A day after Brian Hooker was arrested in connection with the disappearance of his wife Lynette, USA TODAY is sharing an update on the case, including details of the couple’s fight 10 years ago.
Michigan woman missing in Bahamas
A 56-year-old Michigan woman is missing at sea after she went missing at sea while traveling near Hopetown, Bahamas.
More details are emerging about the relationship between a Michigan woman who went missing during a night boat trip in the Bahamas and her husband, who was arrested and named as a suspect in the incident.
Brian and Lynette Hooker got into a bloody altercation at their Michigan home in 2015, according to a police report obtained by NBC News on Thursday, April 9.
The report said the couple were each intoxicated and accused the other of assault. Police were unable to determine who caused the incident, but because Brian Hooker’s only visible injury was a nosebleed, Lynette Hooker was arrested on suspicion of assault and battery and spent the night in the county jail, the police report said.
USA TODAY requested this report, as well as a report detailing child abuse allegations against Brian Hooker in 2005. A jury later acquitted him in the case, according to court records.
Meanwhile, Brian Hooker’s lawyer is defending his client as Lynette Hooker’s daughter, Carly Aylesworth, raises questions about her stepfather’s account of what happened in the Bahamas and previous threats against her mother.
“Mr. Hooker categorically and unequivocally denies any wrongdoing, particularly the recent allegations made by Carly Aylesworth,” attorney Terrell A. Butler said in a statement to USA TODAY. “He is cooperating with relevant authorities as part of the ongoing investigation.”
Here are the latest updates on this case:
What happened to Lynette Hooker?
According to a news release from the Royal Bahamas Police Force, on Saturday, April 4, Brian Hooker reported that his wife fell overboard from their 8-foot solid-bottom dinghy during an overnight trip from Hope Town to Elbow Bay off Great Abaco Island. Brian Hooker said his wife had the keys to the boat and the engine stopped when she fell. The man then lost sight of her after “a strong current then swept her away,” police said.
Brian Hooker then rowed his dinghy several hours to shore, arriving around 4 a.m. on Sunday, April 5, the agency said.
Royal Bahamas Police Deputy Commissioner Advaldo Dames identified Brian Hooker as a “suspect” in an interview with Reuters. And a U.S. Coast Guard official told USA TODAY that the Coast Guard is also conducting a criminal investigation into Lynette Hooker’s disappearance.
Lynette Hooker’s massive search and rescue operation involved professional divers, drone technology, and a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter. The operation has been significantly scaled back and is now considered a recovery operation.
The Royal Bahamas Police Department is asking anyone with information that may assist in the investigation to contact them by dialing 911 or 919 or anonymously by calling 328-8477.
What did Brian Hooker say after his wife disappeared?
Brian Hooker has not given interviews to media outlets reporting on the incident, but he posted a short Facebook post about the incident on Wednesday, April 8, about 12 hours before his arrest.
“I am heartbroken by the recent boating accident in which my beloved Lynette fell from a small dinghy near Elbow Cay in the Bahamas in unpredictable seas and strong winds,” he said. “Despite our desperate attempts to get closer to her, the wind and currents have pushed us further apart. We continue to search for her and that is my only focus.”
He also left a voicemail for his stepdaughter the day after her mother disappeared.
“Hello, Honey, I got a call from Hopetown Search and Rescue saying they found the flotation device I threw when my mother fell into the water,” Brian Hooker said in a voicemail shared by Carly Aylesworth with multiple media outlets. “They haven’t found her yet, but from now on they can focus all their efforts on a smaller area.”
Meanwhile, Hooker’s attorney told USA TODAY that his client could not comment further because the investigation is ongoing.
“It is extremely important to note the importance of maintaining the integrity of the legal process,” attorney Terrell A. Butler said in a statement. “Based on the fundamental principles of our justice system, all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law…Public comments that envision a particular outcome can undermine the fairness of the legal process.”
More about Brian and Lynette Hooker’s relationship
Lynette and Brian Hooker have been documenting their sailing adventures on social media for years, and after “sailing away from BS,” they describe themselves on TikTok as a “couple living their best lives.” They have sailed to New Orleans, Miami Beach, Key West, Lake Michigan, and most recently all over the Bahamas.
Lynette Hooker’s daughter, Carly Aylesworth, said in interviews with NBC News, CBS News, and Fox News that her mother and stepfather, Brian, had a rocky and unstable relationship.
“Recently, there has been a lot of fighting and drinking in our relationship,” she told CBS. “So I’m kind of wondering what actually happened in that dinghy.
“It just doesn’t make sense,” she told Fox News. “There’s a history of him strangling her and threatening to throw her overboard. So given the fact that something like this is happening, I believe there’s more to this story.”
According to a report obtained by NBC News from the Kentwood Police Department, a “highly intoxicated” Lynette Hooker told police during a 2015 police interview that Brian Hooker choked her and punched her.
Officers found Brian Hooker bleeding from his nose and intoxicated. The man told police Lynette Hooker punched him in the face up to five times, NBC News reported.
“He stated that he had not received such a blow in a long time,” the police officer wrote. “He started crying and became emotional.”
Police found Brian Hooker’s nose swollen and bleeding, but Lynette Hooker had no apparent injuries, the report said.
USA TODAY was unable to find any records showing Brian Hooker was ever convicted of domestic violence.
Where is Brian Hooker now?
Brian Hooker’s attorney told USA TODAY that he was at a police station in Grand Bahama as of Thursday night.
The Royal Bahamas Police Department declined Thursday to answer questions from USA TODAY about the incident, including whether they intend to detain or release Hooker.
Amanda Lee Myers is a senior crime reporter covering breaking news, cold case investigations and the death penalty for USA TODAY. Follow her on X at @amandaleeusat.
