Brian Laundrie Partial Remains Case: It happened just one day after local authorities reopened the park to the public after closing it for nearly a month in search of Brian Laundrie, the FBI’s only person of interest in Gabby Petito’s disappearance.
A senior law enforcement official confirmed Wednesday that partial human remains were discovered near a backpack in the Florida park central to the Brian Laundrie search, though it’s unclear to whom they belong. Previously, the area where the apparent remains and backpack were discovered had been submerged.
According to the senior law enforcement official, the backpack found near the apparent remains could be consistent with the type of items Laundrie had in his possession when he vanished in mid-September. Confirmation of identity will necessitate additional forensic analysis, which could take several days.
It wasn’t immediately clear if the backpack that a law enforcement official mentioned was among “some articles belonging to Brian” that the Laundrie family’s attorney, Steven Bertolino, said the missing man’s parents had discovered earlier in the day at the Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park.
The Sarasota County medical examiner confirmed that its office was responding to the area where “some articles belonging to Brian” were discovered mid-morning, as Bertolino initially described them. He said Chris and Roberta Laundrie discovered the items after a “brief” search, but he didn’t say what they found.
On Wednesday, a newly erected tent was seen in the discovery area, which was cordoned off by law enforcement officers with yellow police tape.
Bertolino had suggested almost two weeks ago that receding water could aid investigators in finding the 23-year-old, who had been missing for more than a month.
Items belonging to Laundrie were discovered — by his own parents — off a trail he frequented at Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park, which had just reopened to the public a day before, according to the attorney.
The FBI’s Tampa field office confirmed that “items of interest” had been found in the investigation into Laundrie’s disappearance and Petito’s death. One of its Evidence Response teams was processing the scene, its tweet said.
FBI Tampa will hold a news briefing at 4:30 p.m. Watch it live here.
Locals refer to the area currently under investigation as the Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park, which borders the sprawling reserve. The FBI referred to the location as the Carlton Reserve. The location to which law enforcement, Bertolino, and local police are all referring is thought to be the same.
After a month of closure to assist the FBI and local authorities in their search for Laundrie, who went missing five weeks ago, Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park reopened to the public on Tuesday. It has now been reopened.
Chris and Roberta Laundrie informed the FBI and North Port Police on Tuesday night that they planned to visit the environmental park, which is where the family’s silver Mustang was abandoned in mid-September, according to Bertolino. It wasn’t immediately clear why the parents decided to conduct their own search on the same day that law enforcement decided the public could return.
Other information was not immediately available. The environmental park, which connects to the Carlton Reserve, the 25,000-acre swamp that has been the focus of the ongoing search for Laundrie, was described by local affiliate as having a “large police presence” Wednesday morning.
A cadaver dog from a neighbouring county sheriff’s office was also called in, according to the affiliate. According to Pasco County officials, the same human remains-detecting canine, the only one employed by a local sheriff’s office in the area, was at the Carlton Reserve five days ago.
North Port police told WFLA that the environmental park was once again closed but didn’t provide further details, while department spokesman Josh Taylor told the station that “the search continues” before Bertolino announced Wednesday’s findings.
When asked by News 4 about the park’s reopening, Taylor said he expects “searches to continue when and where needed.”” He referred additional questions on the investigation to the FBI.
Prior to Wednesday’s developments, the FBI had declined to comment on the case since the Denver field office issued a federal arrest warrant for Laundrie, 23, on a single count of debit card fraud.
The FBI has only named Laundrie as a person of interest in Petito’s disappearance. He hasn’t been seen since his parents told authorities his son was going for a hike in the Carlton Reserve in mid-September. A silver Mustang in the environmental park lot, similar to the one his family owned, had a “abandoned vehicle” tag with a time stamp of 2:24 p.m. Sept. 14, according to WFLA.
Where Is Brian Laundrie?
More on Gabby Petito’s case, which has enthralled the nation.
That notice indicated that the vehicle had been parked there for at least a day before being tagged. It would have taken a few more days for it to be towed.
Since then, local and federal investigators have spent countless hours scouring the environmental park and the vast preserve for Laundrie.
FBI Press Conference Brian Laundrie
Late last week, the preserve saw increased law enforcement activity after a cadaver dog was requested to assist in the search. Chris Laundrie, Laundrie’s father, assisted the FBI for the first time the week before, identifying trails he and his son liked to hike and other places he thought the 23-year-old might be interested in.
According to multiple media outlets, law enforcement officers have stopped a slew of Laundrie impersonators in recent weeks, but one month after Petito’s body was discovered in Wyoming, no one seems to know where he is.
Is Laundrie still alive and well? Is he hiding somewhere? Is there anyone who can assist him? In recent weeks, those questions have piqued the interest of Internet sleuths all over the world — as well as people calling law enforcement tiplines in multiple states about reported sightings — but to no avail. Bertolino, the family’s attorney, has stated that Laundrie’s parents have no idea where he is, that they did not assist him in escaping, and that they are cooperating with authorities.
Petito’s parents have claimed in a series of media interviews over the last two weeks that Chris and Roberta Laundrie failed to assist them when they were unable to contact their daughter in late August and early September. They claim to believe the young man’s parents know more about what happened to him and, possibly, their daughter than anyone else — claims Bertolino has repeatedly denied.
The remains of the 22-year-old Long Island woman were discovered on September 19 in a remote area of a Wyoming national park she and Laundrie had visited during their months-long cross-country road trip. Other remains were discovered during the search for Petito in that area, which is another reason why authorities are refusing to speculate in Laundrie’s case.
The autopsy results were released last week by the county coroner who ruled her death a homicide: Petito was strangled with her own hands and died three to four weeks before she was discovered.
Last week, forensic expert Joseph Scott Morgan told News 4’s The Debrief podcast that this type of death is one of “the most intimate of homicides that can occur.”
Dr. Brent Blue of Teton County, the coroner who examined Petito’s remains, declined to share any additional information about the autopsy results, citing state protocol. The FBI made no public comments about the autopsy results or provided any public insight into what they might mean for the investigation’s direction.
The agency is still accepting tips by phone and online about Laundrie’s whereabouts or any other information about the couple.
Relevant information may be submitted to the FBI here or by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI or 303-629-7171. Photos & videos may be uploaded to: http://fbi.gov/petito.
