The search for Brian Laundrie continues now that Gabby Petito has tragically been found dead.
By Arianna Jeret — Written on Sep 20, 2021
Earlier this morning, the FBI arrived at the North Port, FL home of Brian Laundrie's parents, which they declared a "crime scene," continuing their efforts to find Brian who remained at-large and wanted in connection to the possible death of 22-year-old Gabby Petito.
A body authorities believe to be Petito's was found on Sunday, September 19 in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming.
Petito's fiancé, Laundrie, 23, has been missing since at least this past Tuesday, September 14, though his family didn't notify police of his disappearance until Friday, September 17.
Now police in Mobile, Alabama have confirmed that they found a dead body near the Tillman’s Corner Walmart, an area in which Brian Laundrie was reportedly spotted yesterday.
Is Brian Laundrie dead?
As of now the answer as to whether Brian Laundrie is dead or alive remains unclear.
Many avidly watching the case believed Laundrie may have been located when officers from the Mobile Police Department (MPD) confirmed that they were investigating a crime scene at which they had found a dead body behind a dumpster in Tillman County Alabama. However, the Mobile County Sheriff's Office has now made an official statement that the body in question was that of an unidentified homeless person and not Brian Laundrie.
An unverified screenshot circulating on social media indicated there had been sighting of Laundrie in Tillman's Corner, Alabama.
Today, additional statements were made by someone who said they worked at a restaurant outside of which their survellience cameras caught someone matching Laundrie's description and that authorities had been made aware he may be in the area.
That area is said to be in close promiximity to the Walmart where a body has been found.
Adding to the speculation that the body in question may be Laundrie's are pictures taken of backpack laying within the MPD's the crime scene tape.
When Brian Laundrie's family reported him missing last week, one of the few details they offered was that he had taken a backpack with him.
Brian Laundrie was first declared a “person of interest” on September 15.
The following Friday, Laundrie's family reported him missing, saying he'd told them he left to go hiking in nearby Carlton Reserve on Tuesday but had not returned.
The family said he'd driven his car to that location, but it had been returned to the family home sometime before they called in a missing person report.
Laundries attorney, Steven Bertolino, said local police left the notice on Laundrie’s Mustang while it was parked there, which his family alleged found the next day. Despite the note, the family left his car in the same location until Thursday. Their reasons for bringing his car back to their home at that time remain unclear.
After news began circulating that Laundrie was missing, Petito's family released a statement saying, "All of Gabby's family want the world to know that Brian is not missing. He is hiding. Gabby is missing."
Search teams using drones and bloodhounds to scour the 24,000-acre county park in Florida's Sarasota County in the efforts to locate Laundrie were called off after Gabby Petito's body was found.
“At this time, we currently believe we have exhausted all avenues in searching of the grounds there,” North Port police PIO Josh Taylor said in a statement. “Law enforcement agencies continue to search for Brian Laundrie.”
Some think Laundrie may already have crossed into Mexico, but as of now, no one knows for sure where he is and whether or not he is still alive.
Police described 23-year-old Laundrie as a 5' 8'' white male with brown eyes and brown hair. He was last seen wearing a hiking bag with a waist strap.
Deputy Editor Arianna Jeret, MA/MSW, has been featured in Cosmopolitan, The Huffington Post, Yahoo Style, MSN, Fox News, Bustle, Parents and more. Find her on Twitter or Instagram for more.