NEW YORK (WCBS 880) – Law enforcement ended Thursday's search at a Florida wilderness park for Brian Laundrie, the fiancé of Gabby Petito who hasn’t been seen in over a week and was issued an arrest warrant by the FBI.
Petito, 22, was killed on a cross-country road trip with Laundrie, 23, who is a person of interest in the case, according to authorities.
Here’s the latest:
6:20 p.m., Sept. 23: LAUNDRIE LAWYER RESPONDS TO INDICTMENT
The Laundrie family's lawyer has responded to the indictment issued Thursday, saying it's "not related to [Petito's] actual demise."
Laundrie's attorney said in a statement:
“It is my understanding that the arrest warrant is related to activities occurring after the death of Gabby Petito … the FBI is focusing on locating Brian and when that occurs, the specifics of the charges covered under the indictment will be addressed in the proper forum.”
6:15 p.m., Sept. 23: LAUNDRIE SEARCH ENDS FOR THE DAY
Thursday’s search for Brian Laundrie by North Port police has ended.
Police say nothing was found at the Carlton Reserve Thursday and they will return Friday.
5:50 p.m., Sept. 23: ARREST WARRANT ISSUED FOR BRIAN LAUNDRIE
The U.S. District Court of Wyoming issued a federal arrest warrant for Brian Laundrie Wednesday pursuant to a Federal Grand Jury indictment related to his activities following Petito’s death, it announced Thursday.
The indictment said Laundrie is wanted for "use of unauthorized access devices” related to his activities following the death of Gabby Petito.
FBI Denver Special Agent In Chase Michael Schneider said, “While this warrant allows law enforcement to arrest Mr. Laundrie, the FBI and our partners across the country continue to investigate the facts and circumstances of Ms. Petito’s homicide. We urge individuals with knowledge of Mr. Laundrie’s role in this matter or his current whereabouts to contact the FBI.”
The FBI said they are still seeking information from anyone who was at the Spread Creek Dispersed Camping Area from Aug. 27-30, may have had contact with Petito or Laundrie, or may have seen their vehicle.
Info could be submitted at tips.fbi.gov or at 1-800-CALL-FBI.
4:45 p.m., Sept. 23: LAUNDRIE PARENTS RETURN HOME FROM 'BUSINESS' IN ORLANDO
Brian Laundrie's parents left their home Thursday morning because they had "business" in Orlando, their lawyer told News Nation's Brian Entin. Details on what that business was is currently unknown.
They left their home around 8:30 a.m. and returned at about 4:30 p.m. They did not answer questions from reporters.
2:45 p.m., Sept. 23: MOAB POLICE LAUNCH INVESTIGATION INTO DISPUTE HANDLING
The Moab City Police Department said it will be conducting an investigation into how it handled a dispute between Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie in August.
“The Moab City Police Department has clear standards for officer conduct during a possible domestic dispute and our officers are trained to follow those standards,” the statement read.
“At this time, the City of Moab is unaware of any breach of police department policy during this incident. However, the city will conduct a formal investigation, and based on the results, will take any next steps that may be appropriate,” the police statement continued.
An Aug. 12 police stop followed a physical altercation between Petito and Laundrie outside a co-op in Moab, as recounted by a witness who called 911.
The couple was pulled over a short time later outside the entrance to Arches National Park. While officers investigated the incident as a possible domestic violence case, police ultimately decided to separate the two for the night, and no charges were filed.
“We understand that individuals can view the same situation in very different ways, and we recognize how the death of Ms. Petito more than two weeks later in Wyoming might lead to speculation, in hindsight, about actions taken during the incident in Moab.”
Police said the purpose of the investigation will be to gather “underlying facts” and evidence to make an evaluation of the actions taken. They added that information they unveil will be shared with law enforcement agencies.
9:30 a.m., Sept. 23: LAUNDRIES REPORTEDLY PICK UP MUSTANG FROM POLICE
Shortly after Brian Laundrie's parents, Chris and Roberta, left their North Port, Florida, home in a red pickup truck on Thursday morning, they reportedly returned with the silver Ford Mustang that was taken by investigators for processing earlier this week.
Roberta Laundrie returned to the home with the Mustang and then got back into the red pickup with her husband before the two left their home for a second time, Fox News reported.
The FBI towed the Mustang away on Monday as agents searched the Laundrie home for hours. They also hauled off a number of boxes from the residence.
Laundrie is said to have driven the Mustang to Carlton Reserve last week before he disappeared and was reported missing by his parents on Friday.
9:15 a.m., Sept. 23: SIXTH DAY OF SEARCHING BEGINS AT FLORIDA NATURE RESERVE
Law enforcement began their sixth day of searching the 25,000-acre Carlton Reserve in Sarasota County for Brian Laundrie.
"Thursday search for Brian Laundrie in the Carlton beginning," North Port Police tweeted along with video.
Wednesday's search of the reserve turned up nothing, according to police.
8:15 a.m., Sept. 23: BRIAN LAUNDRIE'S PARENTS LEAVE FLORIDA HOME
Brian Laundrie's parents, Chris and Roberta, left their North Port, Florida, home around 8:15 a.m., according to Fox News.
The couple didn't answer reporter questions as they drove off in a red pickup truck.
They've been at the home since it was searched by the FBI on Monday.
6:45 a.m., Sept. 23: PETITO’S STEPFATHER MARKS SITE WHERE HER REMAINS WERE FOUND WITH A CROSS
Gabby Petito’s stepfather, James Schmidt, laid flowers and a cross made of stones at the Wyoming camping site where the 22-year-old’s remains were recovered on Sunday. Her death was deemed a homicide Tuesday.
Schmidt, who is married to Petito’s mother Nichole, visited the Spread Creek Dispersed Campground in Bridger-Teton National Forest on Wednesday, according to Fox News.
Gary Rider, a friend who reportedly accompanied Schmidt, told the Independent, “We did go – the small cross with flowers was made by Jim and myself.”
Earlier this week, another cross made of stones was discovered in the same area.
“That larger cross was not done by anyone connected with the search or recovery of Gabby,” Rider said.
9 p.m., Sept. 22: PETITO MEMORIAL SERVICE DETAILS UNVEILED
A memorial service for Petito has been tentatively scheduled for Sunday afternoon at a funeral home in Holbrook. The plans have not been finalized and are subject to change.
The lawyer for the Petito Family, though, told ABC7's Kristin Thorne: “As of now, there is no set plans until Gabby’s father brings her home. I will let you know when that decision is made.”
On Thursday, News Nation Now correspondent Brian Entin reported that because of "some circumstances that have come up in Wyoming"—where Petito's remains were found and an autopsy was conducted—"services could be on hold."
7:15 p.m., Sept. 22: FL AUTHORITIES CALL OFF WEDNESDAY'S SEARCH FOR BRIAN LAUNDRIE
Authorities called off Wednesday's search for Brian Laundrie in Florida with nothing of note recovered, the North Port Police Department announced.
"The ground search for Brian Laundrie has been halted for the evening," the department tweeted. "Nothing found. We will be back out Thursday, similar operation."
The department and other agencies have been involved in a days-long search for Laundrie at the Carlton Reserve, a swampy 25,000-acre site nearby his family's home.
Laundrie remains a "person of interest" in Gabby Petito's death. He has not been accused of a crime.
6:25 p.m., Sept. 22: LAUNDRIE NEIGHBORS SAW BRIAN LEAVE WITH FAMILY AND ‘SMALL CAMPER’ FOR APPARENT WEEKEND TRIP EARLIER IN SEPTEMBER
Neighbors of the Laundrie family say they saw Gabby Petito’s then-fiancé Brian Laundrie leave with his parents for what they believed was a weekend trip — about seven days after Laundrie returned to their Florida home without Petito from their cross-country journey.
Charlene and William Guthrie told Fox News they noticed the family doing some work on a “small camper,” which attaches to the family’s truck, and take off “for the weekend.”
"I saw them doing some work. And then when they prepared for their trip, I saw them loading the camper,” William Guthrie said.
“The parents going on a trip, I can see that— but taking their 23-year-old son in a small camper that’s on the back of the truck struck us as odd,” he added.
Laundrie returned alone to his parent’s home in North Port on Sept. 1 with the white van the couple had been traveling in across the country, police say. His parents reported him missing on Sept. 17, telling authorities they believe he left for the vast, swampy Carlton Reserve nearby.
Authorities have been searching the reserve for days without any luck.
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