Police have arrested 59-year-old Michigan man Brian Hooker following the disappearance of his wife in the Bahamas.
Lynette Hooker, 55, allegedly fell overboard from an 8-foot dinghy on Saturday night as the couple returned to their yacht, Soulmate.
The Royal Bahamas Police Force previously said that a man had been arrested in Abaco and was being held for questioning, but did not state whether he had been charged.
In a statement to the Daily Beast, Terrel Butler of Terrel A. Butler & Associates confirmed that Brian Hooker had been arrested and was on her way to Freeport to represent him. He denies any wrongdoing.
Lynette Hooker’s disappearance is now being treated as a criminal investigation, according to a Coast Guard spokesperson speaking to the Associated Press.
Brian Hooker told cops that she fell overboard with the keys to the powerboat as they left Hope Town, causing its engine to turn off, leaving Brian stranded and forced to paddle to shore, where he alerted police.
Speaking on Saturday, police said that when she fell overboard, “Strong currents subsequently carried her away, and he lost sight of her.”
Lynette’s mother, Darlene Hamlett, said she was “glad to hear” about the arrest, according to AP.
“I’m going to be interested in what he says, because I haven’t heard from him in almost two days,” she said
The Michigan couple had been married for decades and were documenting their travels on Instagram under the title “The Sailing Hookers.”
Lynette’s daughter, Karli Aylesworth, told Fox & Friends on Wednesday that she thought something “just doesn’t add up” about her mom’s disappearance.
“There’s history of him choking her out and threatening to throw her overboard,” Aylesworth claimed. “So the fact that this is actually happening makes me believe there’s more to the story.”
“It just doesn’t add up,” she told Fox.
“Mom is very fit and strong, and she’s a good swimmer. Like, why was she swimming away from the boat? Why did she have the key? This story just does not make sense to me.
“There’s also been history of domestic violence in that relationship, so I do believe something might have happened to her.”
Speaking to CBS News, she said her mom falling overboard with the dinghy’s keys didn’t feel right.
“Brian’s always driving. So he basically is in charge of the key,” she said. “So the fact that my mom had it doesn’t make any sense.”
She was interviewed by the U.S. Coast Guard on Wednesday, AP reports, citing her attorney, Ron Marienfeld.
“We are pleased to see it is being investigated, and hopefully more answers will come to give the family some closure,” Marienfeld said.
In a statement to the Daily Beast, Butler said, “I wish to formally confirm that Mr Brian Hooker has retained me to represent his legal interests. Mr Hooker categorically and unequivocally denies any wrongdoing and in particular the allegations recently made by Karli Aylesworth. He has been cooperating with the relevant authorities as part of an ongoing investigation.
“Mr Hooker cannot provide further comments to the media or the public at this time while the investigations are ongoing.”
The Daily Beast has contacted the firm for further comment.
