Maps shared by Brian Hooker allegedly show exact spot where wife Lynette fell overboard in Bahamas

Brian Hooker apparently sent the images of the maps to friends and fellow boaters in the days after his wife Lynette vanished
PUBLISHED 1 HOUR AGO
The annotated maps apparently outline what Brian Hooker describes as the dinghy route on the night his wife Lynette Hooker disappeared (CBS News, Facebook/Lynette Hooker)
The annotated maps apparently outline what Brian Hooker describes as the dinghy route on the night his wife Lynette Hooker disappeared (CBS News, Facebook/Lynette Hooker)

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS: Brian Hooker has reportedly been sharing a set of maps he claims chart the final known movements of his missing wife, Lynette Hooker, in the Bahamas. 

Brian sent the images to friends and fellow boaters in the days after Lynette vanished last week, with some of those recipients passing the material along to CBS News. He allegedly shared the same images with law enforcement.

According to him, the markings drawn over screenshots from Navionics (a GPS navigation app popular among boaters) were intended to guide the initial search-and-rescue effort.

The annotated maps outline what Brian describes as the dinghy route on the night his wife disappeared, including the point where he claims she went overboard. 

Lynette, a Michigan native, has been missing since last Sunday.

This image, captured by Brian Hooker using the Navionics boating app, is said to depict the path taken by his dinghy on the night his wife, Lynette, vanished in the Bahamas (CBS News)
This image, captured by Brian Hooker using the Navionics boating app, is said to depict the path taken by his dinghy on the night his wife, Lynette Hooker, vanished in the Bahamas (CBS News)

Brian Hooker recounts 'cascade of failures'

Brian's explanation of what happened has largely come through phone calls and statements to investigators, including one April 7 call in which he calmly walked a friend through the timeline.

"It was a cascade of failures, and it's something I'm never going to forgive myself for," he said. "We stayed too long, we left too dark. All kinds of s***. No life jackets."



The couple had taken out an eight-foot motorboat from Hope Town on April 5. Only Brian returned.

According to his account, Lynette fell overboard at around 7.30 pm while the two were heading back to their yacht, Soulmate. He told authorities she had the boat keys with her when she fell, which caused the engine to shut off and left him drifting. "She basically just bounced off the dinghy in the middle of a little blow," he said in the call, which CBS verified.

This screengrab, captured by Brian Hooker using the Navionics boating app, is said to depict the path taken by his dinghy on the night his wife, Lynette, vanished in the Bahamas (CBS News)
This screengrab, captured by Brian Hooker using the Navionics boating app, is said to depict the path taken by his dinghy on the night his wife, Lynette Hooker, vanished in the Bahamas (CBS News)

Sunset followed just ten minutes later, he said, plunging the area into darkness and complicating any immediate search. Neither of them was wearing a life jacket.

"The wind blew us apart so fast that I think she tried to swim back to our sailboat, which was probably 1,000 yards," he added. "I yelled to her that I lost the oar, and I threw the anchor out and anchored the dinghy."

This screengrab, captured by Brian Hooker using the Navionics boating app, is said to depict the path taken by his dinghy on the night his wife, Lynette, vanished in the Bahamas (CBS News)
This screengrab shows where Brian Hooker's dinghy was anchored on the night his wife, Lynette Hooker, vanished in the Bahamas (CBS News)

Brian told his friend he quickly lost sight of Lynette. He said he threw a flotation cushion toward her in hopes she would grab onto it, an item authorities are still searching for.

Brian claims it took hours before he could reach shore and even longer before help arrived. According to his account to investigators, he eventually washed up at the Marsh Harbour Boat Yard around 4 am the following morning.

Brian Hooker arrested amid ongoing search for wife Lynette

Bahamian officials arrested Brian on Wednesday night for questioning. He has not been charged with a crime, according to his attorney, Terrel Butler. Still, the investigation remains active as authorities continue searching for Lynette.

Through it all, Brian has maintained that he had no role in his wife’s disappearance.

"The cops called me today, and they asked how long I would be in the Bahamas," he said in the same phone call. "Until I get my wife back."

"That's my goal, I canceled everything we were going back home for," he added. "I'm gonna renew my visa and stay here."



The couple had been married for more than two decades and lived in Onsted, Michigan. By all appearances, they were seasoned travelers and frequently shared snapshots of their trips on social media.

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