Neighbor of Michigan woman lost in Bahamas describes stormy marriage

ONSTED, Mich. — After a Lenawee County woman vanished at sea over the Easter weekend and police arrested her husband, the mystery of what happened to Lynette Hooker has caught international attention, and some details of their stormy relationship have come to light.

Lynette Hooker and her husband, Brian Hooker, are avid travelers who have been living on their boat in the Caribbean, Lynette's daughter said. On Wednesday, police in the Bahamas said they took a man into custody in connection with Lynette's disappearance. They did not identify the man to The Detroit News, but USA Today confirmed it was Brian, who had said on Facebook that Lynette fell overboard while they were out on a dinghy.

"I am heartbroken over the recent boat accident in unpredictable seas and high winds that caused my beloved Lynette to fall from our small dinghy near Elbow Cay in the Bahamas," Brian said in a post. "Despite desperate attempts to reach her, the winds and currents drove us further apart. We continue to search for her and that is my sole focus.

"Our family is deeply grateful for the Bahamian people’s assistance, especially that of the Hopetown Volunteer Fire & Rescue team, Royal Bahamas police force, Royal Bahamas Defense Force, and the US Coast Guard, who have worked tirelessly in an ongoing effort to bring Lynette back to us.

"Thank you to everyone for keeping Lynette in your thoughts and for your support of our family during this difficult time."

Karli Aylesworth, Lynette Hooker's daughter, said Thursday that she was told police in the Bahamas were questioning Hooker, but she did not know whether her stepdad had been arrested. Later in the day, Lynette's family said Brian Hooker was still in custody.

"We don't expect (he'll be charged) unless they find blood on the dinghy or her body or some key evidence like that," said Steve Hansen, Aylesworth's boyfriend. "They just want to put pressure on (Brian) until they have something."

On Tuesday, Aylesworth told The News that her mother's disappearance was suspicious.

What authorities say happened in the Bahamas

Police on the island of Abaco launched the investigation after Lynette Hooker went missing at sea on Saturday while traveling from Hope Town to Elbow Cay, Bahamian officials said.

According to a preliminary investigation, a man reported to the Royal Bahamas Police Force that he and his wife departed from Hope Town at about 7:30 p.m. aboard an 8-foot dinghy for Elbow Cay, officials said in a news release.

Police said the man told officers his wife had gone overboard with the boat keys, causing the vessel's engine to shut off. He reported that strong currents carried her away, and he lost sight of her, investigators said.

The man told detectives that he paddled the dinghy to shore.

Officials said the man arrived at the Marsh Harbour Boat Yard in the Bahamas at about 4 a.m. Sunday. He informed someone at the boatyard, and that person alerted the police, according to authorities.

Who are the Hookers?

Aylesworth said her mother and stepfather have been married for about 25 years. She added that the two are avid travelers who have been in the Bahamas for about a month and have been living on their boat while in the Caribbean.

While they lived in their Onested home, in a brick bungalow along a narrow asphalt road that winds along Sand Lake in the heart of the Irish Hills, neighbors were aware of some of their issues.

Jordan Plentz, 29, who lives across the street from the Hookers, described the Hookers' marriage as turbulent, with a long history of fighting. She learned about the marriage from Lynette’s mother, who lived with the Hookers. She said she didn’t know the reason for the arguments.

“I wasn’t shocked when I heard about it,” Plentz said about her neighbor’s death. “They fought for a long time. ... The violence was pretty bad."

A couple who lived across the street from the Hookers, Gary and Deborah Budnik, said they were shocked and saddened by the news of Lynette Hooker's disappearance.

“It’s a little disturbing,” said Gary Budnik, 75. “It’s heartbreaking.”

Gary Budnik described the Sand Lake community as tight-knit, with 30% of residents living there year-round and the others residing there part-time, like the Hookers.

The Hookers were social travelers

The Hookers chronicled their travels through videos on YouTube under the handle @thesailinghookers.

The last video was posted on March 9. The 3-minute clip focused on paddleboarding in the Bahamas and featured what appeared to be Lynette Hooker pointing out wildlife as she and her husband traveled on the water.

A series of "shorts" captured some of their jaunts, including snorkeling, spotting a turtle, sampling lobster, drinking beer and stopping at a resort.

In the last "short" posted on the channel, labeled "Dance party," the text printed over a picture read "Don't you two ever get sick of each other?" Beneath was the message "Me and my husband" and footage of two people dancing to the 1990s La Bouche song "Be My Lover."

Previous footage posted in the last four years centered on journeys on the Mississippi River and to Catalina Island. Facebook posts show the couple had a boat named "Soulmate," and they took the original Soulmate to New Orleans for their 21st wedding anniversary in March 2023. The two also spent a lot of time in Fort Myers, Florida.

The couple also shared moments from their trips on Instagram under the handle the_sailing_hookers.

Brian Hooker's Facebook was almost completely private, with only two posts about his wife visible — one from after her disappearance and one from before. Lynette's is filled with photos and videos of herself on the boat or in the water, sunsets and views while sailing or paddle boarding. She has several photos of herself and her husband as well.

The two also have a page set up for their sailboat, S/V Soulmate, though it is unclear which of them runs it. The about section of the page reads "photographer/sailor living my best life." The last post was from March 9, with a YouTube video of them paddleboarding.

That page mostly contains photos and videos of their boat, a new Cookie Monster flag one of them made and views from their travels on the water.

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