Where Does Brian Laundrie's Family Really Think He Is?
The body of Brian Laundrie's fiancee, Gabby Petito, was found on September 19 in Grand Teton National Park where she had traveled with Laundrie in the weeks prior, according to People magazine. The two had been on a cross country road trip for a couple of months at the time. Laundrie returned to his home in North Port, Florida, without Petito on September 1, and her parents reported her missing 10 days later.
Laundrie refused to talk to authorities about Petito's possible whereabouts, and on September 15, his family reported him missing, according to NBC New York. A warrant for Laundrie's arrest has been issued by the FBI after he used an "unauthorized" debit card to get cash, according to CBS News. Laundrie has not been named a suspect in the Petito case, but is still a person of interest. A manhunt spanning multiple states has been underway for two weeks now, and while authorities have received several leads, Laundrie's whereabouts are still unknown.
According to the New York Post, several tips have come in that suggest that Laundrie is somewhere on the Appalachian Trail. Meanwhile, Duane Chapman a.k.a. Dog the Bounty Hunter has said that there's a connection between Laundrie and Fort De Soto Park in Pinellas County, Florida, according to Newsweek. Chapman believes that Laundrie is still alive. On October 1, Laundrie's family spoke out by way of their attorney, and they think they know what state their son is in. Keep reading to find out what they believe.
Brian Laundrie's family thinks he is in Florida
Brian Laundrie's family believes that he is still somewhere in the state of Florida, and they are hopeful that he will be found alive. "They are concerned, but hopeful that he is found alive," Laundrie family attorney Steve Bertolino told People magazine. Bertolino also shared a lengthy statement from the Laundrie family, which was published by CNN. "Chris and Roberta Laundrie do not know where Brian is. They are concerned about Brian and hope the FBI can locate him. The speculation by the public and some in the press that the parents assisted Brian in leaving the family home or in avoiding arrest on a warrant that was issued after Brian had already been missing for several days is just wrong," the statement read.
Meanwhile, experts told CNN that time is of the essence in this case, which has been made more challenging by Laundrie's apparent decision to go off the grid. "Unlike other fugitives or people that are missing, we typically have reason to believe they're in a populated area. In this case, it looks like he attempted to maybe go off the grid and is not living in society. So it makes it even harder to find him," former FBI special agent Bryanna Fox told CNN.