Brian Laundrie is a person of interest in the death of his girlfriend.
A massive search for Brian Laundrie, the boyfriend of slain 22-year-old travel blogger Gabby Petito, took a dramatic twist Thursday with the announcement that human remains found in a Florida nature preserve are those of the wanted fugitive, according to the FBI.
The remains were recovered Wednesday, nearly five weeks after Petito's body was recovered in the Bridger-Teton National Forest in Wyoming. The Teton County Coroner ruled her death a homicide by strangulation.
The search for the 23-year-old Laundrie was centered around North Port, Florida, where investigators said he returned to his home on Sept. 1 without Petito but driving her 2012 Ford Transit.
Laundrie had been named by police as a "person of interest" in Petito's disappearance and a federal warrant had been issued for him alleging unauthorized use of Petito's credit card.
He refused to speak to the police and vanished on Sept. 13. His parents told investigators they believed he was headed to the Carlton Reserve in North Port.
The case grabbed national attention as Laundrie and Petito had been traveling across the country since June, documenting the trip on social media. Petito's parents reported her missing on Sept. 11 after not hearing from her for two weeks.
Here is how the weekslong search for Laundrie unfolded:
Police in North Port, Florida, have halted their ground search for Brian Laundrie in the Carlton Reserve after another fruitless day.
"Nothing found. We will be back at it Friday," North Port Police said on Twitter.
Authorities have been combing the massive preserve for any sign of Laundrie since Saturday.
An arrest warrant has been issued for Brian Laundrie in Wyoming following a federal grand jury indictment, authorities announced Thursday.
The U.S. District Court of Wyoming issued the warrant Wednesday "related to Mr. Laundrie's activities following the death of Gabrielle Petito," FBI Denver said.
The indictment alleges Laundrie "knowingly and with intent to defraud" used an unauthorized debit card and "obtained things of value aggregating to $1,000 or more" between Aug. 30 and Sept. 1.
The investigation into Petito's death is ongoing, authorities said. The FBI in particular is seeking information from anyone who was at the Spread Creek Dispersed Camping Area between Aug. 27 and Aug. 30 and may have been in contact with the couple or saw their car.
"We urge individuals with knowledge of Mr. Laundrie's role in this matter or his current whereabouts to contact the FBI," FBI Special Agent in Charge Michael Schneider said in a statement Thursday.
North Port police shared video of the arduous effort to search through the Carlton Reserve for Brian Laundrie Thursday. Four swamp buggies and a drone from the Florida Highway Patrol are being used to search the area full of thick foliage and swamps.
About 75 personnel from 16 different agencies are on the ground Thursday, officials said.
“We’re covering many, many acres so we need all the manpower and all the staff we can grab,” Commander Joe Fussell said. “This is a tremendous mass of land … About 75% of this area is underwater.”
Early Thursday, Laundrie’s parents picked up the silver Mustang that officials towed earlier this week for processing and brought it back to their driveway. The car was towed away on Monday as a part of a search warrant related to the Petito case, the FBI said at the time.
North Port Police shared a short video of their morning briefing with various agencies and search teams at the start of their Thursday search for Brian Laundrie at Florida’s Carlton Reserve.
Relatives told police he claimed he was heading to the 25,000-acre preserve near North Port, Florida, when they last heard from him on Sept. 14.
Authorities have been scouring the area throughout the week.
