Left: circa 1988; Right: Age-progressed to unknown age
Left: circa 1988; Right: Age-progressed to unknown age
Name: Brian Neil Hooks
Case Classification: Endangered Missing
Missing Since: September 24, 1988
Location Last Seen: Florence, Florence County, South Carolina
Date of Birth: November 28, 1966
Age: 21 years old
Race: White
Gender: Male
Height: 5'7"
Weight: 138 - 140 lbs
Hair Color: Sandy
Eye Color: Blue
Nickname/Alias: Neil
Distinguishing Marks/Features: Scar on his left wrist; tattoo of a cross on his left shoulder
Dentals: Available, front teeth decaying
Fingerprints: Not Available
DNA: Available
Clothing: Possibly wearing a t-shirt and blue jeans
Jewelry: Unknown
Additional Personal Items: Unknown
Hooks told family members that he and his live-in partner were planning to go to the beach for the weekend and he would call when he returned home. It is not confirmed that he left the area.
Hooks' cousin saw him at a club that night. Hooks asked his cousin if he could go home with him. His cousin, who just moved, said he wasn't unpacked and there wasn't anywhere for him to sleep. Later that night, the roommate of the cousin told him that Hooks was scared and thought that his boyfriend was going to hurt him.
His family became concerned when he didn't call the next week. His sister called his house and asked to speak to him, but a roommate said there was nobody there by the name of Neil and hung up on her. She called back, and asked to speak to Hooks' boyfriend. She said he told her Hooks had "run off" without telling anybody where he was going. His family said that Brian and his live-in partner's relationship was troubled. Although Hooks' boyfriend has claimed to know nothing about his whereabouts, he is considered a person of interest in the case.
Hooks was not known to go long periods without family contact. After several weeks without hearing from him the family contacted police.
He was known to hang around the Myrtle Beach, South Carolina area. In 2003, sheriff's investigators received information indicating his remains might be buried in an area near Willow Creek Road, which is where he last lived. Investigators searched and excavated the area but found no remains. Foul play is suspected.
Agency Name: Florence County Sheriff's Office
Agency Contact Person: N/A
Agency Phone Number: 843-665-2121 ext.434
Agency E-Mail: N/A
Agency Case Number: 1988100027
NCIC Case Number: Unknown
NamUs Case Number: 11759
NamUs
SCNow - Dec. 27, 2012
WMBF News - Dec. 19, 2016
Family Member
Added: Prior to 2011; Last Updated: 10-01-2022 - By: hwa
Questions or comments? Please contact appropriate member of the Area Team
** Listed information is from the time of disappearance.
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