Photo: Per Breiehagen/Getty Images
Over the weekend, an American woman identified as Lynette Hooker was reported missing in the Bahamas after her husband said she fell overboard on a boat ride, per CNN. Her husband, Brian Hooker, reportedly claimed his wife was swept out to sea in what he framed as a tragic accident. On Wednesday, however, Brian Hooker was arrested in connection to his wife’s disappearance, his attorney told NBC.
Brian reportedly told authorities he and his wife had been on a dinghy Saturday night heading back to their yacht when Lynette “bounced” out of the boat, per a Hope Town Volunteer Fire and Rescue leader. In a press release shortly afterward, the Royal Bahamas Police Force said Lynette “fell overboard with the boat keys, causing the vessel’s engine to shut off.” “Strong currents subsequently carried her away, and he lost sight of her. He then paddled the vessel to shore,” police said. Brian claimed he last saw Lynette swimming to shore, per CNN.
In the days leading up to Brian’s arrest, Lynette’s daughter, Karli Aylesworth, cast doubt on her stepfather’s story, telling NBC her mother was an experienced sailor who was unlikely to “just fall” off a boat. Aylesworth said the Michigan couple had a “history of not getting along, especially when they drink,” and said her stepfather sounded “monotone and relaxed” when he told her her mother was missing.
In a statement, Brian’s attorney, Terrel A. Butler, reportedly denied any wrongdoing by her client, particularly “the allegations recently made by Karli Aylesworth,” adding that Brian “has been cooperating with the relevant authorities as part of an ongoing investigation.” A statement released by the Royal Bahamas Police Force said that a “59-year-old male of U.S. nationality was taken into custody” Wednesday evening and is being questioned about the “disappearance of a female who was reported missing from an 8-foot hard-bottom dinghy.”
During his arrest, Brian apparently also fell overboard, his attorney told NBC on Friday. Brian had apparently been handcuffed and struggling to keep his balance on a police boat during “choppy and dangerous sea conditions” when he fell into the water while wearing a life jacket. He injured his knee in the fall, Butler said, adding that he “had to be rescued from the water by the police.”
On Wednesday morning, hours before his arrest, Brian appears to have made a Facebook post about 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,” 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.” The post thanked emergency responders, who he said 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,” he wrote.
In 2015, Lynette spent a night in jail after both spouses accused each other of assault, per NBC. Lynette was reportedly charged with assault for the incident, though police said there was “insufficient evidence as to who started the assault.” In an interview Thursday, Aylesworth told the outlet she just wants “to know the truth” about what happened to her mother. “I hope this was just a freak accident, but I just have a hard time believing it at the moment,” she said.
The Cut has reached out to police and Brian Hooker’s attorney and will update this post if we hear back.
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