GABBY PETITO INVESTIGATION
Police: Search for Laundrie concludes for the second day in wildlife reserve
NORTH PORT, Fla. — Day two of the search for 23-year-old Brian Laundrie wrapped up just before 6 p.m. Sunday in Florida, minutes before FBI officials announced a body, likely belonging to Gabrielle Petito, had been found in Wyoming.
Police had nothing new to report at the wildlife reserve in Florida, which is not very far from Laundrie’s home.
Our search of the Carlton has concluded for the evening. Nothing to report.
— North Port Police (@NorthPortPolice) September 19, 2021
Search efforts began Saturday morning, 18 days after Laundrie showed up at his home in North Port.
He had been traveling for a couple of months with his girlfriend of two years, Gabrielle Petito, when he arrived in Florida on Sept. 1 with the van, but not Petito.
She was reported missing 10 days later after her parents said they didn’t hear from her for nearly two weeks.
Laundrie was named a person of interest in the disappearance on Sept. 15, but since then, neither he, nor his family, would talk to police.
That changed, however, on Friday when Brian Laundrie’s family requested police come to their home.
Search intensifies for Gabby Petito; police respond to Laundrie home in Florida
The assumption was the family was finally talking about Petito. Instead, we learned the visit had everything to do with Laundrie’s disappearance.
Police said his parents were on the phone with their attorney while police went through the home.
According to his family, Brian Laundrie was last seen Tuesday when he packed a backpack and told his family he was going to an environmental park.
He drove there in a mustang.
The Laundrie family said they picked up the vehicle on Tuesday.
On Saturday, investigators began searching the Carlton Reserve, a massive park that covers 24,000 acres.
Dozens of police officers joined FBI agents, drones and K9s in the search.
It was the parents that lead investigators there.
From the beginning, police have called this a missing persons case, not a crime.
No word yet on how the tragic news out of Teton County, Wyoming — regarding a body being found “consistent with the description of Gabby Petito” — changes their approach.
Human remains discovered ‘consistent’ with description of Gabby Petito
Officials with the North Port Police Department said Sunday night they were saddened and heartbroken to learn Petito was found dead.
They said their focus has been to bring her home, adding that they’ll continue to work with the FBI in the search for more answers.
Saddened and heartbroken to learn that Gabby has been found deceased. Our focus from the start, along with the FBI, and national partners, has been to bring her home. We will continue to work with the FBI in the search for more answers.
— North Port Police (@NorthPortPolice) September 19, 2021
