Overview
- Brian Hooker was released late Monday after prosecutors advised against charges for now, and police say he remains a suspect.
- Lynette Hooker is still missing, with Bahamian teams conducting a recovery search by land, air, and sea after rough weather and strong currents hampered early efforts.
- Brian Hooker told authorities his wife fell overboard on April 4 with the dinghy’s key, which stopped the engine, and that he paddled to Marsh Harbour and reported her missing around 4 a.m. on April 5.
- The U.S. Coast Guard has opened a separate criminal investigation, and investigators are reviewing a recorded call, text messages shared by a friend, and a recovered flotation device reported by search teams.
- Family members have questioned Brian Hooker’s account and cited past conflict, while he denies wrongdoing and says he will keep searching, including by hiring a plane.