The U.S. Coast Guard is seeking information from the public about the disappearance of a Michigan woman who reportedly fell overboard from a small boat in waters off the Bahamas a month ago.
Lynette Hooker, 55, has been missing since April 4. Her husband, Brian Hooker, 58, told authorities that she fell from their dinghy that night as they traveled from Hope Town to Elbow Cay. He said strong currents carried her away and that she had the boat’s keys, causing its engine to shut off and forcing him to paddle ashore.
Days later, Brian Hooker was arrested in the Bahamas and questioned in connection with his wife’s disappearance. He was released on April 13 without charge and has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
Bahamian authorities said he remained a suspect in Hooker’s disappearance, and the U.S. Coast Guard is conducting a separate criminal investigation. Lynette Hooker’s daughter Karli Aylesworth has questioned Brian Hooker’s version of events, and said the couple had a volatile relationship.
A month since she disappeared, Lynette Hooker’s body has not been recovered and no charges have been filed in connection with her disappearance.
Here, Newsweek looks at the questions that remain unanswered about the case.
What’s Happening With The Search?
Despite an extensive search, Lynette Hooker’s body has not been recovered.
The Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) said on April 16 that search and recovery operations for the woman remain active and had not been suspended. But Bahamian authorities have not provided an update on the search since.
Newsweek has contacted the RBDF for comment via email.
In the days after her disappearance, a huge search and rescue operation had been launched that involved professional divers, drone technology and a helicopter. The operation later shifted to a search and recovery effort.
Where Is Brian Hooker And Is He Being Investigated?
Brian Hooker left the Bahamas on April 15 after saying he would stay there until his wife was found.
His attorney Terrel Butler told NBC News at the time that he had traveled back to the United States to visit his sick mother, but planned to return. She declined to disclose his exact destination.
After returning to the U.S., Brian Hooker hired Michigan-based attorney Crystal Marie Hauser to represent him.
Hauser told ABC News on April 22 that the public should “give him the benefit of the doubt.” When asked if he plans to return to the Bahamas, she said: “I imagine that is where his heart is, but I can’t speak on whether or not that’s what he would be doing.”
Newsweek has contacted Hauser for further comment via email.
Authorities released Brian Hooker after consulting with prosecutors who recommended against filing charges at this time. Royal Bahamas Police Commissioner Shanta Knowles told NBC News at the time that he will remain a suspect in the investigation, which is ongoing.
A Coast Guard official told Newsweek this week that the agency “is conducting a criminal investigation into the disappearance of Mrs. Hooker” that remains ongoing.
The Coast Guard said on X on Tuesday that the Coast Guard Investigative Service, the agency’s investigative arm, is seeking information about Hooker’s disappearance near Aunt Pat’s Bay, including seeking to speak with the owner of a sailboat that was moored near the Soulmate, a 46-foot-long boat that was the Hookers’ primary vessel, on April 4.
CBS News reported earlier this week that investigators have been looking beyond the route of the dinghy on the night Lynette Hooker disappeared, and are seeking potential witnesses who may have been near the Soulmate before or around the time she went missing.
The owners or occupants of the vessel moored near the Soulmate may have information relevant to the investigation, a Coast Guard memo said, according to the outlet.
Will Brian Hooker Face Charges?
It remains to be seen if Brian Hooker will face any charges in connection with his wife’s disappearance.
But a maritime attorney previously told Newsweek that Hooker could be charged even if he remains in the U.S.
“If additional evidence does come to light, then Hooker could certainly be arrested and charged in the U.S.,” Michael Winkleman, a partner at Lipcon, Margulies & Winkleman, said.
“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.”
