Brian Laundrie, fiancé of Gabby Petito, reported missing
(KUTV) — Brian Laundrie, fiancé of missing 22-year-old woman Gabby Petito and person of interest in her case, was reported missing on Friday by his attorney.
Police in North Port, Florida, went to Laundrie's family home Friday where protestors had gathered outside. Steven Bertolino, a New York-based attorney and counsel for Laundrie’s family, shared the following statement:
Be advised that the whereabouts of Brian Laundrie are currently unknown. The FBI is currently at the Laundrie residence removing property to assist in locating Brian. As of now the FBI is now looking for both Gabby and Brian.
Laundrie, 23, was last seen by his parents on Tuesday morning, his attorney said.
Officials with the North Port Police Department added he was "last seen wearing a hiking bag with a waist strap."
Laundrie returned home to Florida on September 1, ten days before Petito was reported missing by her family.
He hired an attorney and refused to talk publicly about what happened. Petito, who is from New York, moved to North Port two years ago. She was living with Laundrie and his parents.
The two had been dating since March 2019.
The couple began a cross-country trip in a white 2012 Ford Transit van on July 2. Petito was last seen in Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, before she went missing on August 30, which was the last day Petito's mother said she received a text message from her daughter.
"We understand the community’s frustration, we are frustrated too," North Port police said in a social post.
They stated that Friday is the first time Laundrie's family spoke with investigators in detail and that while "Brian is a person of interest in Gabby’s disappearance, he is not wanted for a crime."
"We are not currently working a crime investigation," officials said. "We are now working a multiple missing person investigations."
On Tuesday afternoon, Bertolino shared the following statement with 2News:
This is understandably an extremely difficult time for both the Petito family and the Laundrie family. It is our understanding that a search has been organized for Miss Petito in or near Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. On behalf of the Laundrie family it is our hope that the search for Miss Petito is successful and that Miss Petito is re-united with her family. On the advice of counsel the Laundrie family is remaining in the background at this juncture and will have no further comment.
On Wednesday, Bertolino released another statement:
Many people are wondering why Mr. Laundrie would not make a statement or speak with law enforcement in the face of Ms. Petito's absence. In my experience, intimate partners are often the first person law enforcement focuses their attention on in cases like this and the warning that 'any statement made will be used against you' is true, regardless of whether my client had anything to do with Ms. Petito's disappearance. As such, on the advice of counsel Mr. Laundrie is not speaking on this matter.
North Port police said they are actively looking for Gabby, Brian and any information surrounding this case. They ask to please continue utilizing 1-800-CALL-FBI with any information.
