Brian Hooker remains in Bahamas custody as wife Lynette still missing

Brian Hooker, whose wife Lynette vanished overboard in the Bahamas, has had his detention extended to Monday. He has not been charged and denies wrongdoing.

Brian Hooker held in Bahamas while search for missing wife continues

Brian Hooker, an American man who told investigators his wife fell overboard during a sailing trip in the Bahamas, will remain in police custody until at least Monday evening, his attorney Terrel Butler told CNN. Bahamas police first took Hooker into custody on Wednesday, days after he reported that his wife, 55-year-old Lynette Hooker, had fallen into the water and been swept away by strong currents.

According to abc7ny.com, Hooker was questioned again on Friday by the Royal Bahamas Police Force, after which his detention period was extended. He has not been formally charged.

Butler said her client "categorically and unequivocally denies any wrongdoing." She described him as being in an "extremely fragile state" following both his wife's disappearance and his detention as a suspect. "He was overwhelmed, he was upset, and he kept reiterating that 'I need to know what's happening with the search of my wife,'" Butler said Friday.

Royal Bahamas Police Force Assistant Commissioner Advardo Dames told Reuters earlier this week that Hooker was considered a suspect and was arrested "for additional questioning based on some probable cause we have."

During Friday's questioning session, Butler said investigators did not ask about potential evidence from the Hookers' boat or their electronic devices. The questioning focused instead on the couple's personal life and marriage.

Butler also questioned the basis for suspicion at this stage. "If you have not located the person, how can you say that harm was caused to the person? And if you have not discovered a body, how can you say whether or not foul play was involved, which led to death?" she said.

Bahamian attorney Nicholas Mitchell, who is not directly involved in the case, explained that under Bahamian law, police can hold a person for up to 48 hours and may apply to a court for an extension of up to an additional 96 hours while an investigation is ongoing.

Daughter raises questions about stepfather's account

Lynette Hooker's daughter, Karli Aylesworth, 28, has repeatedly questioned the account given by her stepfather Brian Hooker. She told CNN he called her on Sunday evening, hours after reporting her mother missing, and delivered the news in a manner she found deeply unsettling.

"He said … like matter of fact, 'Hey, your mom is missing. We don't know where she is. She's been missing since last night, but we're gonna come up there soon to see you,'" Aylesworth recalled. She said it felt like "he just dropped a bomb on me" before he abruptly ended the call.

In the days that followed, she said she found herself wondering why he had not stayed closer to the area where Lynette disappeared. "Why wouldn't he drop anchor and look for her? Why did he paddle the other way?" she asked. "If my significant other fell into the water, I'd be freaking out and going after him."

Aylesworth said she does not want her stepfather to face consequences he does not deserve. "I just want to know the truth. I don't want him to be in trouble. I just hope this was a freak accident, but I don't want it to just be swept under the rug," she told CNN on Thursday.

Family seeks answers, friend criticises search transparency

Lynette Hooker's mother, Darlene Hamlett, told the Associated Press she also has "many unanswered questions." She said she was "glad to hear" about the arrest but is seeking more information. Hamlett noted that her daughter grew up near water and was an experienced swimmer and sailor. "It would be a miracle if she's rescued, but I'm still counting on one," she said. Hamlett has obtained an expedited passport in order to travel to the Bahamas soon, the AP reported.

A friend of the couple, Blaine Stevenson, who knows the Hookers through the yachting community, said he is frustrated that scrutiny of how Lynette disappeared has overshadowed the effort to find her. "I'm more upset that the Bahama Police have not released their search pattern or anything to do with whether they're actually looking for Lynette," Stevenson said. Police have issued periodic social media updates, including a statement on Tuesday noting "extensive" search operations with temporary assistance from the US Coast Guard, but have not released detailed information about search patterns or methodology.

Couple described as experienced sailors with turbulent marriage

Brian and Lynette Hooker, originally from Michigan, had been married for approximately 25 years and were described by family as experienced sailors. In recent years the couple documented their sailing travels on social media. They were navigating Bahamian waters aboard their yacht, named "Soulmate," when Lynette disappeared.

Aylesworth told CNN that while the couple cared for each other, the marriage had at times been turbulent and had become violent. She said her mother had previously confided that Brian Hooker had choked her. CNN stated it was unable to independently confirm that incident with law enforcement.

Butler did not address the allegation directly, but reiterated that her client denies any wrongdoing and that determining cause of harm — or death — is premature while Lynette Hooker has not been found.

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