How the search for Brian Laundrie, boyfriend of Gabby Petito, unfolded
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:
Key events
- Police find apparent human remains, personal items belonging to Laundrie
- Cadaver dog team called to scene
- Brian Laundrie's father joins police in search for son: Attorney
- Brian Laundrie left parents’ home to hike day earlier than parents originally told investigators
- Second Moab Police body camera footage shows Gabby Petito claim Brian Laundrie grabbed her face
- FBI ends search at Laundrie residence
- Car Brian Laundrie last used was parked in parents' driveway: Authorities
Brian Laundrie and parents went camping after he returned home without Gabby Petito
The nationwide search for Brian Laundrie has turned to a Florida campground, where the wanted fugitive's family attorney confirmed to ABC News he went camping with his parents about a week after returning home from a cross-country trip without his girlfriend, Gabby Petito.
Steven Bertolino, the attorney for the Laundrie family, said Brian Laundrie, his father, Christopher, and mother, Roberta, all went camping in early September at the Fort De Soto Park in Pinellas County.
Bertolino confirmed the family went on the camping trip after ABC affiliate station WFTS in Tampa obtained the Fort De Soto Park reservation log under the Freedom of Information Act, which showed Roberta Laundrie checked in on Sept. 6 and checked out on Sept. 8.
A Pinellas County Sheriff's Office helicopter was spotted circling Fort De Soto Park Monday night between 11:40 p.m. until 12:40 a.m., WFTS reported. The sheriff's office only said the helicopter search of the park was part of an active investigation.
Bertolino said Laundrie returned to his family's home in North Port, Florida, following the camping excursion. The parents, through their attorney, denied doing anything to help their son elude the FBI.
Laundrie family reiterate they do not know son's whereabouts
The Laundrie family issued a new state Monday evening through their attorney reiterating they do not know Brian Laundrie's whereabouts.
"They are concerned about Brian and hope the FBI can locate him," the statement reads. "The speculation by the public and some in the press that the parents assisted Brian in leaving the family home or in avoiding arrest on a warrant that was issued after Brian had already been missing for several days is just wrong."
-ABC News' Alondra Valle
FBI returned to Laundrie's house for additional items
The attorney for Brian Laundrie’s family released a statement Sunday afternoon and provided an update on the FBI's investigation into Gabby Petito's death.
He said the FBI returned to the Laundrie house and requested "some personal items belonging to Brian Laundrie to assist them with DNA matching."
"Brian’s parents provided the FBI with what they could," the attorney said in a statement.
-ABC News' Alondra Valle and Kristen Thorne
Vigils for Gabby Petito held in hometown ahead of funeral
As the investigation into Gabby Petito's death continues, several vigils were held in the Long Island, New York, native's honor Friday night.
In her hometown of Blue Point, residents lit candles and placed flowers at a vigil for the travel blogger.
Homes and buildings across the area also lit up in blue lights Friday night as part of the memorial event "Light the Night For Gabby Petito."
Petito's funeral will be held Sunday afternoon at Moloney's Holbrook Funeral Home in Holbrook, New York, with the service open to the public, according to ABC New York station WABC.
Reported witness describes seeing Petito ‘upset’, Laundrie ‘angry’ at Wyoming restaurant
Nina Angelo opened up to “Good Morning America” on Thursday about purportedly seeing Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie at the Merry Piglets restaurant in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, on Aug. 27, three days after her last known sighting.
The Blue Collar Restaurant Group told ABC News it believes Petito and Laundrie were at its Merry Piglet restaurant and have notified the FBI. However, its security cameras don’t go that far back so there is no footage of the duo allegedly inside the eatery.
Angelo described Laundrie in vivid detail as "aggressive" and "angry".
She said the couple was in an angry confrontation with restaurant staff.
“He was just very visibly angry. [Petito] was really upset, she was crying and he immediately went to the hostess stand and was just going in on the hostess and waitress, then eventually the manager,” Angelo said.
“I think she was being apologetic towards the restaurant staff for his behavior. She just kind of wanted to diffuse the situation. She was like, ‘I’m sorry, come on, let's just go.’ But she was visibly upset. She was crying,” Angelo said. “You could feel his temper. He was he was angry."
Authorities previously said the last time Petito was seen was Aug. 24.
Aug. 27, the day of the alleged restaurant sighting, was the same day Petito’s mom said she received a strange text from her daughter in which she referred to her grandfather as “Stan.” Petito’s mother said her daughter “never” referred to him as Stan.