Crime Stories with Nancy Grace - Bahamian Police Running Out of Time to Charge Brian Hooker | Crime Alert 04.13.26

Episode Date: April 13, 2026

Brian Hooker remains in police custody after second questioning regarding wife Lynette's "overboard" disappearance. A California sheriff says an armed suspect killed a deputy and barricaded himself when an eviction notice was served. A suspect has been arrested in connection with the death of a teenage Illinois boy who vanished nearly a decade ago. Sydney Silvagni reports. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. Crime Alert, hourly update. Breaking Crime News now. I'm Sidney. An American man remains in Bahamian custody today as investigators scrambled to piece together what happened to his wife in the rough waters off elbow K. Brian Hooker has been detained since Wednesday, following his report that his 55-year-old wife, Lynette, fell overboard and was swept away by strong currents. While the Royal Bahamas Police Force says they have probable cause for the detention, Hooker's attorney, Terrell Butler, is pushing back, describing a man who is emotionally shattered.

He's heartbroken, and then to be arrested while assisting the police with their investigation, it is very traumatic for him. Despite the detention, no charges have been filed. Attorney Butler revealed that Friday's questioning didn't focus on forensic evidence from the boat or digital devices, but rather on the couple's personal life. She's also questioning the very foundation of the police investigation. Speculation, rumors,

things about what happened in the past. No, what they should be focusing on is the incident that happened. And what happened on that day is that is where they would get evidence from to determine what happened that day. I think Shadir relying on the evidence. And personally right now, I don't see it.

But my parents is categorically denied any accusation of wrongdoing. While the legal battle plays out in the Bahamas, Lynette's daughter, Carly Aylesworth, says the math just isn't adding up. She describes a jarring phone call from her stepfather, almost 24 hours after the disappearance, where he reportedly told her her mother was missing in a matter-of-fact tone before abruptly hanging up. Hooker later left Carly a similar short voicemail obtained by CVS. Hello, honey. I just got all from hometown search and rescue, and I found the plantation device that I threw to mom when she fell overboard. They haven't found her yet. Aylesworth is asking the questions many investigators are likely weighing. Why wasn't an anchor dropped? Why did the boat move in the opposite direction? The search, which saw assistance from the U.S. Coast Guard, has now officially shifted from a rescue to a recovery mission. The Coast Guard has also confirmed they've opened a criminal investigation in the state.

the case. For now, Brian Hooker's time is running out. Under Bahamian law, police can seek extensions to hold suspects for up to 96 additional hours. As the sun rises today, he remains behind bars, and Lynette Hooker remains missing. More Crime and Justice News after this. This situation went from a civil order of removal to where our officer was shot and killed. This is senseless. A routine civil service call in Porterville, California turned into a deadly ambush resulting in the death of a Tulare County Sheriff's Detective. It started around 1040 Thursday morning, Deputy Randy Hoppert was serving a final eviction notice on a 35-day-old unpaid rent. But authorities say the tenant, David Eric Morales, was waiting. Sheriff Mike Boudreau describes a

lie-in-wait scenario where Morales opened fire with a high-powered rifle the moment deputies arrived. The situation spiraled into an hours-long standoff. Morales allegedly barricaded himself, shooting down a police drone and peppering tactical vehicles with gunfire. Eventually, the suspect crawled out of a window and took a prone position in the brush, wearing camouflage and refusing to surrender. The suspect was laying prone on the ground in camouflage clothing, continuing to pose a threat. This situation is resolved.

The suspect is now dead. He was not shot. One of the bear cats ran over him and killed him. Any questions? Deputy Hoppert was a Navy corpsman before joining the sheriff's office in 2020. He was rushed to Sierra View District Hospital, but despite life-saving efforts, he passed away just before noon. The sheriff's reaction to the suspect's death was blunt and uncompromising. We intentionally ran him over.

Don't shoot at cops. You shoot at cops, we're going to run you over. He got run over. He got what he deserved. Sheriff Boudreau spent time with Hoppert's wife and mother before calling a press. conference on the incident describing their devastation. I'm on at Sierra View Hospital and I met with the wife and I met with his mom and I can tell you that there is no consoling that family at this point. Attacks on law enforcement of this nature

must stop. This is absolutely ridiculous and my heart and prayers go out to the family of this fallen officer. A breakthrough nearly a decade in the making after 10 years of questions an arrest has finally been made in one of Illinois's most haunting cold cases. On Wednesday, police in Peckin, Illinois announced the arrest of 48-year-old Keith Brackett. Brackett is facing two counts of first-degree murder and one count of concealment of a homicide in connection with the death of 13-year-old Robert B. Robert vanished in November 2016. It wasn't until July of the following year that his remains were discovered in a wooded area. Peckin Police Chief Seth Ranny told the public this week that crimes against children remain the department's highest priority, no matter how

much time has passed. Investigators say Robert and Brackett had a close, unusual relationship despite their age gap, with Robert often skipping school to spend time at Brackett's home. When Robert's remains were finally found in 2017, they were located on a property owned by Brackett's aunt. Detectives reportedly found rope and tape near the remains that match materials later found during a search of Brackett's own residence. While a definitive cause of, of death was difficult to determine more than a year later, an autopsy has now pointed toward homicidal violence, specifically noting that the teenager likely died from asphyxiation. This arrest brings a somber sense of closure to a community that has spent years wondering how

and why. Brackett is currently being held in the Tazewell County Jail and is scheduled for an arraignment on April 23rd, where the accused killer is expected to enter a formal plea. For the latest crime and justice breaking news, be sure to follow the Crime Alert hourly update on your favorite podcast app. With this crime alert, I'm Sidney.