The family of Brian Laundrie, the 23-year-old boyfriend to missing Gabrielle Petito, 22, said they found a note from authorities on Laundrie’s vehicle when they went searching for him, Wednesday.
Laundrie allegedly went missing last week while the search for his girlfriend intensified. Police in North Port, Florida, have named the 23-year-old as “a person of interest” in the disappearance case.
The note from police allegedly said the vehicle belonging to Laundrie has to be removed. The family, though, left the vehicle for another day, apparently, in case Laundrie came back from a hike he told the family he was going on, The Independent reported:
An attorney for the Laundrie family reportedly told ABC7 that he told them he was going on a hike in the nearby Carlton Reserve, and failed to return to his parents home.
When they went looking for him on Wednesday, they allegedly found only his vehicle parked by the reserve, and police had put a note on the car asking for it to be removed, it was claimed.
The family were said to have left the vehicle there until Thursday, in case he returned to it.
The FBI Denver, the National Park Service, and law enforcement announced Sunday during a news conference in Grand Teton National Park that remains found in Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park are believed to be consistent with Petito, ABC7 reported, adding, “Charles Jones, the FBI’s supervisory senior resident agent, said that a full forensic identification hasn’t yet been completed, but investigators did notify Petito’s parents.”
“We continue to seek information from anyone who utilized the Spread Creek Dispersed Camping Area between the dates of August 27 and August 30,” Jones said. “Anyone that may have had contact with Gabby, or her boyfriend or who may have seen their vehicle in that area, please share any new information with the FBI.”
The cause of death remains undetermined at this time. An autopsy is planned for Tuesday.
On Monday morning, the FBI announced its “executing a court-authorized search warrant at North Port, Florida home where Brian Laundrie lives with his parents in regards to the Gabby Petito investigation,” ABC7 noted. “Just after 10 a.m., police and FBI agents swarmed the home.”
“#UPDATE: The #FBI is executing a court-authorized search warrant today at the Laundrie residence in North Port, FL relevant to the Gabrielle ‘Gabby’ Petito investigation,” said a tweet from the FBI. “No further details can be provided since this is an active and ongoing investigation.”
#UPDATE: The #FBI is executing a court-authorized search warrant today at the Laundrie residence in North Port, FL relevant to the Gabrielle “Gabby” Petito investigation. No further details can be provided since this is an active and ongoing investigation. @FBIDenver pic.twitter.com/uxrtVNIZ4u
— FBI Tampa (@FBITampa) September 20, 2021
As highlighted by The Daily Wire, Florida police are being criticized for allowing Laundrie to quietly disappear:
Pat Diaz, a former Florida homicide detective, said on Fox News that police should have obtained warrants to search Laundrie’s home and electronic devices on the same day Petito was reported missing.
“Why would you [try to] get consent from the guy, and not get a search warrant?” Diaz told the news outlet Sunday. “You can get a search warrant for everything in that house, including his laptop.”
Related: Cops Blasted For Letting Gabby Petito’s Boyfriend Disappear As Body Possibly Found In Wyoming