Brian Hooker, an American man arrested in the Bahamas after his wife vanished from a small motorboat trip, denied any wrongdoing, his attorney said Thursday, while authorities continued to question him and search for Lynette Hooker. The case has remained active in Bahamian investigations, the officials said, with the U.S. Coast Guard also moving into a criminal review.
In a statement carried by the Associated Press, attorney Terrel Butler said Hooker “categorically and unequivocally denies any wrongdoing” and that he was cooperating with authorities. Butler said Hooker could not provide further comment while investigations are continuing. Authorities said Hooker, a 59-year-old man whom they did not identify by name, was arrested in Abaco on Wednesday and is being questioned.
Bahamian authorities and investigators described the disappearance as occurring during a voyage in a motorboat from Hope Town to Elbow Cay on Saturday night. They said the boat was about 8 feet, and that Hooker told them Lynette Hooker had fallen overboard with the boat keys, causing the engine to turn off.
Authorities said Brian Hooker then paddled to shore and alerted someone about Lynette’s disappearance early Sunday. Police later said that “Strong currents subsequently carried her away, and he lost sight of her,” according to a statement issued Saturday.
Hooker’s denial, according to Butler’s statement, includes “the allegations recently made by Karli Aylesworth,” who is Lynette Hooker’s daughter. Earlier, Aylesworth told NBC News that she believed it was unlikely her mother would “just fall” off the boat and said her mother was an experienced sailor.
Aylesworth also told NBC that the couple’s relationship was volatile, describing what she said was a “history of not getting along, especially when they drink.” In comments to WXYZ-TV, she said she doubted her mother survived and was able to tread water that long, but she said she hoped to find Lynette Hooker so she could get closure.
Lynette Hooker’s mother, Darlene Hamlett, told the Associated Press late Wednesday that she was “glad to hear” about the arrest, while declining further comment as she sought more information. Hamlett also said earlier Wednesday that she wanted to hear more from her son-in-law about how her daughter disappeared, and she described making arrangements to travel to the Bahamas soon.
On Wednesday morning, Brian Hooker wrote on Facebook that he was “heartbroken over the recent boat accident in unpredictable seas and high winds that caused my beloved Lynette to fall from our small dinghy near Elbow Cay in the Bahamas.” He added that “Despite desperate attempts to reach her, the winds and currents drove us further apart,” and said that the search “continue[d]” and that it was his “sole focus.”
A U.S. Coast Guard spokesperson told the Associated Press that the service has opened a criminal investigation into the case. In addition, a lawyer for Aylesworth said Coast Guard officials interviewed Aylesworth on Wednesday, and that the lawyer expected more answers to come. Bahamian police said search operations and investigative efforts remain active.