Missing U.S. Woman's Chilling Messages About 'Splitting' With Husband Revealed — As He Remains in Police Custody After She 'Fell Overboard in Bahamas'
Lynette Hooker had a history of fighting and separating from her husband, Brian.
April 13 2026, Published 3:52 p.m. ET
A woman who fell out of a boat in the Bahamas and has not been seen since sent chilling text messages to a friend about previously splitting from him, RadarOnline.com can report.
Lynette and Brian Hooker's marriage appeared to be doomed in 2024, but the two reconciled and continued to sail the world together. Now Brian is being held in connection with her fishy disappearance.
Calling It Quits
Lynette has gone missing after falling overboard from their shared boat.
Brian, 59, and Lynette, 55, had been sailing together for more than a decade, and chronicled their adventures on their own YouTube channel, cheekily called "The Sailing Hookers."
But the couple has a history of breaking up and then getting back together several times during their 20-year marriage.
During one of those periods of separation, between January and February 2024, Lynette texted a friend and suggested all that time confined to a ship took a toll on her.
"I guess it was too much closeness," Lynette texted Marnee Stevenson, before revealing: "We decided to call it quits. I'm not going back."
Rocky Waters in Relationship
The two were experienced sailors who cruised the world together.
Lynette would later admit that their marriage had hit rocky waters out at sea.
"We were married 21 years. Our marriage lasted 6 weeks cruising," she said, adding that she was "starting over."
At the time, Lynette left Brian to stay with her mother in Florida. When asked about whether the two could reconcile, she told her friend, "It was real bad. I can't be out there with him."
Lynette also confided to Marnee that she had "quiet" an "awesome career, sold my house and gave away everything I own to cruise."
Lynette's Suspicious Family
Lynette's daughter has questions about her mom's disappearance.
Marnee wasn't the only one to share the hardships of the Hooker's marriage. Lynette's daughter from another marriage has her own questions and concerns.
"There have been prior issues brought to my attention, which may be important for any thorough investigation," Karli Aylesworth told Fox News Digital. "If this truly was an accident, I can understand and live with it. However, there needs to be an intensive review of the facts and circumstances of this tragic incident before that can be determined."
Aylesworth said Brian didn't even call to tell her about her mother's disappearance for nearly 24 hours. When he eventually did call her, she told NBC News his voice was "monotone and relaxed."
The daughter also revealed that Brian had a violent past, and hasn't ruled out the possibility of foul play.
"I do believe something might have happened to her," she told Fox News. "There's a history of him choking her out and threatening to throw her overboard. So the fact that this is actually happening makes me believe there’s more to the story."
Brian Under Arrest
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Brian has been arrested in connection with her disappearance.
On Sunday, April 5, Brian reported his wife missing, according to Bahamian authorities. He claimed the two had been in a small dinghy heading to their yacht when they ran into bad weather, which apparently caused Lynette to fall overboard with the boat key on her, shutting off the engine.
According to Brian, Lynette was driven away by the current, and he lost sight of her. He was able to report her missing after paddling to a marina.
Lynette has not been seen since, and Brian has been arrested in connection with her disappearance.
Brian's lawyer, Terrell Butler, revealed his client "categorically and unequivocally denies any wrongdoing."
