a warrior. She fought with the strength of 100 men."

WATCH: Tanner Horner pleads guilty to killing Texas 7-year-old

LIKE WHAT YOU'RE READING? FIND MORE ON THE TRUE CRIME HUB

In his opening statement, Stainton told jurors Horner’s shifting accounts to investigators were part of a larger "pattern and web of lies," arguing the only truthful thing he told law enforcement was that he killed Athena.

SIGN UP TO GET TRUE CRIME NEWSLETTER

Prosecutors said the evidence would show Horner covered a camera, threatened Athena, and carried out a prolonged attack inside the truck before dumping her body in a rural area near Boyd, Texas.

SEND US A TIP HERE

Stainton told jurors Horner then returned to work, drove the same truck and continued delivering packages as the community searched desperately for the missing child.

Defense attorney Lindsay Thompson told jurors Horner had suffered from brain damage, autism, mental illness and extreme lead exposure, and argued those conditions should be considered as mitigating evidence when the jury decides whether he poses a continuing threat to society.

LISTEN TO THE NEW 'CRIME & JUSTICE WITH DONNA ROTUNNO' PODCAST

Thompson also told jurors Horner had accepted responsibility by pleading guilty and would spend the rest of his life in prison if sentenced to life without parole.

Athena disappeared in November 2022 from her father’s property in Paradise, a small town northwest of Fort Worth.

Authorities said Horner was delivering a package containing Barbie dolls intended as a Christmas gift for the 7-year-old when he abducted and killed her.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Her body was found less than 10 miles from the home after a massive search involving law enforcement officers, volunteers, dogs, horses and off-road vehicles.

American couple chasing retirement dream in Bahamas boating mystery were 'inexperienced': Friend

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 21:30:49 -0400

HOPE TOWN, Bahamas — The American woman who went missing in the Bahamas after her husband said she fell off a small boat had been living out her retirement dream of sailing when tragedy struck, according to a friend. Along the way, the couple had been building a social media following and forging connections across the country.

Lynette Hooker, 55 and her husband, Brian Hooker, 58, left Hope Town's Abaco Inn at around 7:30 p.m. Saturday, four minutes after the sunset that night on a small boat headed to their yacht in Elbow Cay, according to Bahamian officials.

Brian Hooker reportedly told officials that while the couple were on the smaller boat, known as a dinghy, Lynette fell into the water with the ignition key, causing the engine to shut off. The current carried her away, according to Brian, who paddled back to a marina at Marsh Harbor. He reported Lynette missing at around 4:00 a.m. on Sunday.

John Waters, who is friends with the couple, told Fox News Digital he met Lynette and at an oyster bar in Panama City Beach, Florida in 2023. He said the couple was on a journey around the Gulf of America.

FOLLOW THE FOX TRUE CRIME TEAM ON X

"Their new lifestyle was this boat that they picked up in Texas. They spent a year working on it," Waters said.

He described the couple as both really nice and said they were going for their retirement dream of sailing. He said the couple "weren’t that experienced" in boating.

Three days into the search for Lynette, authorities have provided few answers.

Richard Cook, team leader with Hope Town Volunteer Fire and Rescue, told PEOPLE foul play isn't suspected.

"It was just a lot of bad decisions," Cook said. "Night time, very windy, no moon out yet so it was pitch dark and very rough conditions for the small boat they were in."

Cook also told CNN that the search for Lynette Hooker has shifted to a recovery operation.

WATCH: Daughter of missing American in Bahamas says her mother never drove the small boat

Karli Aylesworth, Lynette Hooker's daughter, who isn't related to Brian, told Fox News' Griff Jenkins that Brian Hooker has a history of being violent towards her mother. She did several interviews with media outlets on Tuesday, including with Fox News' Griff Jenkins.

"I do believe something might have happened to her," she said. "There's history of them choking her out and threatening to throw her overboard. So the fact that this is actually happening makes me believe there's more to the story."

Aylesworth said that Brian Hooker told her authorities found Lynette Hookers' flotation device.

Fox News Digital has reached out to Brian Hooker several times but has not received a response. He has not been charged with a crime.

SIGN UP TO GET TRUE CRIME NEWSLETTER

Aylesworth told Fox News Digital that Brian Hooker's behavior would shift when drinking alcohol.

"He starts to act more smart-a---y and more picking at you and like 'I know this will irritate you so I'm gonna do that'" type of attitude.

SEND US A TIP HERE

Aylesworth described her mother as a "very fit person" who wouldn't lose her balance on a boat.

"I'm confused why she has the keys because she never drove the dinghy. It was always Brian. So the story just doesn't add up right now," Aylesworth said.

CBS News found Brian Hooker in the Bahamas, but he didn't give them a comment.

LISTEN TO THE NEW 'CRIME & JUSTICE WITH DONNA ROTUNNO' PODCAST

Criminal defense attorney Donna Rotunno told Fox News Digital that she would advise Brian Hooker to stay silent if he was her client.

"Based on what she said, I think she’s asking for the investigation to not be a rush to judgment, and to look deeper into it," Rotunno said.

Geoff Fahringer, former dive team member for the Collier County Sheriff's Office in Florida, told Fox News Digital that he doesn't suspect foul play.

"Sadly, what I've seen in my experience is that this is unfortunately a somewhat common occurrence that seeing the circumstances of this entire accident, it's something I've seen before," Fahringer said.

WATCH: Boating expert says Bahamas boating incident is 'common occurrence'

Authorities haven't said if Lynette Hooker was wearing a life jacket at the time she fell off the small boat.

The couple is very active on social media, largely showcasing their yacht. Their most recent Instagram post on Friday afternoon showed Lynette on a boat with the caption, "Not going anywhere for a while?!"

LIKE WHAT YOU'RE READING? FIND MORE ON THE TRUE CRIME HUB

The Royal Bahamas Police Force is investigating the woman's disappearance along with the Royal Bahamas Defense Force and Hope Town Fire & Rescue.

The U.S. State Department currently says the Bahamas issued a level 2 travel advisory for the Bahamas, is under a level 2 travel advisory and urges Americans to "exercise increased caution" due to crime, beach safety, as well as jet skis and boating dangers.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

A spokesperson for the State Department told Fox News Digital the agency is aware of reports regarding the missing American and is working with Bahamian authorities.

Boating in the Bahamas isn't well regulated, and the State Department has said that "injuries and deaths have occurred."

Fox News' Griff Jenkins contributed to this report.