GABBY PETITO INVESTIGATION

Suspected human remains, items belonging to Brian Laundrie found in Florida park, FBI says

Oct 20, 2021, 3:36 PM

NORTH PORT, FL - SEPTEMBER 20: FBI agents begin to take away evidence from the family home of Brian...

NORTH PORT, FL - SEPTEMBER 20: FBI agents begin to take away evidence from the family home of Brian Laundrie, who is a person of interest after his fiancé Gabby Petito went missing on September 20, 2021 in North Port, Florida. A body has been found by authorities in Wyoming that fits the description of Petito, who went missing while on a cross country trip with Laundrie. (Photo by Octavio Jones/Getty Images)

(Photo by Octavio Jones/Getty Images)

(CNN) — What appears to be human remains and items belonging to Brian Laundrie, including a backpack, have been found in a nature reserve in North Port, Florida, according to FBI Special Agent in Charge Michael McPherson.

The remains were found in an area that has been underwater until recently, he said.


The FBI Tampa’s Evidence Response Team is on the scene using “all available forensic resources” to process the area. According to McPherson, it’s likely the team will be on the scene for several days.

“I know you have a lot of questions, but we don’t have all the answers yet,” he said reading a statement for the media.

The discovery comes 37 days after Laundrie, the fiancé of Gabby Petito, was reportedly last seen by his parents.

Earlier, the Sarasota County Medical Examiner and a cadaver dog were called to the park and aerial footage showed activity in the Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park near the Carlton Reserve.

Laundrie’s parents, Chris and Roberta Laundrie, informed the FBI and the North Port Police Department Tuesday night that they intended to come to the park on Wednesday morning to search for him, family attorney Steven Bertolino said. Law enforcement met them there Wednesday morning, he said.

After a “brief search” off a trail Laundrie frequented, the family and law enforcement found “some articles” belonging to him, Bertolino said. He would not give any further information on what or how many items were found.

Bertolino said that law enforcement is now conducting a more thorough investigation of that area.

The Sarasota County Medical Examiner has been called to the scene, and Pasco County Sheriff’s office said a cadaver dog and two spotters were also on site. The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Response Team and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office are also now on scene along with a mobile unit and a tent.

The discovery comes amid an exhaustive search for Laundrie that has now stretched over a month and as authorities try to piece together what happened to Petito.

The Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park is on 160 acres of heavily wooded land in North Port, Florida, with trails and a camping area. The park connects to the Carlton Reserve, a 25,000-acre nature reserve that has been the primary search location for investigators.

Searchers had previously used swamp buggies, divers and airboats to scour the swampy terrain, but the area has dried out recently due to clearer weather.

How we got here

Petito, 22, and Laundrie, 23, traveled around the western US in a white van this summer, all while regularly posting photos and stories to their social media pages. Those posts abruptly stopped in late August, though, and Laundrie then returned by himself to their home in North Point, Florida, where they lived with his parents, on September 1.

Petito’s family, unable to get in contact with her, reported her missing 10 days later, launching a national search. Laundrie declined to cooperate with the investigation into her whereabouts, and soon after, he also went missing. His family told investigators they believed he had gone to a sprawling nature reserve nearby.

Petito’s remains were found in a national forest in Wyoming on September 19 near where the couple had last been seen together. Teton County Coroner Dr. Brent Blue ruled her death a homicide and said that she died by strangulation.

“We believe this was strangling by a human being,” Blue told CNN’s Anderson Cooper.

Laundrie has not been explicitly connected to Petito’s homicide, but he is the subject of a federal arrest warrant for unauthorized use of another person’s debit card in the days after Petito last spoke with her family.

Though their social media posts appear idyllic, their relationship was full of tension and conflict in recent months. Petito called her mom regularly, and those conversations appeared to reveal there was “more and more tension” in Petito’s relationship, according to a police affidavit for a search warrant of an external hard drive found in the couple’s van.

In addition, the couple was involved in a domestic dispute and were stopped by police in August in Moab, Utah, after a 911 caller told dispatchers he saw a man hitting a woman, according to audio provided by the Grand County Sheriff’s Office.

In a report from Moab police, another witness told police he saw the couple arguing over a phone. The witness said that when Laundrie got into the van, Petito appeared to hit him in the arm and then climbed through the driver’s side door as if he had locked her out, the report states.

After interviewing Petito, Laundrie and the witness, the officers describe the incident as an argument that turned into a physical fight involving pushing and scratching.

The-CNN-Wire™ & © 2021 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.

KSL 5 TV Live

Gabby Petito Investigation

Nichole Schmidt, mother of Gabby Petito, speaks alongside, from left, Tara Petito, Petito's stepmot...

Dakin Andone and Jean Casarez

Parents of Gabby Petito, Brian Laundrie reach settlement in emotional distress lawsuit, attorney says

The families of Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie have reached a settlement in a lawsuit, an attorney for the Laundries said, after Petito’s parents claimed the Laundries knew their son killed his fiancée during a cross-country road trip but intentionally withheld that information.

1 month ago

A medical examiner determined Brian Laundrie died by suicide. (Moab Police Department)...

Elizabeth Wolfe

Brian Laundrie’s parents detail ‘the day everything hit the fan’ after their son told them Gabby Petito was ‘gone’

In newly filed court documents, Brian Laundrie’s parents detail “the day everything hit the fan,” recalling an exchange of frantic phone calls as their son told them his fiancee Gabby Petito was “gone” and he needed them to find him an attorney as he drove back home without her.

1 month ago

NORTH PORT, FL - SEPTEMBER 16: Tara Petito (L) and Joe Petito react while the City of North Port Ch...

Lauren del Valle

Gabby Petito’s parents get ‘burn after reading’ letter from Brian Laundrie’s parents

Gabby Petito’s parents now have a copy of a letter Brian Laundrie’s mother wrote to her son, which included references to getting a shovel and burying a body.

10 months ago

A new bodycam footage reveals what Gabby Petito told police about a domestic dispute with fiancé B...

Pat Reavy

Gabby Petito’s family files amended lawsuit against Moab police

The family of Gabby Petito has filed an amended lawsuit against Moab police, alleging that the Lethality Assessment Protocol wasn't used because officers weren't being trained properly.

1 year ago

FILE - This police camera video provided by The Moab Police Department shows Gabrielle "Gabby" Peti...

Jean Casarez and Lauren del Valle

Gabby Petito’s family attorney claims that Brian Laundrie’s mom wrote a letter offering ‘to help bury the body’

An attorney representing the parents of Gabby Petito wants the letter he says Brian Laundrie's mom wrote him offering to bury a body, with inscription 'burn after reading.'

1 year ago

Gabby Petito...

Josh Ellis

New photo allegedly shows Gabby Petito’s injuries before interview with Moab PD

A newly released photograph appears to show injuries on Gabby Petito's face shortly before she met with officers from the Moab Police Department.

1 year ago

Sponsored Articles

Women hold card for scanning key card to access Photocopier Security system concept...

Les Olson

Why Printer Security Should Be Top of Mind for Your Business

Connected printers have vulnerable endpoints that are an easy target for cyber thieves. Protect your business with these tips.

Modern chandelier hanging from a white slanted ceiling with windows in the backgruond...

Lighting Design

Light Up Your Home With These Top Lighting Trends for 2024

Check out the latest lighting design trends for 2024 and tips on how you can incorporate them into your home.

Technician woman fixing hardware of desktop computer. Close up....

PC Laptops

Tips for Hassle-Free Computer Repairs

Experiencing a glitch in your computer can be frustrating, but with these tips you can have your computer repaired without the stress.

Close up of finger on keyboard button with number 11 logo...

PC Laptops

7 Reasons Why You Should Upgrade Your Laptop to Windows 11

Explore the benefits of upgrading to Windows 11 for a smoother, more secure, and feature-packed computing experience.

Stylish room interior with beautiful Christmas tree and decorative fireplace...

Lighting Design

Create a Festive Home with Our Easy-to-Follow Holiday Prep Guide

Get ready for festive celebrations! Discover expert tips to prepare your home for the holidays, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere for unforgettable moments.

Battery low message on mobile device screen. Internet and technology concept...

PC Laptops

9 Tips to Get More Power Out of Your Laptop Battery

Get more power out of your laptop battery and help it last longer by implementing some of these tips from our guide.

Suspected human remains, items belonging to Brian Laundrie found in Florida park, FBI says