NEW YORK (1010 WINS) – Brian Laundrie’s father was helping authorities search a Florida nature park Thursday for his 23-year-old son, who is a person of interest in the death of fiancée Gabby Petito and is also wanted on a federal fraud-related charge.
11 a.m., Oct. 7: LAUNDRIE ATTORNEY CONFIRMS BRIAN’S DAD ASKED TO ‘POINT OUT FAVORITE TRAILS’ OF BRIAN’S AT RESERVE
Laundrie family attorney Steve Bertolino confirmed to WCBS 880 that “Chris Laundrie is assisting Law Enforcement today in the search for Brian” at the Carlton Reserve in Florida. Brian is believed to have gone hiking there before disappearing on Sept. 13, sparking a weeks-long manhunt.
“Chris was asked to point out any favorite trails or spots that Brian may have used in the preserve,” Bertolino said. “Although Chris and Roberta Laundrie provided this information verbally 3 weeks ago it is now thought that on-site assistance may be better.”
“The preserve has been closed to the public and the Laundries as well but the parents have been cooperating since the search began,” Bertolino added.
10:30 a.m., Oct. 7: BRIAN LAUNDRIE’S DAD JOINS SEARCH AT FLORIDA NATURE PARK
Brian Laundrie's father, Chris, arrived at Florida’s Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park in his red Dodge Ram pickup truck to join the search for his son, according to Fox News.
The park connects to the 25,000-acre Carlton Reserve, where law enforcement has been searching for Brian for weeks.
Chris Laundrie joined up with law enforcement personnel at the park's entrance and was spotted going into the park with them.
Minutes earlier, Chris was seen entering his pickup truck outside his home in North Port, which is about five miles from the park entrance. His wife, Roberta, was not with him.
On Wednesday, Laundrie family attorney Steve Bertolino said Chris had been “asked to assist law enforcement in their search for Brian at the preserve” but that “North Port police had to postpone Chris’ involvement.”
Bertolino had said Chris was “excited” to join the search and that the family was “waiting for the call from the North Port Police Department to make that happen.”
“Since the preserve has been closed to the public Chris has not been able to look for Brian in the only place Chris and Roberta believe Brian may be,” Bertolino told Newsday.
Brian’s parents have said they last saw their son on Sept. 13, when they say he went hiking at the reserve but didn’t return. They reported him missing four days later on Sept. 17.
Bertolino said Chris searched the reserve on the night of Sept. 13. Chris and Roberta then spent four or five hours hiking there the next day to search for Brian.
“They are distraught and they are upset and they are hopeful that their son will be found,” Bertolino said.
9:30 a.m., Oct. 7: LAUNDRIE FAMILY ATTORNEY BELIEVES BRIAN IS ‘STILL IN THE PRESERVE’
The attorney for Brian Laundrie’s family said he believes Brian is still in the Florida nature reserve where authorities have been searching since he was reported missing on Sept. 17.
“I believe Brian is still in the preserve,” attorney Steve Bertolino told Fox News. “And as such I don't think he has access to the news.”
Asked about Brian’s ability to survive in the outdoors, Bertolino described the 23-year-old as a “backpacker.”
9 p.m., Oct. 6: GABBY PETITO'S DAD WANTS LAUNDRIE FOUND ALIVE
Gabby Petito's loved ones openly expressed what they want to see as a result of the search for Brian Laundrie.
Joseph Petito told Dr. Phil in a pre-taped interview, "I just hope he's found ... like alive. I want to see him in a jail cell for the rest of his life. Where he’s an outdoorsman, being in that concrete cell and he can’t go see those trees and smell the fresh air like that."
Gabby's mom Nichole Schmidt followed by saying, "I want to look him in the eyes."
Jim Schmidt, Gabby Petito’s stepdad, told Dr. Phil that he had placed a stone cross to commemorate his stepdaughter at the exact location where her remains were found in Wyoming’s Bridger-Teton National Forest.
“It was the exact spot that they found her. So, I laid the cross directly over where her torso was and I was told the direction which her head was laying — and that’s where I placed two flowers on the ground,” Schmidt said.
Joseph Petito and Nichole Schmidt said they “bawled” when Jim sent them a photo of the tribute.
Jim Schmidt also described the area where Petito's body was found.
"There was the remnants of a fire ring there ... there was a clearing where I would assume, knowing I have a similar tent, where I would place my tent, and that opening would face out overlooking the mountain range. Her body was found, I guess it would be, in front of a tent," he said.
"Not many people cross all the way over there to go over there," Schmidt added.
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