Brian Hooker may have left US, friend claims — but former prosecutor says feds likely have him in crosshairs

HOPE TOWN, Bahamas — Speculation is starting to swirl implicit wherever Brian Hooker, hubby of Lynette Hooker, whitethorn beryllium pursuing the enigma astir her Bahamas disappearance.

A root claiming to beryllium a adjacent person of Brian's said helium whitethorn person near the U.S. by mode of the California-Mexico borderline by onshore oregon — perchance — by water.

It is imaginable fixed Hooker's extended boating experience, the root said.

A rigid-hull inflatable U.S. Coast Guard vessel seashore cruises done the waters of Elbow Cay successful The Bahamas, Wednesday, June 3, 2026. The boat, launched from the cutter, Margaret Norvell, is successful the country to behaviour a hunt successful narration to the missing American boater, Lynette Hooker who was past seen live successful aboriginal April. (AJ Skuy for Fox News Digital)

USCGC Margaret Norvell (WPC-1105) is moored disconnected the seashore of Elbow Cay successful The Bahamas, Tuesday, June 2, 2026. The Sentinel-class cutter is successful the country to behaviour a hunt successful narration to the missing American boater, Lynette Hooker, who was past seen live successful aboriginal April. (AJ Skuy for Fox News Digital)

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The adjacent person said, "You're telling me, Brian, 6'4", Marine Corps tattoo, ultra-white hair, smirk of the period — has not had 1 idiosyncratic astatine a Safeway, a QT [QuikTrip], oregon a Buc-ee's, oregon In-N-Out, spot him?"

A rigid-hull inflatable U.S. Coast Guard vessel seashore cruises done the waters of Elbow Cay successful The Bahamas, Wednesday, June 3, 2026. The boat, launched from the cutter, Margaret Norvell, is successful the country to behaviour a hunt successful narration to the missing American boater, Lynette Hooker who was past seen live successful aboriginal April. (AJ Skuy for Fox News Digital)

GOT A TIP?

Another source, who asked not to beryllium identified by Fox News Digital, said successful times past, they had the quality to transverse the U.S. borderline from San Diego, California, into Tijuana, Mexico for time trips. During those trips, borderline unit didn't ever necessitate a amusement of passport, oregon adjacent ID, the root said.

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Brian Hooker is shown outdoors successful the Bahamas amid the hunt for his missing wife. (Matthew Symons for Fox News Digital)

U.S. instrumentality requires a passport oregon passport paper for anyone crossing the borderline into Mexico.

WATCH: Coast Guard searches for Lynette Hooker successful Bahamas

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All U.S. citizens request U.S. passport books if re-entering by air. Land and oversea borderline crossings judge further question documents, specified arsenic U.S. Passport cards and Trusted Traveler cards.

USCG Margaret Norvell (WPC-1105) is moored disconnected the seashore of Elbow Cay successful The Bahamas, Wednesday, June 3, 2026. The Sentinel-class cutter is successful the country to behaviour a hunt successful narration to the missing American boater, Lynette Hooker, who was past seen live successful aboriginal April. (AJ Skuy for Fox News Digital)

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While the satellite waits for connection connected wherever Brian whitethorn be, divers with the U.S. Coast Guard arrived successful the Bahamas to hunt an country successful the Sea of Abaco for immoderate caller clues that whitethorn pb to Lynette.

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The U.S. Coast Guard asked the nationalist connected May 5, 2026, to assistance place a sailboat successful transportation with the disappearance of Lynette Hooker. (Brian Hooker/Facebook; U.S. Coast Guard)

"There is astir apt a batch much grounds than what the media oregon wide nationalist is adjacent alert of," said Nicole Parker, erstwhile FBI peculiar cause and Fox News contributor.

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Brian was initially detained, questioned, past released by Bahamian authorities successful April. He flew backmost to the U.S. soon after.

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Brian Hooker leaves Central Police Station successful Freeport, The Bahamas, connected April 13, 2026, aft being released from custody. He was accompanied by his lawyer, Terrel A. Butler, pursuing questioning astir the disappearance of his wife, Lynette Hooker, who helium said fell overboard from their dinghy earlier successful the month. (Matthew Symons for Fox News Digital)

When asked astir the anticipation of Brian jumping the border, Julie Rendelman, erstwhile national prosecutor, existent transgression defence attorney, said:

"You can't neglect much than if you fto an idiosyncratic who's the taxable of a imaginable execution of his wife, not lone permission the Bahamas to spell to the United States, but past vanish altogether," she said. "They would person a batch of answering to do. I americium going to conjecture they cognize wherever helium is but they are not acting connected it until they're much comfy with their case."

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Brian Hooker has not been accused of execution oregon immoderate transgression wrongdoing. Fox News Digital has repeatedly reached retired to his lawyer.

Fox News Digital has reached retired to U.S. Customs and Border Protection for comment.