Gabby Petito Case: Police Resume Searching Wildlife Preserve For Brian Laundrie
Topline
A day after police said they had “exhausted all avenues” in the search for Gabby Petito’s missing fiancé Brian Laundrie and executed a search warrant at his home, they announced they will return again to a Florida wildlife preserve to try to locate him.
Law enforcement officials conduct a search of the vast Carlton Reserve in the Sarasota, Fla., area … [+]
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Key Facts
Authorities are looking for the 23-year-old, who police have described as a person of interest in the disappearance of Petito, at the Carlton Reserve in Sarasota County, Fla., they announced on Twitter.
On Monday, the North Port Police said they were finished searching the 25,000-acre preserve, and it’s not clear why they returned Tuesday.
However, agents for the search were requested yesterday afternoon, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spokesperson Adam Brown said, according to CNN.
On Tuesday, a message on its website announced the Carlton Reserve is “closed until further notice.”
Key Background
Laundrie has not been seen since September 14, after he allegedly went hiking at the park, and was reported missing by his parents three days later. Petito and Laundrie were on a cross-country road trip, and Laundrie returned to Florida without his fiancee on September 1. On Tuesday, an autopsy will be performed on a body discovered Sunday in Wyoming that police said matches the description of Petito, 22. On Monday, officers swarmed the home that Petito and Laundrie shared with his parents. The North Port, Fla., residence was declared “an active crime scene,” and police did not share what they were looking for or what they found. Though Laundrie has been deemed a person of interest in the case, he has not been charged with any crimes.
Crucial Quote
“Please be aware, the Carlton Reserve is a vast and unforgiving location at times. It is currently [waist] deep in water in many areas. This is dangerous work for the search crews as they are wading through gator and snake infested swamps and flooded hiking and biking trails,” North Port police said in a statement, according to NBC.
Further Reading
Gabby Petito: FBI And Police Search Home Of Missing Fiance Brian Laundrie (Forbes)
Here’s What We Know About Gabby Petito’s Disappearance—And What We Don’t (Forbes)
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