North Port, Fla. — The search for Brian Laundrie in a vast area of rural Sarasota County will last into a sixth day Thursday.
This comes after the FBI announced Tuesday that 22-year-old Gabby Petito was a victim of homicide. Crews spent hours Wednesday searching for Laundrie at a reserve, using drones, a dive boat and more, but concluded their search at about 7 p.m.
Petito was killed by another person, a coroner concluded while also confirming that the human remains found recently at a Wyoming national park were those of Petito, who disappeared months after she set out on a cross-country road trip with her boyfriend Laundrie.
Laundrie, 23, is believed to be last person to see Petito alive.
What You Need To Know
- FBI confirmed Gabby Petito was the victim of a homicide
- Gabby Petito, 22, and Brian Laundrie, 23, left in July for a cross-country trek in a converted van
- Laundrie returned in the van alone to Florida on Sept. 1
- Laundrie, a "person of interest" in her disappearance, has also gone missing and was last seen by his family on Sept. 14
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North Port Police said the search for Laundrie will continue in the Carlton Reserve, where his parents say he came last Tuesday.
That was the last time anyone saw or heard from him.
Meanwhile, a memorial for Gabby Petito is outside North Port City Hall, with signs and flowers.
People have been dropping off items there to pay tribute to the 22-year-old.
Authorities are using helicopters, drones, dogs, and officers to search the preserve. But most of the reserve is underwater and also full of gators and snakes, so crews have to be aware of that.
The search is a group effort between the FBI and seven other law enforcement agencies.
Police said Brian's parents told them he came out to the area to hike last Tuesday.
Then, they reported him missing three days later, and now authorities say they have reason to believe he may have harmed himself, which is why they resumed their search out here yesterday.
This all comes after the FBI served a search warrant on the Laundrie family home on Monday. Since then, it's been pretty quiet at their house.
At this point, Laundrie is still considered a person of interest. The FBI is asking anyone with any information to contact them.