Exclusive: Daughter Reveals Harrowing New Details & Text Messages | Lynette Hooker Missing Bahamas

Summary

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Drop Dead Serious With Ashleigh Banfield

Episode Summary – “Exclusive: Daughter Reveals Harrowing New Details & Text Messages | Lynette Hooker Missing Bahamas”

Date: April 9, 2026
Host: Ashleigh Banfield
Key Guest: Carly Aylesworth (Daughter of missing person Lynette Hooker)

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Episode Overview

In this gripping episode, Ashleigh Banfield delves into the harrowing disappearance of Lynette Hooker, an American woman who vanished while living her dream—retirement and adventure with her husband, Brian Hooker, aboard their yacht, “Soulmate,” in the Bahamas.
Ashleigh’s exclusive interview with Lynette’s daughter, Carly Aylesworth, opens up painful new details—text messages, troubling past incidents, and fresh questions about the events leading up to Lynette’s disappearance. The episode focuses on unraveling the context, the relationship history, and the investigative progress, offering listeners complex family dynamics, chilling anecdotes, and real-time updates from Carly herself.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Incident Recap and Timeline

• Background: Lynette and Brian Hooker, a retired couple, were living on their yacht “Soulmate” in the Abaco Islands (specifically, Elbow Cay), Bahamas.
• Incident: Brian claims Lynette “bounced out” of their eight-foot tender (dinghy) at night while returning from dinner ashore; she had the engine key, disabling the dinghy, and was swept away by currents.
• Questions Raised:
  • Doubt on Circumstances: Ashleigh questions the plausibility given the boat’s slow electric engine and the nature of the key (a kill switch, not a typical ignition key).
  • Nine-Hour Drift: Brian reportedly did not reach land or call for help for nearly nine hours after the incident ([04:00] AM next day).
• Tracking Evidence: Carly details accessing Brian’s Automatic Identification System (AIS) data, which supports some aspects of his account regarding the dinghy’s movement ([06:30]–[09:45]).

2. Relationship History & Domestic Issues

• Turbulent History:
  • Carly reveals Lynette had tried to leave Brian at least twice, with finances keeping her in the relationship.
  • Reports of increased drinking and public arguments in recent years.
• Text Messages:
  • 2022 text:
    • “Nothing but fighting since we bought the boat. Then he started turning to insults, so I packed my stuff and left. I’m in Florida visiting parents. I’m okay with it. I feel nothing. It’s something I probably should have done 15 years ago...” (Lynette’s text, read by Ashleigh at [06:30] & [39:00])
  • 2015 text:
    • “I was warned he came with too much baggage.”
• Past Violence:
  • Carly recounts that Brian allegedly choked Lynette and threatened to throw her overboard two years prior ([32:20]).
  • Reports and photos (held by Lynette’s friend) of bruises on Lynette linked to Brian ([34:14]).

3. New Developments in the Investigation

• Transition to Criminal Investigation: The case shifted overnight from a missing persons case to a criminal investigation, and Brian is being detained but not formally charged ([11:58]).
• Legal Statements:
  • Brian’s Bahamian lawyer, Terrell Butler, categorically denies wrongdoing, says Brian is cooperating with authorities, but will not comment further due to the ongoing investigation ([10:45]).

4. Carly’s Perspective & Family Impact

• Initial Contact:
  • Brian’s first outreach to Carly after the incident was brief and lacked detail; she did not speak to him directly ([13:49]).
• Skepticism and Grief:
  • Carly is “in shock,” finds Brian’s story suspicious, and doubts Lynette would simply fall overboard ([26:04]).
• Prior Abuse:
  • Carly and her family had encouraged Lynette to leave Brian; there’s a documented history of emotional and physical abuse ([35:04]).
• Potential Motive:
  • Carly speculates about possible life insurance policies and whether financial gain could be a factor ([31:41]).
• Family Divisions:
  • Brian is estranged from some of his children due to prior abusive incidents.
• GoFundMe Campaign:
  • Carly organized “Help Find and Honor My Missing Mom” to travel to the Bahamas and aid in search/investigation ([25:24]).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Ashleigh Banfield:

• “Almost nine hours. So I kept wondering what was going on for those nine hours.” ([04:50])
• “This relationship was not good, according to Carly Aylesworth, Lynette’s daughter. She has shared text messages with me.” ([06:30])

Lynette’s Text (2022, via Ashleigh):

• “Nothing but fighting since we bought the boat. Then he started turning to insults, so I packed my stuff and left. I’m in Florida visiting parents. I’m okay with it. I feel nothing. It’s something I probably should have done 15 years ago, but now I need to find a job. I gave up everything I worked for.” ([06:30], [39:00])

Carly Aylesworth:

• “I think either she did actually fall off and he just was like, oh, well, look at all that life insurance, and just paddled away, or he pushed her out and she was unconscious or something. I don’t know.” ([31:41])
• “The last time they were together, he did choke her out and threaten to kill her and throw her overboard. So the fact that this is happening two years later is a little bit like, how can we not be suspicious when you’ve already said that this was gonna happen?” ([32:20])
• “Just doesn’t really make sense.” ([26:04])
• “She did complain about him…when he drinks. He just gets more, like, smartassy and feistier.” ([33:26])
• On being asked directly if Carly believes Brian killed her mother:
  • “It’s not a…It’s not not a possibility, but, yeah, probably.” ([40:56])

Memorable Moment

• Ashleigh’s repeated questioning of the dinghy incident, the current speed, and the mechanical details, illustrating why the official story doesn’t add up—especially given Lynette’s swimming abilities and the calm conditions ([19:17]–[22:15]).

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Key Timestamps

• [01:05] – Ashleigh begins: Summary of known facts and sets up the incident details
• [06:30] – Ashleigh reads Lynette’s candid text messages about Brian and the marriage
• [09:45] – Ashleigh introduces Carly and highlights ongoing investigations
• [11:58]–[15:01] – Carly details timeline, initial contact with Brian post-disappearance
• [17:03]–[18:32] – Discussion of increased drinking and public fighting
• [22:50] – AIS tracking evidence and movement following the disappearance
• [26:04] – Carly describes her growing suspicion and disbelief over the circumstances
• [28:20] – Carly recalls incidents of Brian’s temper and violence towards family
• [32:20] – Major revelation: Brian previously choked Lynette and threatened to kill her and throw her overboard
• [35:04] – Attempts and circumstances of Lynette leaving Brian
• [37:49] – Life on the boat and lack of alternative housing for Lynette
• [39:00] – More excerpts from Lynette’s texts showing intentions to leave
• [40:56] – Carly’s blunt assessment: “Yeah, probably” believes Brian killed Lynette

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Additional Context & Investigative Leads

• Ongoing Investigations: Royal Bahamian Police now treating the case as criminal; U.S. Coast Guard involved.
• Restaurant as Potential Crime Scene: Ashleigh intends to follow up on potential witnesses and staff from the last location Lynette visited.
• Call for Witnesses: Authorities request anyone on Elbow Cay that night to come forward.

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Conclusion

This episode offers a rare, raw look into the real-time experience of a family suddenly thrust into a harrowing international case. Ashleigh Banfield pushes past headlines, posing hard questions—about motive, opportunity, and the tangled web of domestic abuse and isolation that may have led to Lynette’s disappearance. The interview with Carly is both heartbreaking and revealing, documenting the aftermath and raising profound concerns about the investigation’s scope.

Quote to sum up the gravity:

“I just want to know the truth of what happened, because a missing person is a big deal, especially since it’s my mom. I just hope this was an accident.” — Carly Aylesworth ([40:28])

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GoFundMe Support:

• Help Find and Honor My Missing Mom — Organized by Carly Aylesworth, to assist the family’s efforts in the investigation and (potentially) Lynette’s memorial.

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Stay tuned to Drop Dead Serious for updates as this case develops.

Transcript

[A]

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[B]

Hey everybody, I'm Ashley Banfield and this is Drop Dead Serious. I've got a lot of updates for you on the story out of the Bahamas. An American woman is missing. Her husband is being detained after telling the Royal Bahamian police that she just fell overboard. And then I drifted for nine hours and called the police. And there's a whole lot more to it. In my episode yesterday, I was pretty specific about the facts that we know so far. But today I've learned a lot more about this case. I've had a long conversation with Lynette Hooker's daughter. Lynette is the woman who's missing. Lynette and her husband Brian Hooker. The two of them had set sail in their retirement and were living on a boat called Soulmate, a 55 foot keel boat. And they were sailing in the Bahamas and they were specifically in the northern part of the Bahamas. You know, Bahamas islands and islands and islands and the Abaco Islands are up in the northern part of the Bahamas. And one particular area is called Elbow Key. And if you look on a map, you can see it's a six mile long barrier island and it's located in the Abaco Islands and that's where they were. The boat was moored. They had used a tender, one of those little rubberized eight foot dinghies to go to shore and go to a restaurant. And as they were coming back in the dinghy, Brian told the police that Lynette just bounced out and she had the key and the engine wouldn't work without her and the current took her away and that was that. I had so many questions about an engine that needs a key when it's an itty bitty little engine. Because we've now confirmed that the pictures you're seeing were the actual little dinghy in question. The tender the eight foot tender with that little electric motor on the back that only goes a couple knots super slow. So bounced out hard time believing that even with waves you go like that, you wouldn't go bang, bang, bang because it doesn't get a lot of speed. And then the issue with the keys, interestingly, Carly Aylesworth, Lynette's daughter has cleared up a lot of information for me regarding that engine and the keys. And there it's like a kill switch, it's something you actually plug in. It's got a string off of it and it gets the engine going. And it would require that Lynette would have probably been at the helm to have grabbed the string, pulled it out and took it with her if she's going overboard. So a lot of that, again pretty hard to believe. I'll suspend disbelief in the interest of everybody deserves, you know, you're not guilty till proven. So anyway, Brian Hooker has been detained in the Bahamas. He's not charged yet as of this recording. And it is 11:40am on Wednesday, April 9, Thursday, April 9. And so we're watching developments in the Bahamas. But I do have some really interesting information. I have been scratching my head about the story that Brian told the police. He left the restaurant with Lynette at 7:30 at night to head back out to their yacht from the land. They had to head back up to their yacht using this little, you know, tender, which is what I call it, it's just a rubberized dinghy with a hard bottom. That was at 7:30 at night. But it wasn't until 4:00 o' clock in the morning that he ended up floating, paddling, slash, blowing in the wind and beaching up on land and going through all of the brush according to authorities, to find help and then call police. Almost nine hours. So I kept wondering what was going on for those nine hours. And interestingly, Carly has told me that she's been able to actually track Brian's movements using the Automatic Identification System, AIs tracking system. Basically it's a, it's a shipboard system. It uses transponders to sort of plot your course, your speed, your real time position and data. And she's actually seen this course that he said he took. The data actually shows that he did blow that entire course. So that is super interesting and it certainly, that speaks well for his case that he has told the Bahamian police. But there are a lot of other really disturbing things that I've learned. This relationship was not good. According to Carly Aylesworth, Lynette's daughter. She has shared text messages with me, which I'm going to share with you in a moment. These are text messages that her mother texted to a friend about leaving Brian. Carly has told me that the circumstances were so bad that she had tried to leave him twice before, but that financially she felt tied to him. She felt as though her mother and Brian had been drinking a lot lately and said that this is what Carly said, that Carly's mom, Lynette, said that when Brian was drinking, it was so bad it was embarrassing for the people around them to see his behavior. Also, there was talk of divorce. According to Carly, her mother had talked about divorce. And when I specifically asked Carly if she thinks that her stepfather killed her mom, her answer is harrowing. So you're going to see that entire conversation in just a moment. But I want to read for you some of the text messages that Lynette shared with a friend of hers. Some of them are from 2015 and some of them are for from 2022. So let me start with the text message most recently from 2022. Lynette says to her friend, nothing but fighting since we bought the boat. Then he started turning to insults. So I packed my stuff and left. I'm in Florida visiting parents. I'm okay with it. I feel nothing. It's something I probably should have done 15 years ago, but now I need to find a job. I gave up everything I worked for. There's nothing to fight over. It's scary and exciting at the same time. I'm lucky to have awesome parents who support me, but I'll never marry again. Those again are messages from Lynette to her friend in 2022. And in one text to the same friend in 2015, Lynette says, I was warned he came with too much baggage. You should know that as Carly describes it, her mom and Brian were retired and they were living on their 55 foot keel boat called Soulmate and sailing around. So this was supposed to be, you know, living the dream in retirement and that, you know, if her mom wanted to leave, there was really nowhere to go because this was their home other than going to her parents or coming back to mainland USA and being with family. So it's just sort of telling the circumstance that Lynette Hooker was in at the time that she disappeared. Carly seems to think there may have been life insurance, something that her mom may have been able to get from her prior job. She's not sure about that, but you'll hear how she describes it in our interview. I do Want to share with you a gofundme that Carly has started. She wants to travel to the Bahamas to try to figure out what is going on with Royal Bahamian police with this investigation. Will they charge him? She wants to see where this happened. Obviously, if this was your mom, you would want to go right away to lay eyes on this and make sure that what should be happening is happening. And so she and her family have launched Help Find and Honor My Missing Mom. Again, help find and honor my missing mom. It's Carly Ailsworth's GoFundMe. And I think you'll notice in that GoFundMe this is very sad that she's acknowledging that it's likely her mom is not alive because she's saying that the money that's raised will not only help her to travel there, but may also be used to help lay her mom to rest. It's very, very sad. Anyway, help find and honor my missing mom is the GoFundMe. I also want to let you know that even though no formal charges have been announced against Brian Hooker, the lawyer who purports to be representing him has put out a statement. Terrell Butler in the Bahamas has released this statement, and she says Mr. Hooker categorically and unequivocally denies any wrongdoing and in particular, the allegations recently made by Carly Ailsworth. 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. So again, that is Terrell Butler, Bahamian attorney, apparently retained by Brian Hooker, as he is in limbo at this point. And again, it's early in the day on Thursday. It's just before 12 noon, Thursday, April 9th. So by day's end, who knows if there'll be charges or not. But, you know, it took four days before an investigation was even opened. And it didn't happen right away with the Bahamians. It happened with the US Coast Guard. Last night, late. I had to rush back and redo the top of the podcast because everything I'd done all day, the recording had no investigation. On day four, this is day five today. And late in the evening, the U.S. coast Guard in the Bahamas opened its own investigation. And then today we learned that there is this criminal investigation. In fact, I think late, late, late, late last night, we learned that he was being detained. No criminal charges yet, but that there is this local criminal investigation that's ongoing. So here now is my conversation with Carly Aylesworth. Lynette Hooker's daughter. And you know, she's had a very long night. She's exhausted. She's talked to the press, she's talked to the authorities, she's talked to the US Coast Guard. They're helping to liaise with her. She's talked to the US Embassy. So this has been a living hell. So I'm very appreciative that she gave me this time. But here's our conversation. Carly, what is the latest that you've heard from the Bahamian authorities or the U.S. coast Guard?

[C]

I heard from my lawyer that it turned into a criminal investigation last night. And last I knew, he got a lawyer in the Bahamas to represent him.

[B]

Has Brian made any overtures to you other than that initial voicemail and email that he sent day or night?

[A]

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[C]

He sent me some texts and he has called a couple times, but otherwise no.

[B]

And when he called, were you able to answer the phone? Did you have a conversation with him?

[C]

No, I did not. I just let it go to voicemail.

[B]

And what effectively did he say in those texts and voicemails?

[C]

Just that he wants to be there for Rosie and I, his other daughter, and that he's doing what he can to look for her.

[B]

Were you able to ask him any questions back? Meaning what happened? Lay it out for me, sort of get him on the record saying what he says happened to your mom.

[C]

When he called me Sunday night, I was still in shock when he was talking to me, so I didn't really say much. I just said, okay. He's just trying to process that. He tried to say that he was gonna come up and visit and he would like to see us, but I didn't respond to that. And then he quickly got off the phone.

[B]

And this is like 24 hours after your mama disappeared, right, that he made this first contact with you?

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Were you surprised on Sunday night when you got this information? And did he say anything about why he waited so long to tell you?

[C]

He did not tell me why, no. But I was very surprised that this happened, yes.

[B]

What's your relationship with Brian Hooker?

[C]

He's been in my life for about 25 years now, since I was about four years old. He has always been there. He acted like another parent to me. I just know that him and mom had some rocky issues, but they never dragged me into it, so. Yeah.

[B]

So effectively, I saw one of the messages. He said, it's dad. When he reached out to you, did you call him dad?

[C]

No, I called him Brian. He was my stepdad.

[B]

Was it weird that in the message he said, carly, it's dad?

[C]

No, it's not weird. He has referenced that he's dad before, but I never called him that.

[B]

It seemed as though in the Facebook statement. Let me get your impression of his. Of his Facebook statement that he put out yesterday.

[C]

It was really sad to see. I know he loved her in his own way a lot. I just. I don't know. It just sucks to see right now.

[B]

Yeah. Did you think at all that it sounded defensive before, it sounded concerned about your mom?

[C]

I don't know. I don't know.

[B]

Tell me a little bit about the relationship. You said that it's been rocky. How rocky and in. In what way?

[C]

Just that they get into fights more often when they drink, and I guess lately they've been drinking more. So I'm just concerned that something happened that can't be undone.

[B]

And you know that they have been drinking more in. In what way? And how do you know that?

[C]

Yes, my grandma told me that she's been confiding in her. Their relationship problems and that they've been fighting more and that it's been embarrassing for other people to witness.

[B]

And

[C]

she did send me a voice message one night that she was really drunk, but I just kind of, like, ignored it. I was like, okay, mom, she's Like, I'll talk to you in the morning. I was like, okay. So I just kind of brushed it off, not thinking. Like, I knew drinking was a problem in their relationship. They went about a year and a half being sober because I knew the problems that would arise. But I just kind of was like, okay, she's an adult. She can handle it herself, I guess.

[B]

Were you concerned about the level of drinking between the two of them?

[C]

Yes. Drinking is not really good for my family, it seems, so. I just wish it never started again.

[B]

Do you know anything about where your mom and Brian were before they set out on the dinghy?

[C]

They. I know they went to Elbow Cay. I think it was to go to a restaurant. That's all I know.

[B]

Has anyone in the restaurant. Have you had a chance to talk to anyone in the restaurant about their condition or what was happening in that restaurant before they left?

[C]

No,

[B]

but is it normal for them to go ashore, go to a restaurant, and then go back out to the boat?

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

And the dinghy. I've seen in their social media, Brian driving around in a small dinghy, and I wondered if that's the dinghy that Brian is referring to. Yes, it's that small dinghy in the pictures. So on the back of that dinghy is a very small engine. It almost looks like it's a two or four horsepower. Do you know anything about that engine?

[C]

It's an electric engine. It goes only a couple knots.

[B]

Very slow. Yeah. Not the kind of thing that you would bounce around driving. Yeah. And did he at some point say that. That your mom had bounced out of the dinghy?

[C]

Yes, he did say that.

[B]

Did he describe that any other way? Like, is there any more description to what he said?

[C]

Nope.

[B]

Have you ever seen anybody bounce out of that dinghy at the slow speed that it goes?

[C]

No.

[B]

Yeah. Even with big waves, even if you were to go over someone's waves, it would almost feel like you'd go over them like a cork. Not bounce over them with. With any kind of momentum. Right.

[C]

You're right.

[B]

And let's talk a little bit about the. The keys. Everybody talks about the keys. Is it one of those kill switches that you put around your wrist with a coil that goes into the engine?

[C]

No, it's on a little string. It goes on like, almost like a jet ski would, but it just clicks in with a little string dangling from it.

[B]

And what happens? So you. You put that. That sort of system into the electric engine and it starts it.

[C]

Yep.

[B]

How would it go overboard? I mean, if you're Driving. And would somebody have it around their wrist or be holding onto it or what? Like, how did. I'm trying to envision how that key could have gone overboard.

[C]

I've never seen anyone wrap it around their wrist, so I'm not really sure how she got it. She would have to, really. I don't understand how someone could grab onto it when they're in the middle of falling.

[B]

It seems odd. Was there a. Was there a coiling, a coily kind of string on it, or was it just simply a device with, you know, some kind of a keychain on it?

[C]

Just a device with, like a little rope on it.

[B]

A little rope. And was. Did Brian say that your mom was driving?

[C]

She. When I. Every time I drove with them, she never drives the dinghy. It's always Brian.

[B]

Did he claim that she was driving that night?

[C]

I don't believe so, no. Would.

[B]

Is it possible that there would have ever been a circumstance where maybe Brian had had too much to drink and Lynette took over the helm?

[C]

Maybe, but I highly doubt it.

[B]

Did she know how to drive the dinghy? Could she have driven by herself if she wanted to?

[C]

Yes, she could.

[B]

And she's a strong swimmer, right?

[C]

Yes.

[B]

As is he. I think I saw that. He's a Marine.

[C]

Yes.

[B]

So I'm trying to figure out. He says to the police that they left elbow key at 7:30 at night, but he didn't wash up on shore after having paddled and drifted for about nine hours.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Have you been able to see the distance that he's talking about?

[C]

Yes, I. Someone got into his AIs system so they could see where he was, and it looked like he went up Elbow K, like early in the morning Sunday. So I don't really know what happened between 7:30 and the time he went up the island or went up the coast.

[B]

What's the AIs system?

[C]

It's like a tracking system for the

[B]

boat, but that would be a tracking system for Soulmate, the yacht, right? Not necessarily the. The. The small dinghy.

[C]

There.

[B]

One.

[C]

There is one for the boat, but I also think there he has it on his phone.

[B]

And so did you see his trajectory? Like, did you actually. Could you trace that? He actually did float all the distance that he said he did.

[C]

It did say that they were in Elbow Key or Cay by the restaurant. And then later on that night, it went up the coast and you could

[B]

actually see that the distance that it had traveled. Any idea how far he had traveled in that boat in the dinghy? No idea, but it did show that that dinghy traveled the distance that he's talking about. Did the police know about that?

[C]

Yeah, I showed the Coast Guard.

[B]

It's fascinating. Also, tell me a little bit about what the Coast Guard has told you.

[C]

From what I got when they were here, just that they were getting all the facts to know what could possibly go on. And then they went to Jackson to talk to more of our friends and family.

[B]

But the Coast Guard is working in the Bahamas, I think. I read that the Coast Guard was part of the actual search and rescue teams in the beginning, right?

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

The U.S. coast Guard's presence in the Bahamas at the Abaco Islands.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

And so are you dealing directly with the folks in the Bahamas, the. The Coast Guard representatives who are actually on site?

[C]

I have not talked to them. I have talked to the US Embassy in the Bahamas just this morning, finally got a call from them. So I know they're starting to do, like, their investigations and whatnot.

[B]

What did they tell you, the U.S. embassy?

[C]

What exactly do they tell us? That they're not the ones that do the investigation. Oh, that they're not the ones to do the investigation to help us. They can be a liaison to help us.

[B]

And so you've got a Contact at the U.S. embassy now, at least that can help you understand the process and what comes next.

[C]

Yes.

[B]

Is anyone from your family at this point thinking of going over to the Bahamas to speak directly with the Royal Bahamian Police?

[C]

I think my stepsister was thinking about going down there. I know his sister's already down there. I was planning on going down there to look eventually if I can raise enough money, but otherwise no one has talked to them yet.

[B]

And you have a GoFundMe, right?

[C]

Yes.

[B]

What's the name of your GoFundMe?

[C]

It is help find and honor my Missing mom.

[B]

So at this point, we don't know if Brian Hooker has actually been charged with this. Right. Just that he's being detained.

[C]

Right.

[B]

Has anybody told you anything about the criminal investigation at this point and what they have found and what they haven't found?

[C]

No, they have not.

[B]

But still no sign of your mom. When you first heard the news that your mom was missing, did you suspect something nefarious right away?

[C]

I was too in shock when I was being told, but as I was processing it, stuff just didn't add up. To me, it just seems very unlikely that she would just fall overboard. And why would she be swimming away from the boat? Why wouldn't she be swimming towards the dinghy or why didn't he drop anchor and look for her. Just doesn't really make sense.

[B]

Does the dinghy have an anchor?

[C]

Yes.

[B]

And do you have any idea. Did anyone tell you about the actual currents in the place that they were between the yacht and land?

[C]

I did read somewhere that it was only a couple knots. The wind or the current was. But I did read that it was very windy. But the knots in the water, the tide was not going that fast, so

[B]

it didn't sound plausible. I mean, usually where you anchor, it's safe harbor. It's a place where you're not going to be yanking on your anchor all night. So the distance. Any idea how far from land the yacht was when they anchored and then took the dinghy into land? Like, how long was that journey that they had to make?

[C]

They did have to cross some water to get to the other island, but it's not very far if it's in the dinghy ride.

[B]

Any idea how far.

[C]

Do you know how far? No idea. I've never been there. I was at a different island when I was there with them.

[B]

And also, do you have any idea how bad the weather really was? Because he said the weather was, you know, really bad and that's why Lynette fell over.

[C]

I just know it was about 20 mph winds and it was about 3 knots.

[B]

The tide was, but not roiling seas and rain and thunder and lightning. Wasn't a storm of any kind.

[C]

Yeah, no. I don't believe they would go out in a storm like that anyways.

[B]

Yeah, it doesn't seem to make sense. I mean, the whole thing just seems very odd. I have seen comments about Brian's temper in the past, things that you've witnessed. Can you tell me things that you've. You've seen with regard to Brian's temper?

[C]

He gets away with his emotions sometimes. I've seen him do stuff to his daughter out of anger, and now I'm worried that it's happened to my mom and it's something that he can't undo.

[B]

Have you ever seen him be violent with your mom?

[C]

I've heard stories from her, but I haven't seen it with her. I have seen it happen with his daughter. The same stuff that she describes happened to her.

[B]

Can you tell me what you saw with Brian and his daughter?

[C]

They were talking about something religious because she's super religious and he's an atheist. And she ran off, and then he followed her and grabbed her by the neck and was like, say yes, sir to her in her face. And then we had to go to court for that. And I was a witness.

[B]

How old was she?

[C]

Like, around 12. I was in third grade.

[B]

She was a child when this happened. And what was the outcome?

[C]

They stopped coming over. I don't know what if he was charged with anything, but I just know that Jesse and Jake stopped coming over after that.

[B]

These are his two kids?

[C]

Yes. Out of three, he has a third one, too.

[B]

And does he have a relationship with those kids now?

[C]

He does with one of them. But Jesse, she. He does not talk to since that incident? Basically, yeah.

[B]

How old is she now?

[C]

30 something.

[B]

So it's been a. An estranged relationship with his own kids all these years?

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Does he speak with the other two kids?

[C]

He speaks with Jacob over FaceTime sometimes. And then Rosie. Yes, he talks to Rosie.

[B]

And is it Rosie who is in the Bahamas now?

[C]

She wants to go to the Bahamas. Yes, she's in Lowell.

[B]

And have you been speaking with those siblings about what's happened?

[C]

I've talked to Rosie, yeah.

[B]

What does Rosie think?

[C]

She doesn't want to believe that her own dad would do that, which I understand. It's pretty hard for me, too, to even wrap my head around this, but she just was going to go down there to support him, to help. Look, but I even mentioned, like, I don't know if that's a good idea right now to get into this mess.

[B]

Do the. Do his kids have any suspicions about what happened, though?

[C]

Um, I haven't talked to Jacob, but there is some speculation right now as to what actually happened.

[B]

What. What do they think.

[C]

That's he didn't do the best he can to look for her?

[B]

Do they think that Brian intentionally pushed Lynette overboard?

[C]

They have a suspicion that something could have happened, but they don't want to say, like, for sure because that's their dad.

[B]

Yeah. What do you think happened?

[C]

I think either she did actually fall off and he just was like, oh, well, look at all that life insurance, and just paddled away, or he pushed her out and she was unconscious or something. I don't know.

[B]

You mentioned life insurance. Do you have any idea what the policy or if they have a life insurance policy?

[C]

I have no idea, but I'm assuming she does from her retirement.

[B]

Do you think that Brian had any intention of leaving your mom? Had they talked about separation or had they been having marital difficulties?

[C]

They've talked about separating before, and the last time they were together, he did choke her out and threaten to kill her and throw her overboard. So the fact that this is happening two years later is a little Bit like, how can we not be suspicious when you've already said that this was gonna happen?

[B]

Did your mom confide in her mom, your grandmother, specific incidents, anything that had happened between her and Brian?

[C]

Yeah, she mostly confided in my grandma.

[B]

And do you know what she told your grandma?

[C]

Just that they've been fighting more often lately, especially when they've been drinking, and that it's embarrassing for other people to see. And she has mentioned that it's not safe to be with him.

[B]

She told your grandmother it's not safe to be with Brian?

[C]

I don't remember where I read that. But she has said that to one of her friends, at least.

[B]

And what. Can you expand on that? What did she mean by it's not safe?

[C]

I'm guessing just when he starts drinking, he gets a little bit more. He gets different. And she did complain about him, how he acts when he drinks. He just gets more, like, smartassy and feistier. I guess so, yeah.

[B]

Did she ever tell your grandmother or any of her friends specific things that had happened?

[C]

Just about. I think that she's told them more than. Than what she's told me. But I do know that there's, like, a picture of bruises all over her back from one of her friends, and she mostly tells my grandma all of that stuff.

[B]

Do you have that picture of your mom with bruises?

[C]

No, I don't.

[B]

Who has that picture?

[C]

One of her friends in Jackson.

[B]

And is that something that you're gonna forward to the Royal Bahamian police as part of their investigation?

[C]

I believe they did, yeah. To the Coast Guard.

[B]

Did your mom say that the bruises were from Brian?

[C]

Yeah, I'm sure.

[B]

But do you know for sure?

[C]

I don't know. 100%, no.

[B]

But the. Her friend, your mom's friend, told you that the picture exists?

[C]

She told my grandma, which told me.

[B]

Right, right. Has anyone in your family ever suggested to your mom that she leave Brian?

[C]

Yes. Multiple times. Every time she leaves him. We don't want her to go back, but she always goes back.

[B]

How many times has she left him?

[C]

I know for sure of two times. One when I was in high school and one two years ago. But I'm sure there's been more times.

[B]

What are the circumstances of her leaving him? Like, what precipitated it? Do you know?

[C]

The. Just when he choked her out. That's what made her leave last time.

[B]

So the final time was when he allegedly choked out your mom. What about the time before that?

[C]

That was in high school. She didn't tell me why she Just was in my room crying when she told me.

[B]

And what did she say?

[C]

Just that they're gonna get a divorce.

[B]

She had. She had talked about divorce beforehand. Mm. Did she say what his reaction was?

[C]

No. I just know that he was crying downstairs because I heard him crying.

[B]

Brian was crying in. In the house after your mom told him she was leaving? Mm. Was he angry?

[C]

Not that I know of.

[B]

Were there any other times, other than these two times that you know of, that your mom may have tried to leave Brian?

[C]

No, not. Not for certain.

[B]

And they were retired, right?

[C]

Mm.

[B]

And so did they have plenty of money? Were there any financial struggles or issues between your mom and Brian? Did Brian have any debts? Was there anything that you can think of that would give some motive?

[C]

Not that I know of. I do think she has life insurance out from being retired from AT&T. I know he doesn't have any retirement from AT&T, so I don't know how good he's sitting. But I knew do know that last time they broke up, my mom told me that they. She's better when they're together financially, but when they're apart, she's gonna have to work. If they broke up and she was gonna try to work at the post

[B]

office, she had actually talked about having to get a job at the post office to live separately from him.

[C]

Mm.

[B]

When was that?

[C]

Two years ago.

[B]

And so do you feel that your mom was financially pressured to stay with Brian against her will?

[C]

Uh, probably not, but.

[B]

But she mentioned to you that she's financially stronger when she's with him. And if she's not with him, she would have to get a job and come out of retirement. Was there retirement to be on the boat and sail around the world, or were they just on a visit to the boat?

[C]

Their plan was to stay on the boat and travel around.

[B]

So they were living on the Soulmate yacht? Yeah, a 55 foot yacht.

[C]

Something around there?

[B]

Yeah. Did they sell their belongings back at home?

[C]

Yep.

[B]

So that was their home. I mean, there was nowhere for your mom to go if she wanted to get off the yacht. She didn't have another home to go to.

[C]

Exactly.

[B]

Did she ever tell your mom that it was a mistake, that she wished she hadn't gotten on the yacht? Probably, but didn't mention anything to you?

[C]

I do have texts saying that she sold everything to be living this dream, and now she's has to leave it or something like that. She sent text messages to my friend or one of her work friends about it.

[B]

So tell me a little bit More about those texts.

[C]

She. Can you. Thank you. Right here. Nothing but fighting since we bought the boat. Then he started turning to insults, so I packed my stuff and left. I'm in Florida visiting the parents. This was in 2022? Yeah, that's basically.

[B]

Are there any other texts like that?

[C]

She said it's something I probably should have done 15 years ago, was to leave him. Yeah, that's basically it.

[B]

Who are these texts to?

[C]

Her. Her name's Corey.

[B]

Is that a friend?

[C]

She used to be a friend. Yeah. A work friend. I don't know if they're still close, but I know they were at one time.

[B]

And these were texts that Corey sent you?

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

In light of everything that's happened, were there any other texts that they sent her friends or your mom or your. Or your grandmother? Did your grandmother have any text messages from your mom?

[C]

Probably, but I don't have them.

[B]

And are you in regular communication with your grandmother about everything that's happened?

[C]

Mm. I've talked to her every day since.

[B]

If you had a message for Brian, if he was watching this, what would you want to say to him?

[C]

I'm sorry this is happening. I really hope that it was an accident. I hope you understand that. I just to want to know the truth of what happened, because a missing person is a big deal, especially since it's my mom. I just hope this was an accident

[B]

and

[C]

everything will be okay, I guess.

[B]

Do you think that he killed your mom?

[C]

It's not a. It's not. Not a possibility, but, yeah, probably

[B]

intentionally.

[C]

I don't know if it was intentional or his anger got the best of him, but I feel like there is a possibility that something could have happened.

[B]

I just want to ask Lindsay, who's on the other end right now, if there's anything that I've missed, if there's anything I should ask you that I haven't asked you? Yeah, like a. Yeah. Did they have. Did they have a group of friends that were in the Bahamas, or were they just by themselves? Were there anybody around that they spent time with?

[C]

Not that I know of. I do know they have some boat friends, but I don't know where they're located, so.

[B]

So not necessarily in the Bahamas.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Right. Right. And, Carly, is there anything that I haven't asked you or something that I don't know or that nobody knows at this point but that you'd like to say?

[C]

Not right now, no.

[B]

And anything in the history between your mom and Brian that I haven't asked you about, you haven't mentioned yet? Something that comes to mind that is important to this whole situation.

[C]

Um, just any support for my family right now would be greatly appreciated.

[B]

Did you ever fear that Brian would do something like this to your mom?

[C]

I feared that he would hurt her in some way, but I never would have thought that this would have happened.

[B]

You thought the worst it would be was maybe more bruises, but not something this serious?

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

And given the history and the text messages, the pictures, the. The concerns that your mom even had about staying with him, do you now think, in retrospect, it's possible something did happen? That maybe he did do something terribly, terribly bad to your mom?

[C]

I have a feeling, yeah.

[B]

Yeah. Well, Carly, I am thinking of you and I'm hoping the best for. For you and your family. And please know that we're praying for your mom and for you and for the rest of your family as well. Thank you for talking to us today, and I hope we can continue the conversation.

[C]

Yeah, no problem. Thank you.

[B]

So that's where it stands again at roughly noon on Thursday, April 9. But I'm going to be following this and I have a lot of questions for the restaurant that they may have been in, the last place where Lynette was seen, the condition that Lynette and Brian may have been in. Any witnesses? I know there's been a call from the Royal Bahamian Police Force for any witnesses who may have seen anything to come forward. And I just hope the right kinds of questions are being asked all around that mooring site as well as wherever at Elbow Key the hookers may have spent those final hours before 7:30 at night, setting off in that rubber dinghy, that tender, to head back to the Soulmate yacht, which was supposed to be where they were living their dream. I'll stay on it as I promised. Don't forget to subscribe and don't forget to like. It really does help us out. And if you want to be a member, that would be great too. We do a lot of content just for the members and a lot of Q&As, live Q& as, sometimes with wine. So it's fun. But thank you everyone for listening. Thank you for watching. And remember, the truth isn't just serious, it's drop dead serious.