(Trends Wide) — The investigation into the disappearance of Brian Laundrie, whose fiancee, Gabby Petito, was found dead in a Wyoming camp last month, has uncovered new details about his previous movements, as well as traces of human activity at the nature preserve that has been the focus of a massive search.
Police found the remains of a camp that appeared to be recently used in the Carlton Reserve, a sprawling 10,000-acre wilderness near the family’s Florida home that has been closed to visitors, a source close to the family told Chris Cuomo. on Trends Wide on Wednesday.
Laundrie’s father had been asked to show law enforcement the trails in the reserve, which his son was known to use, the source said. But due to the discovery of the camp, the police narrowed the search on Wednesday and did not include his father.
Additionally, the North Port Police Department confirmed that a notice was posted on an abandoned vehicle belonging to the Laundrie family near the nature preserve on September 14.
Laundrie’s family told police on September 17 that they had not seen him in days, saying he told the family he was heading to the reservation.
The search for Laundrie intensified when police investigated the disappearance of Petito, who was reported missing by her family on September 11. Petito and Laundrie had embarked on a cross-country road trip for the summer before Laundrie returned to Florida, and Petito’s remains were later found in Wyoming.
The coroner’s initial determination of how Petito died was homicide, the FBI said.
While Laundrie has not been charged with his death, he is subject to a federal arrest warrant for unauthorized use of someone else’s debit card in the days after Petito last spoke with his family.
Authorities continue to search for Brian Laundrie on the Carlton Reservation in Venice, Florida.
They recover abandoned vehicle near the reserve
The abandoned vehicle notice was posted on a Ford Mustang belonging to the Laundrie family outside the Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park on Sept. 14, North Port police said Wednesday. The park acts as an entrance to the Carlton Reserve, not far from the family home in North Port.
Steve Bertolino, the attorney representing Laundrie and his parents, Chris and Roberta Laundrie, told Trends Wide that after further communication with the FBI, “we now believe that the day Brian went for a walk on the reservation was Monday. September 13th”.
His parents had told authorities that he had left on September 14.
Chris Laundrie went looking for his son on the night of Sept. 13 when he did not return from the park, Bertolino told Trends Wide on Wednesday.
The next day, Brian’s parents returned to the area to look for Brian and saw the summons in the car, Bertolino said.
The parents returned again the next day, September 15, to retrieve the vehicle.
“The Laundries based the date Brian left on their recollection of certain events. Following further communication with the FBI and confirmation that the Mustang was at Laundrie’s residence on Wednesday, September 15, we now believe the day that Brian went for a walk in the reserve was on Monday, September 13, “said Bertolino.
Bertolino told Trends Wide that Chris Laundrie was asked to help North Port police search for him Wednesday, but police had to postpone it.
“Since the reservation was closed to the public, Chris has not been able to look for Brian in the one place Chris and Roberta think he might be,” Bertolino said. “Unfortunately, the North Port police had to postpone Chris’s involvement, but Chris and Roberta are hopeful that there will be another opportunity to help.”
Trends Wide asked Bertolino if Brian’s parents believe he is on the reservation or in another area. “No, they don’t think it’s in another area. They think it’s in the reserve,” Bertolino said.
Regarding the camp found and the family’s involvement in the search, the North Port Police Department told Trends Wide that the FBI is the lead agency in the case and that the North Port police would not make those decisions or make those decisions. Actions.
“The FBI would have to answer if that were true,” said North Port police spokesman Josh Taylor.
Trends Wide has reached out to the FBI for comment.
‘I want to see him in a jail cell for the rest of his life’
Petito’s body was found a 5 to 10 minute walk from where his truck was last seen near the entrance to Grand Tetons, on the border of the Bridger-Teton National Forest, according to his mother, Nichole Schmidt, and his stepfather, Jim Schmidt, during the second installment of an exclusive interview with “Dr. Phil” that aired on Wednesday.
Gabby’s body was in a clearing and was right in front of the remains of a ring of fire, Jim Schmidt said. “You could see where the rocks had been moved to make the ring of fire,” he said.
“It’s definitely not a very busy area,” he added.
Jim Schmidt paid tribute and left sunflowers on the site, Trends Wide previously reported.
The Schmidts were joined by Gabby’s father, Joe Petito, and his wife Tara Petito, along with their attorney Richard Stafford, for the interview with host Phil McGraw.
Joe Petito said he wants Laundrie found alive so he can spend his life behind bars.
“I want to see him in a jail cell for the rest of his life where – he’s a nature lover – being in that concrete cell and not being able to go see those trees and hug them – and smell the fresh air. and so on, “Petito said.
“I want to look him in the eye,” said Nichole Schmidt.
Laundrie’s family attorney Bertolino declined to comment Wednesday on the interview with “Dr. Phil.”
In late September, Laundrie’s parents released a statement through their attorney, saying, “Chris and Roberta Laundrie do not know where Brian is. They are concerned about Brian and hope the FBI can locate him. Public speculation and some who insisting that the parents helped Brian get out of the family home or avoid arrest by a warrant that was issued after Brian had already been missing for several days is simply wrong. “
Trends Wide’s Melissa Alonso, Laura Dolan, Sara Weisfeldt, Dave Alsup, Taylor Romine, and Jason Hanna contributed to this report.
