Search Intensifies for Missing Michigan Woman in Bahamas

Tue Apr 14 2026 22:04:42 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Authorities have released Brian Hooker, whose wife disappeared after allegedly falling overboard during a boating incident in the Bahamas, raising urgent questions about her fate.

Brian Hooker, a Michigan man, has been released from police custody after authorities investigated the disappearance of his wife, Lynette Hooker, 55, who reportedly fell overboard in the Bahamas. He maintains hope for her safety and plans to continue searching for her. The U.S. Coast Guard has opened its own investigation amid revelations of the couple's sailing history and prior domestic issues.

Police in the Bahamas have released a Michigan man who said his wife disappeared after falling overboard from a small boat in waters off the island nation, authorities said Monday.

Brian Hooker, of Onsted in southern Michigan, had been in police custody since April 8 after being questioned by authorities. He told CBS News shortly after his release that he wants to believe his wife is still alive and plans to go back out to look for her as soon as possible.

“I won’t be able to stop looking,” Hooker said, getting emotional.

Law enforcement freed him after consulting with prosecutors who recommended against filing charges at this time, with investigations underway.

Brian Hooker told police that Lynette Hooker, 55, fell overboard the night of April 4 as they were traveling in an 8-foot (2.4-meter) motorboat from Hope Town to Elbow Cay, a group of small islands on the eastern end of the Bahamas. He said Lynette had the boat’s keys, causing its engine to shut off and forcing him to paddle ashore.

“Strong currents subsequently carried her away, and he lost sight of her,” police said in a statement.

After reaching shore, Brian Hooker alerted someone about his wife’s disappearance early the following day, according to authorities.

Hooker has denied any wrongdoing, according to his attorney, Terrel Butler. She did not immediately respond to an email Monday from The Associated Press requesting comment on Brian Hooker’s release.

The U.S. Coast Guard has opened an investigation separate from the one being conducted by authorities in the Bahamas.

The couple has been married for over 20 years and chronicled their adventures sailing around the Caribbean on their “Sailing Hookers” Facebook page. They posted videos in 2023 of buying a sailboat they named Soul Mate in Rockport, Texas, and then embarking on a cruise through the Gulf of Mexico.

The couple’s home in Onsted is about 70 miles (120 kilometers) southwest of Detroit.

Lynette Hooker’s daughter, Karli Aylesworth, told NBC News that it is unlikely her mother would “just fall” off the boat, noting the couple had been sailing for years.

However, the couple has a history of contention, with both accusing each other of assault in 2015, according to a Kentwood, Michigan, police report obtained by NBC. The report stated that Brian Hooker, who was intoxicated and bleeding, claimed his wife had struck him, while Lynette was arrested but did not face charges as the situation was unclear.