The spouse of a woman who went missing in the Bahamas after reportedly falling off a dinghy has been interrogated and released by law enforcement without facing any charges, as confirmed by his lawyer on Monday.
The specifics regarding the terms of his release remain uncertain.
Lynette Hooker, aged 55 from Michigan, has not been seen for more than a week. She and her husband, Brian Hooker, 58, set off from Hope Town in the Abaco Islands towards their yacht, Soulmate, located in Elbow Cay at approximately 7:30 p.m. on April 4. It was during this time that adverse weather conditions led to Lynette Hooker falling overboard, as reported by her husband to the authorities.
Brian Hooker was taken into custody on Wednesday in relation to his wife’s disappearance and was questioned by Bahamian police for roughly three hours on Friday. Following this session, police sought an extension to continue their investigation until Monday evening, according to his attorney, Terrel Butler.
On Monday, Brian Hooker underwent another round of questioning lasting about an hour, according to Butler, who indicated that investigators did not present any new evidence during this time. She also mentioned that since her client’s arrest, there have been no updates from the police regarding the ongoing search for his wife.
Butler stated that Brian Hooker is currently viewed as a suspect in the case of his wife’s disappearance and firmly denies any involvement in misconduct.
After his initial questioning on Friday, Butler noted that Brian Hooker was asked about causing harm that could have led to her death.
“He certainly denies having caused her death and remains hopeful that she will be found,” Butler remarked, adding that they have not been informed of any evidence indicating that Lynette’s body has been discovered.
The attorney expressed that Brian Hooker is “heartbroken” over the disappearance of his wife of 25 years and described his arrest as a “traumatic” experience.
His arrest occurred following reports to ABC News indicating that a criminal investigation had been initiated to determine if any wrongdoing occurred. The U.S. Coast Guard is leading this investigation, according to a source familiar with the situation.
In a social media post last Wednesday, Brian Hooker mentioned that “unpredictable seas and high winds” were responsible for his “beloved Lynette” falling from their small dinghy near Elbow Cay.
“Despite desperate attempts to reach her, the winds and currents drove us further apart. Our ongoing search for her remains my primary focus,” he stated.
Brian Hooker informed the police that his wife was holding the boat key at the time she went overboard, which caused the engine of the 8-foot hard-bottom dinghy to shut down. He then paddled back to shore, reaching a marina around 4 a.m. on April 5, where he reported his wife missing, according to the Royal Bahamas Police Force.
The couple chronicled their sailing adventures on social media under the name “The Sailing Hookers.”
Lynette Hooker’s daughter, Karli Aylesworth, has called for a “thorough and comprehensive investigation” into her mother’s disappearance.
She recounted that her stepfather, Brian Hooker, told her that her mother “fell out of the boat and that he threw a life jacket to her or something, and he doesn’t know if she got it or not.”
Lynette Hooker’s mother, Darlene Hamlett, expressed her hope for “truth to prevail” in the investigation and suggested that the couple may have experienced a tumultuous relationship.
“I just want the truth to come out, and I hope they find her, as that may help clarify everything,” she stated.
