The search comes after the FBI announced during a Sunday night press conference that “human remains" discovered are consistent with the description of Gabrielle “Gabby” Petito at Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming, official said.
Where is Brian Laundrie? The former fiancé of Gabby Petito, who authorities are calling a “person of interest,” in the case, is the last person investigators reportedly believe to see Petito alive. His whereabouts are still unknown, according to a published report.
On Monday morning just after 10 a.m., FBI agents flooded the North Port, Florida, a home that Laundrie shares with his parents. A short time later, Laundrie’s parents were escorted by the FBI into a police vehicle that was parked in their driveway. After speaking with investigators they were allowed back inside their home, ABC News reported.
The search comes after the FBI announced on Sunday night that “human remains discovered are consistent with the description of Gabrielle “Gabby” Petito at Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming," officials said.
Charles Jones, FBI Denver’s supervisory senior resident agent in Wyoming, announced during Sunday evening’s press conference that a full forensic analysis will need to be completed to determine if they are Petito’s remains.
On Friday, during the search for Petito, Laundrie suddenly vanished. Laundrie’s parents told the police that they had not seen their son since Tuesday.
After days of not speaking to investigators, Laundrie’s parents eventually told them that their son left with a backpack, heading for the preserve. They told the authorities they went looking for him on Wednesday and found his car parked at the preserve, but they left it so he could drive home, an attorney representing the family said, Fox13 News reported.
However, when Laundrie didn’t return Thursday morning, the parents said they went to retrieve the car themselves, according to the news outlet.
On Monday, the North Port Police Department, the lead agency investigating the case said they had “exhausted all avenues” in searching the expansive grounds of the Carlton Reserve in Sarasota County, a 25,000-acre wildlife reserve for Laundrie, Fox 13 News reported.
A police spokesperson said there were no plans to return to the preserve, a report said.
Since Saturday, authorities had conducted a massive search after Laundrie’s family told police that they believe the 23-year-old man went for a hike earlier last week, USA Today reported.
Police said Laundrie could potentially hide-out in the vast Carlton Reserve “for months’ if he wanted to. The reserve has approximately 80 miles of hiking trail, most of which are currently flooded, the Insider reported.
Petito, an aspiring “van life” travel blogger and Laundrie left New York on July 2 for what was supposed to be a four-month cross-country road trip visiting national parks in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming. The couple shared their travel adventures on their personal Instagrams and a travel account under the name “Nomadic Statik,” according to Inside Edition Digital.
On Sept. 11, Petito was reported missing by her family after not hearing from her since August 25, a report said.
Laundrie returned to their home in North Port, Florida, a city in Sarasota County about 80 miles south of Tampa without his fiancée, Petito, police said, The Washington Post reported.
Petito’s family filed a missing person’s report with police in Suffolk County, NY, where the couple is from, the Post said.
The Petito family attorney said, “Brian is not missing but rather on the run.” He called it "reprehensible and hypocritical,” that the Laundrie family requested to have the police look for their son but not for Gabby, Fox 13 reported.
On Sunday night, the Laundrie family put out a statement, stating that the news about Gabby is "heartbreaking," adding that they were praying for her and her family.
Petito and Laundrie, who were both from Long Island, New York had been high school sweethearts. Laundrie’s parents later moved to North Port, Florida, and Petito and Laundrie were living with them before they set out for their cross-country trek, USA Today reported.
Laundrie is described as a white male, 5 foot 8 inches and weighing 160 pounds with brown eyes, very short brown hair, trimmed facial hair. He was last seen wearing a hiking bag with a waist strap.
Anyone with information is urged to call 1-800-CALL-FBI.
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