“He Took Her Last Breath and Threw Her Away Like Trash”: Lynette Hooker’s Mom Speaks After Search

Summary

Podcast Summary: “He Took Her Last Breath and Threw Her Away Like Trash”: Lynette Hooker’s Mom Speaks After Search

Drop Dead Serious With Ashleigh Banfield
Release Date: June 6, 2026
Host: Ashleigh Banfield
Guests: Darlene Hamlet (Lynette Hooker’s mother), Bill Hamlet (stepdad)

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Episode Overview

This episode provides a deeply personal and investigative update on the disappearance and presumed murder of Lynette Hooker in the Abacos, Bahamas. Acclaimed true crime reporter Ashleigh Banfield breaks down the latest on the Coast Guard investigation and sits down for a poignant, emotional interview with Lynette’s mother, Darlene Hamlet, and stepfather, Bill Hamlet. The episode explores the ongoing search, new evidence, and family reactions—offering insight into both the investigation and the devastating impact on those left behind.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Coast Guard Investigation Update (00:00–07:19)

• The U.S. Coast Guard, after a four-day intensive search in the Abacos, Bahamas, leaves the scene but not “empty handed.”
• While Lynette Hooker’s remains were not found, significant evidence, including the dinghy used by Brian Hooker (Lynette's husband and named suspect), was collected. The boat’s batteries may contain crucial telemetry data (00:59).
• Proven inconsistencies in Brian Hooker’s “drifting” story: Tracing of the dinghy’s path shows deliberate turns, contradicting his claims of being carried by wind and tides (05:40).
  • "How does the wind do that?... There are no sharp turns. There just aren't." — Ashleigh Banfield (06:43)
• Emphasizes that convictions can, and have, been secured in “no body” cases (05:25 & 06:22), countering the myth that “no body, no case.”

2. Family Reaction: Interview with Darlene and Bill Hamlet (07:19–27:07)

Initial Emotional Responses

• Darlene is not disappointed the body was not found, expressing gratitude for the investigation’s seriousness and hope for justice.
  • "It shows that they believe, like we believe, that there was foul play..." — Darlene Hamlet (07:24)
• Bill shares the immense emotional toll on himself and Darlene, noting that the ramifications go far beyond the victim alone:
  • "He not only took one life, he really took a bunch of lives. The impact he just had on Darlene and Carly is immeasurable." — Bill Hamlet (10:54)

Relationship with Lynette & Personal History

• Bill describes his deep bond with Lynette across 38 years:
  • "That was my baby... She's never missed a birthday or Father's Day. She called me and sang. I mean, that was my baby." — Bill Hamlet (11:25)

On Brian Hooker and the Investigation

• Darlene is unwavering in her pursuit of justice:
  • "I want Brian to not sit there with relief. I want him to feel that it's not over. I want him to understand that I'm not going to go away until I find my daughter, and they're not going to go away until they put him in jail." — Darlene Hamlet (12:30)
• Emotional moment as Darlene confronts the notion of Brian's alleged actions:
  • "He took her last breath and then he threw her away like trash." — Darlene Hamlet (13:33)
• Both parents express hope that new evidence and interagency cooperation will bring justice (17:05).

On Lynette’s Character

• Lynette is remembered as tenacious, loving, and accomplished in a male-dominated field (AT&T line work). She is dearly missed by friends and coworkers.
  • "Most women didn’t climb telephone poles... But that was Lynette." — Bill Hamlet (22:57)

On Moving Forward

• The family is not ready to discuss memorials, still holding out hope for closure but acknowledging the painful reality.
  • "You know, this is over now. What. You know, because I still don't have Lynette." — Darlene Hamlet (26:03)

3. On Closure, Grief, and Living With Loss

• Ashleigh and the Hamlets discuss the illusion of “closure” after traumatic loss, promoting counseling and support (“There is no such thing as real closure.” — Ashleigh Banfield, 26:21).
• The importance of support systems for surviving family members is emphasized (26:41).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “You don’t need a body in order to prosecute... no body, no case, horseshit is not true at all.” — Ashleigh Banfield (05:25)
• “If Brian did, and we won't say that he did, but if he did in fact kill Lynette. He's not charged with anything. Yet. TikTok.” — Bill Hamlet (10:54)
• “He took her last breath and then he threw her away like trash...and I'm going to tell [his family] the same thing I used to tell my daughter every time I hugged her goodbye. Watch your back.” — Darlene Hamlet (13:33)
• “If it was an accident, just come forward. This is a hard interview because I was hoping they would find her. But we will find her. She'll be found. I'm sure of that.” — Darlene Hamlet (16:08)
• “Anybody who asks about closure doesn't understand that there is no such thing as real closure.” — Ashleigh Banfield (26:21)
• “You’ve done a yeoman’s job...We want you to know that we appreciate what you've done so far. We know there's more to come.” — Bill Hamlet (26:44)
• “TikTok.” — A closing refrain from Ashleigh and the Hamlets, underscoring their anticipation of justice (26:59–27:04).

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:00–07:19: Ashleigh’s investigation update—Coast Guard efforts and evidence recovered.
• 07:19–11:12: Bill and Darlene express initial reactions to search results and impact on their lives.
• 11:12–13:09: Bill’s relationship with Lynette and emotional toll.
• 13:09–15:15: Family perspective on Brian Hooker’s inconsistencies and their hope for justice.
• 15:15–17:05: Discussion of Brian’s history and plausibility of accident versus intentional act.
• 17:05–18:12: Collaboration between Bahamian police and US Coast Guard and message to Brian.
• 18:12–20:32: Discussion of Brian “going off the grid,” fears of escape, and impact of publicity.
• 20:32–22:57: Coping strategies, family support, and Lynette’s AT&T career.
• 22:57–24:50: Coworker perspectives, planning for memorials, and family reflections.
• 24:50–26:18: The struggle for next steps and the misconception of closure.
• 26:44–27:04: Closing appreciation and "TikTok" motif.

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Tone & Language

Ashleigh maintains a direct, irreverent style, blending investigative insight with deep empathy. Bill and Darlene’s voices are raw and candid, reflecting their heartbreak, hope, and determination for justice.

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Final Notes

• The investigation is ongoing, with evidence now in U.S. Coast Guard hands.
• The episode highlights the nuanced difficulties of prosecuting without a body and the immense suffering of families in limbo.
• Ashleigh promises further updates as the case develops: “We are, too. I’ll bring you updates as soon as I know more.” (26:44)
• The refrain “TikTok” signals a relentless countdown to anticipated justice.

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Transcript

[A]

Foreign.

[B]

I'm Ashley Banfield and this is drop dead serious. Welcome to the Northern Outpost, Outpost in Canada. Big update to tell you about. And also an interview with Lynette Hooker's mom and stepdad Bill and Darlene. Hamlet, now that the Coast Guard has packed up and literally steaming as I speak is I'm recording this Friday, June 5th at about 1:30 Central Coast Guard picked up a couple hours ago and headed off from the Abacos in the Bahamas back towards Coast Guard Station Miami where the Coast Guard cutter Margaret Norvell is stationed. So the whole group, the whole, all of them, the Coast Guard cutter, their support staff, the dive teams, Coast Guard investigative services, the agents, they're all headed back after spending four days in the Bahamas and we have learned some very interesting information. And also I've got reaction from Darlene and Bill on what it means that they were not able to find Lynette's remains. If you saw my episode last episode, I told you that that is one of the big takeaways. However, it should not, it should go without saying that just because they didn't find Lynette's remains doesn't mean they didn't get a lot of evidence. And they did. They got a lot of evidence from the Royal Bahamian police Force and they got the dinghy, which itself is a massive piece of evidence with that engine on the back, the NT300. I've told you before that that engine unfortunately doesn't record telemetrics, but that the batteries do, the batteries that it uses. I think that if Brian Hooker did the things we think he may have done and he's not charged with anything, he would have probably gotten rid of the batteries with all the data because I know he's a gearhead and he knows these things. However, the Bahamian police gave significant evidence to the Coast Guard and it matters. And not only that, what's also important according to my sources, is that what they did not find in places where they should have found certain evidence according to Brian's story, that's also very, very telling in this case. So basically, if Brian's story is true, there should be certain things that they found along the way that were not there. And so it's proving this dispositive, right? Very, very important in this case as well. So they are not leaving empty handed. And they said that this was a very worthwhile trip. I have one source that even said the words, he's fucked. So with that, I really wanted to speak with Darlene and Bill, her husband, about the Significance of this trip. Obviously, they were hoping her remains would be found. This is their baby. They wanted Lynette home. That's not happening yet. I say that because in these cases, it happens all the time. That your first initial search, you don't find the body you're looking for. They could find it in another search. It might turn up unexpectedly. The Abacos are a heavily touristed place. Loads of divers, loads of swimmers, very shallow, lots of locals on the shores at all times. So don't rule out that Lynette is going to be found, because I think that it's a good possibility she still will be. And when it comes to the statute of limitations on murder, I don't think I need to tell you, if you're on this podcast, there isn't one. Murders forever. But also, you don't need a body in order to prosecute. That's important. I've done many cases. No body conviction anyway, so that's a critical piece of fact. You probably hear people say, no body, no case, horseshit is not true at all. That's somebody who's not in my business. I've seen it happen. I've been in the courtroom where I've heard the guilty verdict and the body was never found. So I. I just want to disabuse anybody who thinks that's true. Anybody. It ain't. Something else I want to tell you about. Piece of evidence. Something I learned from my sources. Brian Hooker had this whole crap story that Lynette fell out on the way back to Soulmate. We never made it to Soulmate, our 46 foot Morgan keel boat that we lived aboard for four years. We didn't make it back to the boat and I had no propulsion anymore. I lost an oar and she went out with the keys. Baloney. In any case, you have to disprove his garbage, right? And so to do that, they traced his steps. Coast Guard traced his entire journey, traced the dinghy route that he took. And I have now learned that his dinghy route certainly wasn't what he said it was. Not somebody who's blowing in the breeze with the current and the tide. No. Turns out Brian's dinghy route went across from Elbow Key across the Sea of Abaco to the north. Tip of Lovers Lubbers. That's. That's something he already told us, right? And then, weirdly, it took a sharp turn left. Huh? And started going southward down the coast of Lubbers. Now I ask you, how does the wind do that and the tide and then suddenly starts Heading back to Marsh Harbor. Right. Heading back west, heading in a western direction. Well, how does that happen? How does that happen if you're blowing in the breeze? Because throw anything in the water and watch it float. There are no sharp turns. There just aren't. So anyway, I think that's what you call bad fact. Really bad fact for Brian Hooker. So with that piece of, like, critical information and whatever else it is that the investigators were able to obtain from the Royal Bahamian police force, and I can't wait to find out some point I will. I don't know if it'll be before or after a trial. I would expect that the Coast Guard investigative service is going to be hard at work processing all of the evidence that they were able to obtain, and then, I don't know, maybe a whole lot of paperwork towards an indictment. So again, tick tock, Brian Hooker, because murders forever. And this is officially a murder investigation. You are suspected of murder, Brian Hooker. That fact is also a bad fact. So I want to introduce to you a couple that I've been speaking with at length for the last almost eight weeks. Darlene Hamlet is Lynette Hooker's mom. And this has been hell. Just put yourself in her shoes for a hot minute and imagine what this would be like for you. Waiting to know where your daughter is, what happened to her, waiting for her to be brought back to you and her husband, Bill Hamlet. This is the first time we're having an opportunity to talk to Bill. So I'm really happy about that boy. Has he ever been a stalwart for Darlene. So incredibly supportive and helpful and a father figure to Lynette, really. So without further ado, here's my conversation with Bill and Darlene. Bill and Darlene, I can't thank you enough for being with me. I can only say that this must be such a disappointment to you that Lynette wasn't found. It's a disappointment to me.

[A]

Me.

[B]

And I'm not her family.

[C]

I. I'm not disappointed.

[B]

Really?

[C]

No, I'm not disappointed. In fact, I'm happy they were there because it. It shows that they believe, like we believe, that there was foul play and that he did, in fact, though not, as my friend would say, not indicted, not charged with anything yet that there is enough meat on that bone that it bears looking at. So

[B]

what do you make of this now? That we all suspected, right? We all had an idea. But what do you make of this now that we know? The map shows that he crossed from Elbow Key past the north tip of Lovers. And then suddenly takes a sharp left turn and heads south down Lubbers. That's not somebody who was blown in the wind.

[A]

No, no.

[C]

If you'd asked me my personal opinion. I know Brian well enough. I've known him for 25 years. And in my own way, I tried to mentor him somewhat. It didn't help much because he's hard headed, but I tried to mentor him in some ways. Brian does things almost like he doesn't play chess, but he knows the game. He's going to be one step or try to be one step ahead of where he thinks you're going to go. So if he did that, I didn't truly expect them to find anything because I know Brian well enough to know that if he did that, if he had position that he was using that as a diversion. You see this? But I'm really over here. And even if he left the boat in a. In a place for five minutes, he could have swam or scubaed out to some other area. So I don't. I'm not disappointed that they didn't find it. I really didn't expect them to find anything, to be honest. But I need for this to be over.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

I truly need for it to be over because it's. It's impacting. And she doesn't see it, Darlene doesn't see it, but it's truly impacting her. And you can understand that it would have an impact, but that impact is not positive. It's draining to cry every hour or so, to see something and just start crying or to have a thought or see something on TV that causes you're an emotional outburst. So it's just. It's. It's very taxing. And I've told her, I'll say it to you, is that if Brian did, and we won't say that he did, but if he did in fact kill Lynette. He's not charged with anything. Yet. Yet. TikTok.

[B]

TikTok.

[C]

But. But he not only took one life, he really took a bunch of lives. The impact he just had on Darlene and Carly is immeasurable.

[B]

Bill, this is our first interview with you, and I think it would really help the audience to realize how significant your relationship was with Lynette. I mean, still stepdaughter, sure, but really more than that.

[C]

That was my baby. I mean, for 30 plus 38 years. For 38 years, she's been a daughter to me. She's never missed a birthday or Father's Day. She called me and sang. I mean, that was my baby. The last thing I told Brian Hooker, when we were in Fort Pierce, I told him just before we left them, take care of my baby. And every time he's ever been around us and they left, that's the last thing I've ever told him was, take care of my baby. And if you'll notice on one of the interviews, and I don't know which network it was on, whether it was cbs, abc, whatever, he said, my biggest mistake is that I didn't take care of my wife. Yeah. Because that's what I told him every time he saw me.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

And I am. I am. I am very disappointed that he's not with her.

[B]

Darlene, tell me your thoughts now that this operation in the Bahamas is wrapped up.

[A]

Well, I definitely believe that the Coast Guard did a heck of a job. I mean, they. They outdid themselves. So I'm not disappointed in what they had done. I'm pleased with what they have done. I don't think it's over. I want Brian to not sit there with relief. I want him to feel that it's not over. I want him to understand that I'm not going to go away until I find my daughter, and they're not going to go away until they put him in jail. And I'm okay with that. I'm okay with that.

[B]

Tick tock, tick tock. I usually add something even worse on the end of that. But to that note, Darlene, everything that you learned from the Coast Guard, that map in particular, knowing what he said, what Brian said, and now knowing on the map what he literally did, tell me your reaction to that. Darlene.

[A]

This is somebody that was his soulmate for 25 years, and he was going to stay there forever until he found her. He said he loved her. He did not treat her like he loved her. If he, in fact, did this to her. He took her last breath and then he threw her away like trash. And I want his family to know that they need to be careful. And I'm going to tell them the same thing I used to tell my daughter every time I hugged her goodbye. Watch your back. That's how I feel.

[B]

Understandable. One of the comments that I learned from my sources was that they feel very confident that they're going to get this guy. I hope that at least brings some solace.

[A]

I really. I really believe. Or at least maybe I just want to believe that this was an accident. I just. To think that he would do this on purpose is just more than I want to believe. And now I think he's being cowardly, And we deserve. Everybody deserves more than that.

[B]

Knowing his history and how he has treated Lynette in the past, what he has done and the things he has said. The allegation that he choked her almost unconscious, and then the next day said, I wish I'd finished the job. How hard is it to believe that this was an accident?

[C]

I don't think it was an accident at all. I think it was an emotional response to something that she said or he knew was coming. I think that she was actually at the end of her rope again. I think that she had given him more than enough chances. And I think that this is all a culmination of him knowing that he was about to lose a meal ticket. And she either said something and he exploded. And I think it went further than he intended for it to go. That's my thought process. Once he got there, he just finished it. Rather than take responsibility for it, he just finished it. So that's my thought process.

[A]

My daughter loved him with all her heart. She loved him. She went back hoping they could be happy. And if he knows anything else, if he. If it was an accident, just come forward. Just come forward. This is a hard interview because I was hoping they would find her. But we will find her. She'll be found. I'm sure of that.

[B]

And not only that. I've mentioned this to you before, that I have covered many cases that have resulted in guilty verdicts without a body being found. I hope that also at least lends to the notion that justice may very well be in your future.

[A]

And it was wonderful to see the Bohemian police and defense working with the Coast Guard. That made me very happy. So I hope that the Coast Guard got some new information that they can use that will be helpful in this.

[B]

Yeah, that's a big part of this. The fact that the Bahamian. The Royal Bahamian police force worked hand and glove with the United States Coast Guard Investigative Service and handed over that dinghy and the other pieces of critical evidence. I mean, that's a very big deal. We are coming up on eight weeks in two days. I'm recording this on June 5th, Friday, June 5th. As of tomorrow, it'll be eight weeks. So to see that evidence turned over to the Coast Guard for processing, that's also, again, got to feel at least like progress.

[A]

It does, yes. It's been a long time. That is definitely progress. Yes.

[B]

What is your message to Brian?

[A]

One thing Brian always has said is he wanted to be off the grid. This was so big to him. He didn't want anybody to tell him what to do, where to go. So I think if he looks on the Internet and sees his name plastered everywhere, that is something that's never going to happen to him unless he gets a new name or until he's arrested and then he'll be off the grid for good.

[B]

Well, so he will be off our grid if he's arrested and convicted. And again, he's not charged with anything. He's innocent until proven guilty. He is not charged with any crime yet. But if that does happen, no one has to ever hear from him again. But the concern is there. I know a lot of reports have been out there that he's fled the country. I have sources that have said that's absolutely not true. But do you think that's something he would consider doing if the heat turned up, so much so that he thought an arrest was imminent? Do you think he would somehow escape the country without going the usual means of airplanes and boat tickets and customs and immigration?

[C]

There's only one thing that I've heard and that is that he has a brother in California that has cabin in the mountains someplace that has no electricity, no phone service, and very few people know that he even has it. And so it's a getaway place that they talk about being off the grid. Off the grid, so as to speak. And so that's the only thing that I can think of that he could probably do anything else. He's going to probably need a passport. And guess what? Those passports have names. And if you're on the watch list, you're not going anywhere. So

[B]

I'm glad that you told me about that cabin because that makes it not so much off the grid anymore. That makes it very public. That makes it a place that is no longer a secret.

[C]

That's why I said it.

[B]

You know, I'm glad that. I'm glad that we can have a chuckle. This is such a. This has been such an incredibly sad time these last seven plus weeks. But I'm going to say, you know, you've both handled this so stoically. I hate asking the question, how are you holding up? Because I can't imagine that you are. But how are you managing these extraordinarily difficult weeks?

[C]

Well, we go to counseling once a week. That has seemed to help because you can release some of the negative energy and get feedback about how they think you almost like a, I don't say it almost like a psychologist. Well, she is a psychologist, like a psychiatrist almost. And so it's helped. It's helped. And that's one of the ways we do it. The other thing is that I try because the impact is always going to be harder on a mother than a father. And I try to support Darlene as much as possible.

[A]

I think the thing for me is there's so many emotions, so many. I mean, I'm heartbroken and I'm mad and I'm angry and I'm disappointed in just the whole gambit. It's everything. So. And. And somebody tells you it's okay to have all these feelings, it makes you feel a little bit better, you know?

[C]

And. And one other thing. From. From a personal standpoint, sometimes I feel a little guilty about her having a job at AT&T. I got it for her. It was nepotism at its best. She never even took a test to get in, and that's unheard of in today's society. But I got her in, and she was excellent.

[A]

And everybody loved her.

[C]

And everybody. The people that surrounded her always gave me feedback on how she was doing. And she was dedicated and determined, and that was Lynette. Most women didn't climb telephone poles. And she was scared to death. And she called me and she said, how do I do this? How do I not fall? And what I did is I prepared her for. For falling by getting a leather vest so that if she clung to the pole, she wouldn't have splinters in her breasts, that kind of stuff. So, I mean, that was my baby.

[B]

Well, I'll tell you what. I've spoken to her co workers at, AT&T, and your description is spot on. They loved her. They said she was a delight. She was. She had a bright light. They enjoyed the moment that they go into the room and she'd be in there. And the exact opposite was the description of Brian. They said he was the most difficult person they'd ever come in contact with, that he wound up the employees unnecessarily. So he was supposed to be a leader. He made their lives. Hel. It was truly the absolute opposite description. And these are from colleagues who. They don't have any reason to say otherwise. They often. You know, this is a hard question to ask, and you don't have to answer it. And I feel as though you might have been waiting for this week to be over before making plans going forward for Lynette. Is there. You know, is there a thought about a funeral or a memorial for her?

[C]

Well, we talked. Well, Darlene talked to. When Dan and Kathy, her father and her stepmother were here, DNA.

[A]

The day we gave our DNA DNA Day.

[C]

Darlene brought it up, but got no response.

[A]

Well, it's just. We're not ready to talk about that quite yet. But, yeah, we know. We all know. It isn't that we expect Lynette to come back. It's just. Yeah, we. We know. We have to do that. Yeah. That's all I can say on that.

[B]

Understand, It's. It's a. I often say this. This is a. This is a club that you have joined. You had no intention of being in this club. You did not want to be in this club, and you are in this club. And it is a very exclusive and rare club. And navigating it is hard. I keep saying the best way to exist in that club is to reach out to others in the club and also lean on your support systems. Just like that. Just like that.

[A]

I think the thing is, it's just stepping forward. You just don't know what. What to do next. You. You know, this is over now. What. You know, because I still don't have Lynette.

[C]

So.

[B]

Yeah. Anybody who asks about closure doesn't understand that there is no such thing as real closure. You can't do that. You can't ask for that. You can try to get close, but you can't. It'll never really exist, you know, and people think it might, but only you know that. Hey, guys, let's stay in touch and thank you for this. And if there's anything we can do here, you know, we're in your corner.

[C]

And thank you, Ashley. We really appreciate you. You've done a yeoman's job.

[B]

Not over yet.

[C]

Truly do appreciate you. I know. I'm just saying, we want you to know that we appreciate what you've done so far. We know there's more to come.

[B]

Thank you. You know how I usually end things, right? TikTok?

[C]

Oh, yeah.

[B]

TikTok.

[C]

TikTok. Yes. Thank you.

[B]

Well, there you have it. My great thanks to Bill and Darlene Hamlet. This is so difficult for them to have these conversations, but really important. And Darlene wants that message to be heard. She wants that message to go not only to Brian Hooker, but his family. And that's critical. And I think we all need to hear from Darlene as well, so that you know what this means to family members of those who've gone missing or the victims of crime. Right. We often think of the victim of the crime, but the ripple effect is massive. And you know, her dad, Dan, got to include him in here as well. This has been just a nightmare for him as well, waiting to find out where his daughter is. And poor Carly, her daughter, Lynette's daughter, also just. They're in the wind, just waiting and hoping that someone will harness them in. So I'll give you updates as soon as I know more. In the meantime, hard work ahead for the U.S. coast Guard investigative Service. I believe in them. They're dogged. They're working every day. Every day. Saturday and Sundays we are, too. I'll bring you updates as soon as I know more. In the meantime, thank you for listening. Thank you for watching. Don't forget to subscribe, please. It's easy and free. And don't forget, this truth isn't just serious. Stop. Dead serious.