How the search for Brian Laundrie unfolded

Brian Laundrie is a person of interest in the death of his girlfriend.

ByBill Hutchinson, Ivan Pereira, Marlene Lenthang, Meredith Deliso, and Emily Shapiro
Last Updated: October 22, 2021, 6:22 AM EDT

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:

Key events

All times Eastern.
Sep 24, 2021, 7:53 PM EDT

Florida search ends for the night, police say they don't know cost of effort

The search for Brian Laundrie in the Carlton Reserve, near North Port, Florida, ended Friday night due to darkness. After seven days of searching, police have yet to turn up any evidence of the missing 23-year-old who now has a warrant out for his arrest in Wyoming.

The North Port Police Department said it has been asked about the cost of the search as it continues into the second weekend.

"The question about costs have come up a lot today. We do not have that tallied up," the department said in a statement. "We are not paying other agencies, it's mutual aid. From our personnel standpoint, I would say we are working this case instead of other things. That has an impact of course. There will be some overtime mixed in there. Cost of fuel and vehicle maintenance too."

Late Friday, the police were also forced to dispel a rumor that there was a shooting outside the Laundrie house. The department said it was called for a report of gunshots, but there was no evidence any had been fired.

Sep 24, 2021, 2:26 PM EDT

Nothing found so far in Friday search

North Port officials said nothing has been found so far in Friday’s search of Carlton Reserve. Details for a Saturday search are yet to be announced. 

Police shared video from the search showing swamp buggies riding through dirt roads and around vast swamps.

North Port Police Commander Joe Fussell said Friday that the warrant issued Thursday for Laundrie’s arrest “doesn’t change anything for us.”

“We’re working as hard to find him now as we did on day one,” Fussell said. “We’re not wasting our time out here. We are doing our due diligence to find Brian in an area that intelligence has led us that he could possibly be in.”

Sep 24, 2021, 9:42 AM EDT

Search for Brian Laundrie continues at Carlton Reserve

The search for Laundrie at the Carlton Reserve near North Port, Florida, is back on after a search Thursday yielded no leads.

Various agencies have been scanning the area throughout the week for signs of Laundrie. Authorities said he was last seen on Sept. 14. 

Sep 23, 2021, 6:59 PM EDT

Florida police halt search for Laundrie for the day, back Friday

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.

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