Brian Hooker home in Michigan, hires lawyer after wife’s disappearance

Brian Hooker, of Onsted, has returned to the United States and retained an attorney as recovery operations continue for his wife, Lynette, reporting missing in the Bahamas on April 4.

Hooker was detained on April 8 by the Royal Bahamas Police Force as investigators questioned him about his wife’s disappearance, which occurred during a nighttime dinghy trip near Elbow Cay in the Abaco Islands.

He was released on April 13 after prosecutors declined to file charges within the timeframe allowed under Bahamian law, according to reporting from CBS News.

After returning to the United States, Hooker hired Grand Rapids-based attorney Crystal Marie Hauser to represent him. During an interview with ABC News, Hauser asked the public to treat Hooker with the same consideration they’d expect if they found themselves in his position.

In a written statement after his release, Hooker wrote he remains committed to finding his wife and is dedicating his time to coordinating search efforts.

Royal Bahamas Police Commissioner Shanta Knowles said prosecutors recommended Hooker’s release pending further investigation, but emphasized the case remains active, according to NBC News.

Hooker has denied any wrongdoing in his wife’s disappearance. Bahamian authorities said her body hasn’t been recovered and investigators are reviewing evidence collected from the couple’s boat — including electronic devices seized under a search warrant.

What happened to Lynette Hooker?

Lynette Hooker was reported missing by her husband early April 5. Brian Hooker claimed he’d paddled alone for hours after Lynette went overboard the couple’s eight-foot dinghy near Elbow Cay in the northern Bahamas. He said they’d left Hope Town around 7:30 p.m. April 4 to return to their anchored yacht, and his wife fell overboard amid rough conditions, according to reporting from WTOL 11.

Brian Hooker, according to authorities, said his wife was holding the boat keys when she went overboard, causing the engine to shut off. He said strong currents carried her away and he lost sight of her in the darkness; then began paddling toward safety.

Search efforts involving the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, Royal Bahamas Police Force and the U.S. Coast Guard continued for several days before being downgraded from a rescue mission to a recovery operation. Officials said only a flotation device was located during shoreline searches.

Lynette’s daughter, Karli Aylesworth, has publicly questioned her stepfather’s account. In interviews with NBC News, Aylesworth described her mother as an experienced swimmer and sailor and said she didn’t believe her mother would have accidentally fallen overboard or been in possession of the boat keys.

She alleged to Fox News that her mother and stepfather have a volatile relationship.

“There’s history of him choking her out and threatening to throw her overboard,” she told the outlet. “So, the fact that this is actually happening makes me believe there’s more to the story.”

What was the couple doing in the Bahamas?

Brian and Lynette Hooker maintain a YouTube channel called “The Sailing Hookers,” where they document their travels. According to reporting from The New York Post, the couple’s final video before Lynette’s disappearance joked about “getting sick of each other.”