Missing US woman Lynette Hooker's husband cited wind in texts before arrest remains ‘hopeful’

BAHAMAS: Newly surfaced messages sent by Brian Hooker, the husband of Lynette Hooker,  a 55-year-old American woman who went missing in the Bahamas, have provided fresh insight into her disappearance.

In the texts, Brian described how his wife allegedly fell overboard and claimed wind conditions prevented him from reaching her.

The messages, which emerged days after the incident, appear to differ from law enforcement’s account. Brian has since been taken into custody as a suspect as the search for Lynette continues.

Husband’s messages detail version of events, raise questions

According to messages reviewed by media outlets, Brian told a family friend that wind conditions prevented him from reaching his wife after she fell into the water.

“The wind blew me away from her and she swam towards the sailboat, and we lost sight of each other pretty quickly as it was just about sundown,” he wrote.

He said the incident occurred as the couple attempted to return to their yacht, Soulmate, in a dinghy. Brian added that Lynette had the key to the boat when she fell, causing the engine to stop.

“I drifted and tried to paddle with one oar for the next 7 hours until I washed up behind the shore of the next island over,” he said. In subsequent messages, he described ongoing search efforts and the emotional toll on his family. “We are still searching..a lot is going on right now but I thank you for checking on us,” he wrote, later adding, “Our family is in hell right now.”

However, his account appears to conflict with statements from authorities, who have said Lynette was swept away by strong currents while attempting to return to the yacht. The discrepancies have drawn scrutiny from those familiar with the case.

The recipient of the messages, a fellow boater, said, “the stories don’t really match up” when compared to official accounts. He questioned why Brian did not attempt a rescue and expressed skepticism about the explanation that the wind had separated the couple.

Arrest, investigation and past allegations come into focus

Brian Hooker, 59, was arrested Wednesday night and is being treated as a suspect, though he has not been formally charged.

During the arrest process, he reportedly fell overboard from a police vessel, sustaining “knee pain and abrasions,” according to his attorney, Terrel Butler.

Despite his arrest, his lawyer said Brian remains focused on finding his wife. “He feels hopeless without her, so he is hoping that she will be recovered,” Butler said. “He’s been married for 25 years. She’s his life partner. He says they share everything together.”

Authorities launched the investigation after Brian reported that Lynette had fallen into the water and was swept away by strong currents.

The search has continued for several days, with no confirmed sightings. Concerns about the circumstances have also been raised by Lynette’s family.

Her daughter, Karli Aylesworth, alleged a history of domestic violence. “There’s history of him choking her out and threatening to throw her overboard. So the fact that this is actually happening makes me believe there’s more to the story,” she said.