One Place Brian Laundrie Visited Could Hold Major Clues
Fugitive Brian Laundrie's remains were found in Florida's Carlton Reserve on Wednesday, October 20, according to NBC News. Laundrie was considered a person of interest in the murder of his fiancee, Gabby Petito. The two had been on a cross-country road trip since June when Petito went missing. Laundrie arrived back at his parent's home in Florida on September 1 without Petito, sparking concern for her well-being. Authorities sent out on a search for Petito, who was found dead on September 20 in Wyoming, according to Reuters. Her death was ruled a homicide, and it was later confirmed that the manner in which she died was strangulation, CNN reports.
Laundrie refused to talk to police when they attempted to question him about his fiancee's whereabouts, the Independent previously reported. Days later, he left his family's home, and they reported him missing. A warrant for Laundrie's arrest was issued after he used an unauthorized debit card, according to Insider, and a manhunt ensued in the weeks that followed, and Laundrie's body was discovered in an area that had previously been submerged in water, according to CNN. Laundrie's autopsy results came back inconclusive, and his cause of death is still unclear. However, authorities believe that he committed suicide, according to Newsweek.
While many are heartbroken knowing that the Petito family may never know exactly what happened to their daughter, there is one place that could hold key evidence that might get authorities one step closer to figuring things out. Keep reading for more.
Brian Laundrie flew to Florida in August
During Brian Laundrie and Gabby Petito's road trip, Laundrie left his fiancee in Utah and flew home to Florida for a few days in August, according to People magazine. The reason? Laundrie "gathered supplies and cleared out a rented storage unit." Petito was alive at that time, and Laundrie's sister said that she video chatted with her while Laundrie was home, The Sun reports. And while it's unclear exactly what may have been in that storage unit, it seems as though its contents may hold some major clues in the case. "Brian flew home to Tampa from SLC on 08/17 and returned to SLC on 08/23 to rejoin Gabby," Laundrie family attorney Steve Bertolino said in a statement. "Brian flew home to obtain some items and empty and close the storage unit to save money as they contemplated extending the road trip," Bertolino added.
And while one might think that the storage locker being emptied would be a dead end, that doesn't seem to be the case at all. Petito's mom, Nicole Schmidt, said that the items inside the unit are being kept at Laundrie's parent's house, according to the Daily Mail. It's unclear if authorities have identified any items that had been in that storage unit, but a warrant to search the Laundrie family home was executed in September, according to ABC7. The investigation is still ongoing.