Donna Hooker, the stepmother of Brian Hooker, whose wife Lynette vanished during a sailing trip in the Bahamas, has expressed a willingness to assist investigators, stating she believes her stepson "lied about everything."
Lynette Hooker, 55, was reported missing on April 4 after Brian Hooker told authorities she fell overboard from their dinghy while they were on their sailboat, named "Soulmate." Brian Hooker was initially detained and questioned by Bahamian authorities but was later released and returned to the U.S. in mid-April. The U.S. Coast Guard has since seized the sailboat as it was being transported from the Bahamas back to the United States.
Donna Hooker, who was married to Brian's late father for over 40 years, told The Tribune newspaper that she has never been contacted by investigators from either the Bahamas or the United States, despite knowing Brian for decades. She believes she possesses knowledge that could be crucial to the ongoing investigation into Lynette's disappearance.
Donna Hooker described her stepson as intelligent, quiet, and reserved during his teenage years in the 1980s, stating he often stayed in his room. She noted that over the years, it became more difficult to communicate with him.
She last saw Brian Hooker in April 2022, when he visited his father after the elder Hooker suffered a stroke. According to Donna Hooker, she learned of Lynette's disappearance from a family member who told her to watch the news. She also mentioned that Brian's sister, Jennifer, who reportedly traveled to the Bahamas after Brian's initial release, has not responded to multiple messages.
Brian Hooker has not been accused of any crime. His attorney has stated that he has been cooperating with investigators. The investigation into Lynette Hooker's disappearance is active and ongoing.