(Trends Wide) — The search for Brian Laundrie, who according to a source left his wallet and cell phone when he was last seen leaving his parents’ home 10 days ago, resumed Friday at a nature preserve in southwest Florida.
New details are also emerging about Laundrie, as he is now the subject of a federal arrest warrant for the events following the death of his fiancee Gabby Petito, whose remains were found this Sunday in Wyoming.
The Wyoming District Court issued a warrant for Laundrie’s arrest, according to the FBI’s Denver field office, after a grand jury charged him with “using unauthorized devices” after Petito’s death.
Laundrie used a debit card and PIN for non-owned accounts for a total cost of more than $ 1,000 between the dates of Aug. 30 and Sept. 1, according to the indictment.
An attorney for Laundrie’s family emphasized that the order was not for Petito’s death, but related to activities that took place afterward.
“I understand that Brian Laundrie’s arrest warrant is related to the activities that occurred after Gabby Petito’s death and not her death,” Steve Bertolino said in a statement. “The FBI is concentrating on locating Brian and when that happens, the details of the charges covered by the indictment will be addressed in the appropriate forum.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Michael Schneider said: “While this warrant allows police to arrest Mr. Laundrie, the FBI and our partners across the country continue to investigate the facts and circumstances of Ms. Petito. We urge individuals with knowledge of Mr. Laundrie’s role in this matter or his current whereabouts to contact the FBI. “
Local and federal officials continue to search for signs of Laundrie in the Carlton Reserve, an approximately 10,117-hectare nature preserve near his parents’ North Port home. The search resumed once again this Friday morning after being stopped overnight due to darkness, the North Port Police Department reported.
Law enforcement began searching the area after Laundrie’s family told police they hadn’t seen him in days, and told his family that he was heading to the reservation before anyone heard from him again. .
On Thursday, a source close to the Laundrie family told Trends Wide’s Chris Cuomo that Laundrie left his parents’ home without his cell phone and wallet on the last day they reported seeing him.
Laundrie’s parents were concerned that he might hurt himself, the source said.
North Port Police Public Information Officer Josh Taylor declined to comment to Trends Wide on the report, saying, “I cannot give any statement on a timeline at this time. That investigation is being conducted by the FBI.” .
The FBI did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Witnesses speak of tension in the couple
Witnesses are providing additional details about Petito and Laundrie prior to their disappearances.
A Louisiana couple who were on vacation in Jackson, Wyoming, say they saw an incident last month at a restaurant involving Petito and Laundrie.
Nina Angelo and her boyfriend, Matt England, saw a “commotion” as Petito and Laundrie left The Merry Piglets Tex-Mex restaurant, Angelo told Trends Wide on Wednesday.
Petito was crying and Laundrie was visibly angry, going in and out of the restaurant multiple times and continuing to show anger towards the staff around the hostess booth, Angelo said.
The couples’ waitress was also visibly shocked by the incident, according to Angelo, who told Trends Wide he saw no violence or physical altercation between Petito and Laundrie.
A Merry Piglets manager, who declined to give his name, saw “an incident” at the restaurant on Aug. 27 and called the FBI on Wednesday, he told Trends Wide. The manager declined to describe what happened and said the restaurant had no surveillance video of the incident.
In early August, police in Moab, Utah, had an encounter with the couple. At the time, the officers described them as “involved in some kind of altercation.”
Although the two are described as having a physical fight after an argument, “both the man and the woman reported that they are in love and engaged to be married and that they did not wish to see anyone charged with a crime,” says a report from Officer Eric Pratt.
‘We will not forget you’
Petito and Laundrie had posted online regularly about their travels with the hashtag #VanLife as they ventured west, but those posts came to an abrupt halt in late August.
Petito’s family told police they were last in contact with her during the last week of August, North Port police say. Laundrie returned to the couple’s home, where her parents also live, on Sept. 1, according to police.
Petito was reported missing on September 11 after her family was unable to reach her.
His remains were discovered Sept. 19 in Wyoming’s Bridger-Teton National Forest and were identified by a coroner two days later, according to the FBI.
“The cause of death remains pending the final results of the autopsy,” says the FBI.
This Wednesday, a small crowd gathered in Salt Lake City to mourn Petito’s death.
“We will not forget you. We will not let your lights go out,” the organizer of the vigil, Serena Chávez, told the group.
“We will remember other missing women or children,” Chávez continued. “Their families are devastated, and I can only imagine what Gabby’s family is going through.”
Trends Wide’s Leyla Santiago, Gregory Lemos, Sara Weisfeldt, Randi Kaye, Kari Pricher, Dakin Andone, Madeline Holcombe, Christina Maxouris, Steve Forrest, Rebekah Riess, Amanda Watts, and Joe Sutton contributed to this report.
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(Trends Wide) — The search for Brian Laundrie, who according to a source left his wallet and cell phone when he was last seen leaving his parents’ home 10 days ago, resumed Friday at a nature preserve in southwest Florida.
New details are also emerging about Laundrie, as he is now the subject of a federal arrest warrant for the events following the death of his fiancee Gabby Petito, whose remains were found this Sunday in Wyoming.
The Wyoming District Court issued a warrant for Laundrie’s arrest, according to the FBI’s Denver field office, after a grand jury charged him with “using unauthorized devices” after Petito’s death.
Laundrie used a debit card and PIN for non-owned accounts for a total cost of more than $ 1,000 between the dates of Aug. 30 and Sept. 1, according to the indictment.
An attorney for Laundrie’s family emphasized that the order was not for Petito’s death, but related to activities that took place afterward.
“I understand that Brian Laundrie’s arrest warrant is related to the activities that occurred after Gabby Petito’s death and not her death,” Steve Bertolino said in a statement. “The FBI is concentrating on locating Brian and when that happens, the details of the charges covered by the indictment will be addressed in the appropriate forum.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Michael Schneider said: “While this warrant allows police to arrest Mr. Laundrie, the FBI and our partners across the country continue to investigate the facts and circumstances of Ms. Petito. We urge individuals with knowledge of Mr. Laundrie’s role in this matter or his current whereabouts to contact the FBI. “
Local and federal officials continue to search for signs of Laundrie in the Carlton Reserve, an approximately 10,117-hectare nature preserve near his parents’ North Port home. The search resumed once again this Friday morning after being stopped overnight due to darkness, the North Port Police Department reported.
Law enforcement began searching the area after Laundrie’s family told police they hadn’t seen him in days, and told his family that he was heading to the reservation before anyone heard from him again. .
On Thursday, a source close to the Laundrie family told Trends Wide’s Chris Cuomo that Laundrie left his parents’ home without his cell phone and wallet on the last day they reported seeing him.
Laundrie’s parents were concerned that he might hurt himself, the source said.
North Port Police Public Information Officer Josh Taylor declined to comment to Trends Wide on the report, saying, “I cannot give any statement on a timeline at this time. That investigation is being conducted by the FBI.” .
The FBI did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Witnesses speak of tension in the couple
Witnesses are providing additional details about Petito and Laundrie prior to their disappearances.
A Louisiana couple who were on vacation in Jackson, Wyoming, say they saw an incident last month at a restaurant involving Petito and Laundrie.
Nina Angelo and her boyfriend, Matt England, saw a “commotion” as Petito and Laundrie left The Merry Piglets Tex-Mex restaurant, Angelo told Trends Wide on Wednesday.
Petito was crying and Laundrie was visibly angry, going in and out of the restaurant multiple times and continuing to show anger towards the staff around the hostess booth, Angelo said.
The couples’ waitress was also visibly shocked by the incident, according to Angelo, who told Trends Wide he saw no violence or physical altercation between Petito and Laundrie.
A Merry Piglets manager, who declined to give his name, saw “an incident” at the restaurant on Aug. 27 and called the FBI on Wednesday, he told Trends Wide. The manager declined to describe what happened and said the restaurant had no surveillance video of the incident.
In early August, police in Moab, Utah, had an encounter with the couple. At the time, the officers described them as “involved in some kind of altercation.”
Although the two are described as having a physical fight after an argument, “both the man and the woman reported that they are in love and engaged to be married and that they did not wish to see anyone charged with a crime,” says a report from Officer Eric Pratt.
‘We will not forget you’
Petito and Laundrie had posted online regularly about their travels with the hashtag #VanLife as they ventured west, but those posts came to an abrupt halt in late August.
Petito’s family told police they were last in contact with her during the last week of August, North Port police say. Laundrie returned to the couple’s home, where her parents also live, on Sept. 1, according to police.
Petito was reported missing on September 11 after her family was unable to reach her.
His remains were discovered Sept. 19 in Wyoming’s Bridger-Teton National Forest and were identified by a coroner two days later, according to the FBI.
“The cause of death remains pending the final results of the autopsy,” says the FBI.
This Wednesday, a small crowd gathered in Salt Lake City to mourn Petito’s death.
“We will not forget you. We will not let your lights go out,” the organizer of the vigil, Serena Chávez, told the group.
“We will remember other missing women or children,” Chávez continued. “Their families are devastated, and I can only imagine what Gabby’s family is going through.”
Trends Wide’s Leyla Santiago, Gregory Lemos, Sara Weisfeldt, Randi Kaye, Kari Pricher, Dakin Andone, Madeline Holcombe, Christina Maxouris, Steve Forrest, Rebekah Riess, Amanda Watts, and Joe Sutton contributed to this report.
