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GREAT ABACO ISLAND, Bahamas – Bahamian authorities are facing a Monday evening deadline to charge or release Brian Hooker, the husband of missing Michigan resident Lynette Hooker, as the investigation into her disappearance near Elbow Cay continues for less than an hour.
Hooka has been in custody since last week after authorities arrested him in connection with his wife’s disappearance. His attorney said officials have until 7:00 p.m. Monday to decide whether to charge him or release him.
Police continue to search for Lynette by air, land and sea, although the effort has shifted from a rescue operation to a recovery operation.
Lynette Hooker went missing after falling overboard during a cruise off Elbow Cay in the Bahamas Saturday night, police said. ((Brian Hooker/Facebook))
Final hours under review
Lynette Hooker was last seen on the night of April 4 after the couple left the Abaco Inn by boat back to their cable boat.
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Fox News Digital also followed the route — a short trip through waters that local experts say are often shallow, clear and heavily trafficked.
According to Brian Hooker’s account, Lynette fell overboard due to bad weather and strong winds. He said the couple were not wearing life jackets and the boat lost power after the ignition key went into the water.
In a recorded call obtained by CBS, Hooker described the incident as a series of mistakes, saying Lynette “just crashed into the boat” before losing her vision in the dark.
He said later he rowed for help after searching for him.
WATCH: Volunteer fire and rescue teams search for missing Lynette Hooker
The family raises concerns
In an interview on Ashleigh Banfield’s “Drop Dead Serious” podcast, Lynette’s mother described the dysfunctional relationship and said her daughter had left her husband several times in the past.
“They had a lot of accidents and a lot of going down,” he said. “When there were bad times, they were bad times.”
She pointed out that Brian Hooker can be “mean-spirited” and “hateful” when he drinks and said there have been occasions when he passed out, adding that he has long feared for his daughter’s safety.
Lynette was planning to leave the marriage, her mother said in an interview.
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Separately, Lynette’s daughter, Karli Aylesworth, questioned Brian Hooker about the events, saying the circumstances surrounding her mother’s disappearance “do not add up.”
The Oak Town Volunteer Fire and Rescue boat searches for missing Lynette Hooker on Sunday, April 5, 2026 near Marsh Harbor, Bahamas. (Abaco Market for Asia)
In a previous appearance on “Fox & Friends,” he also alleged that he had been violent in the past.
“I’ve seen him strangle one of his daughters before. We had to go to court because of that,” said Aylesworth. “So you repeat patterns.”
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A general view of Marsh Harbor Boatyards, The Bahamas, Tuesday, April 7, 2026. Brian Hooker, 58, was reportedly rowing his boat back to the boatyards Sunday morning after losing his wife, Lynette Hooker at sea. (AJ Skuy for Fox News Digital)
Brian Hooker has denied wrongdoing and has spoken publicly about the incident, saying in a Facebook post that he is “heartbroken.”
“I am saddened by the recent boating accident in an unexpected sea and strong wind that caused my dear Lynette to fall from our small boat near Elbow Cay in the Bahamas,” he wrote. “Despite the hard efforts to reach him, the winds and currents have separated us too much. We are still searching for him and that is my focus.”
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The Oak Town Volunteer Fire and Rescue boat is searching for Lynette Hooker who went missing on Sunday, April 5, 2026 near Marsh Harbor Bahamas. (Abaco Market for Asia)
Lawyer: Hook denies wrongdoing
Hooker’s lawyer said his client wanted “closure” to find out what happened to his wife.
“He denied the allegations and maintained his innocence,” Terrell Butler said, adding that a decision to indict him could come before the deadline.
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The lawyer also said that the case will ultimately be handled by prosecutors, not just police investigators, and that Hooker is “tired and exhausted” as he awaits a decision.
If he is not charged by the deadline, authorities will have to release him, although re-arrest remains a possibility under Bahamian law.
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The search continues as the deadline approaches
Lynette Hooker and Brian Hooker are seen in a photo taken in 2023 on a small boat. (John Waters)
A floatation device believed to have been thrown from Lynette was found, according to multiple reports, but authorities have not said they have found her body.
Royal Bahamas Defense Force Commander Origin Deleveaux told NBC News that authorities are continuing to search for Lynette, and that early efforts were hampered by bad weather.
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Fox News Digital also reported that local boaters said it would be unusual for a person to disappear without a trace in the area due to the clarity of the water and the proximity to land.
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The Hookers had documented their yachting lifestyle online after purchasing and restoring a sailboat in Texas, eventually en route to the Bahamas.
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Fox News Digital has contacted the Royal Bahamas Police Force and Hooker’s attorney for further comment.
Adam Sabes of Fox News Digital contributed to this report.
