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The search for missing boater Tyler Doyle rolled into its 14th day following his disappearance in rough waters near Myrtle Beach, North Carolina, on January 26, 2023.
Doyle allegedly took a jon boat out for duck hunting in the North Jetties, close to where the Intracoastal Waterway meets the Atlantic Ocean. He went missing soon after.
The 23-year-old was accompanied by an unnamed friend rescued from the jetty. According to the Coast Guard, Doyle was wearing khaki pants and a camo jacket at the time he went missing.
A friend soon set up a GoFundMe page to support the family, which raised around $30,000. After a request from Tyler Doyle's wife, Lakelyn Doyle, the page was updated to stop the donations, stating:
"She (Lakelyn) rather go without, then to deal with drama and rumors while she’s actively searching for her missing husband. The search for Tyler is still ongoing. Thanks again for all the donations, but as a woman 30 weeks pregnant she can’t handle everyone’s opinion and stress on her body for the baby’s sake."
The update also carried the information that Lakelyn was 30 weeks pregnant. Following the GoFundMe update, rumor mills claimed that the wife had left the town with the money. Some even alluded that she may have murdered her husband. One user, @rachelpoo81, called the missing person's case a "hoax," stating:
Tyler Doyle's baffling disappearance has sparked some outrageous rumors
Social media has now become an outlet for netizens to speculate about what might have happened to Tyler Doyle. Some called out the family, especially his wife, for her allegedly suspicious behavior, while others questioned what happened to the donation money raised on GoFundMe.
Many also wondered how Doyle's friend could be rescued but not him.
Some speculated whether he was murdered by his rescued friend, while others wondered if it was the wife's doing.
A few internet users compared it to an old case involving another man who similarly went missing but was soon discovered to have been murdered. Others brought up Tyler's old court case and wondered if the incident was a ploy to get away with it.
Here are some comments seen on Reddit about the incident:
Tyler Doyle's family responds to rumors
A week after Tyler's disappearance, a Facebook post by his wife, Lakelyn Doyle, revealed that many of his belongings, including his wallet, driver's license, and decoy ducks, were found floating in the water. However, she was asked by authorities to take down the post.
Following speculation and juvenile deductions online, a Facebook post addressing the same by Surf City Police was also deleted. They added:
"We have never located any items that may or may not belong to Mr. Doyle in or around our immediate area."
Tyler Doyle's brother, Reed, also took to TikTok to slam the rumors, stating:
"The people out here that are keyboard warriors and wanting to talk sh*t over Facebook or TikTok and just want to piece things together as they see it, you know you guys are not helping the cause."
He remarked that tragedy hurts the family and loved ones the most and requested everyone to stop speculating and spreading misinformation.
In an interview with News13, the 23-year-old's mother and grandmother stated that the drawn-out search has been "agonizing," and the rumors on social media did not help.
