Brian Hooker Could Be Arrested In US Over Wife’s Disappearance—Attorney
The husband of a woman who vanished at sea after reportedly falling off a boat in the Bahamas could face charges in the United States, a maritime attorney told Newsweek.
Brian Hooker, 59, was released from police custody on Monday without charge after being questioned in connection with the disappearance of his wife Lynette Hooker, 55. She has been missing since April 4, and Hooker told authorities that she fell from their dinghy and was swept away by powerful currents. He has denied any wrongdoing in connection with her disappearance.
His attorney, Terrel Butler, told NBC News on Wednesday that Hooker has since left the Bahamas to travel to the United States to visit his ailing mother.
Michael Winkleman, a partner at Lipcon, Margulies & Winkleman, said that Hooker could still be arrested again.
“If additional evidence does come to light, then Hooker could certainly be arrested and charged in the U.S.,” he said.
Lynette Hooker, 55, has been missing at sea after her husband reported she fell off a boat in the Bahamas on April 4. | Lynette Hooker/Facebook
The Context
Hooker was arrested on April 8 after telling authorities that his wife fell from their dinghy as they sailed from Hope Town to Elbow Cay on April 4, and that strong currents carried her away. He said his wife had the boat’s keys, causing its engine to shut off and forcing him to paddle ashore.
He was released without charge on Monday.
Lynette Hooker’s daughter Karli Aylesworth, who traveled to the Bahamas this week, has questioned her stepfather’s account of what happened and called for a thorough investigation.
Hooker denies causing his wife’s death and is cooperating with law enforcement, his attorney has said. He has not been charged with a crime.
The U.S. Coast Guard has launched an investigation separate from the one being conducted by Bahamian authorities, a Coast Guard official confirmed to Newsweek.
“The Coast Guard is conducting a criminal investigation into the disappearance of Mrs. Hooker,” a Coast Guard Official told Newsweek earlier this week. “The Coast Guard does not comment on ongoing investigations.”
What To Know
Hooker was released from custody after police consulted with prosecutors who recommended against filing charges at this time.
Winkleman said that Hooker could face charges if any evidence of a struggle emerges.
“The boat itself could hold clues like blood or evidence of a struggle,” he said. “Any electronics onboard could hold positioning data that potentially contradicts Brian’s version of events.”
Winkleman said Hooker’s departure sends a message that he “is trying to somehow avoid the investigation.”
He added that “every action Hooker takes plays a role in the court of public opinion.”
Hooker was released from custody in the Bahamas after police consulted with prosecutors, who recommended against filing charges at this time. Royal Bahamas Police Commissioner Shanta Knowles told NBC News that he remains a suspect in the investigation.
Friends of the couple have criticized Hooker out for leaving the Bahamas without providing further information that could help in the search for his wife.
Aylesworth also hit out her stepfather for leaving the Bahamas, saying it shows he is “not much of a man of his word.”
Hours after his release on Monday, Hooker told NBC News that he “would never harm” his wife and was focused on finding her.
He told CBS News on Tuesday that he “won’t be able to stop looking” for her.
“I believe I’ve been told that people have lasted in the Bahamas after falling overboard for days and even weeks,” he said.
Butler said on Wednesday that Hooker left to visit his mother, but planned to return to the Bahamas, though she did not say when.
“Following his release from custody without charge, Mr. Hooker is now facing another emergency,” Butler said in a statement to NBC News “In addition to the trauma of his wife of 25 years being missing, Mr. Hooker has received urgent word of his mother’s grave illness. He has traveled to [the] United States of America to be at her bedside during this critical time.”
Aylesworth said in an interview with NBC News last week that it was unlikely her mother, an experienced sailor, would “just fall” from the boat. She also said the relationship between her mother and stepfather was volatile and that they have a “history of not getting along, especially when they drink.”
The couple, who are from Michigan and have been married for more than 20 years, chronicled their adventures sailing around the Caribbean on social media under the name “The Sailing Hookers.”
What Happens Next
The search and investigation remain ongoing.
Police are urging anyone with information that could help with the investigation to contact 911, 919, their nearest police station or the Criminal Investigations Department of the Royal Bahamas Police Force. They can also leave anonymous tips through Crime Stoppers at 328-TIPS (8477).
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