Brian Laundrie: Gabby Petito Death Confirmed, Search Ongoing At FL Nature Reserve

Update: 12:05 a.m., Wednesday

SARASOTA COUNTY, FL — Authorities returned to Sarasota County’s Carlton Reserve Tuesday as they continued their search for Brian Laundrie, who hasn’t been seen since Sept. 14.

Laundrie is a person of interest in the death of his girlfriend, 22-year-old Gabby Petito, who vanished at the end of August while they were on a cross-country road trip.

As the search for him continues, authorities confirmed that a body found in Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park Sunday — in the Spread Creek Dispersed Camping Area in the Bridger-Teton National Forest — belongs to Petito.

While her death was initially ruled a homicide, no cause has been determined, the FBI said.

In Florida, the FBI led a renewed search of the Carlton Reserve for Laundrie Tuesday that will continue into Wednesday morning, North Port police said. The agency is working with multiple law enforcement partners to search the preserve.

Laundrie’s parents told authorities Friday evening that they had not seen their son for days, and they believe he may have entered the wildlife reserve Sept. 14 with just a hiking backpack. Authorities searched the preserve Saturday and Sunday but found nothing.

Tuesday’s search focused on "the Venice side of the area, along with adjoining lands. A weekend ground search and aerial search Monday of the (25,000-acre) preserve has yet to yield any answers, but we must press on,” police said.

The preserve is a difficult area to search, they added.

“Please be aware, the Carlton Reserve is a vast and unforgiving location at times. It is currently (waist) deep in water in many areas,” police said. “This is dangerous work for the search crews as they are wading through gator- and snake-infested swamps and flooded hiking and biking trails.”

Gov. Ron DeSantis tweeted his support for the search for Laundrie.

“I have directed all state agencies under my purview to continue to assist federal (and) local law enforcement as they continue to search — we need justice for Gabby Petito,” he wrote.

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Authorities headed back to the nature reserve a day after a search warrant was issued for the Laundrie home, allowing the FBI and North Port police to comb the property Monday.

Hours after arriving at the home just after 10 a.m., the Laundries' silver Ford Mustang was towed from the property, WTSP reported. Officers also took several boxes from the house, according to NPR.

His parents told police Friday evening that their son had driven the Mustang, which isn't registered in his name, to the Carlton Reserve on Tuesday.

He never returned from the nature reserve, and his family said they found a police note on the car asking for it to be removed from the area, Insider reported. They left the car at the reserve for two days, in case he needed to drive it home, and then picked it up Thursday.

An additional search warrant allowed authorities to access an external hard drive found in Petito's van, which was recovered from the Laundrie home Sept. 11, NBC New York reported. Police said that a full inventory of what was found in the van will be released at a later date.

That search warrant filed indicated there was probable cause that the hard drive contains "evidence relevant to proving that a felony has been committed."

According to court documents, the court clerk also said there was concern that Petito was "unable to care for herself due to her increased anxiety," according to reports.

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Petito, a New York native who had been living in North Port with Laundrie and his family before they left for their summer road trip, vanished while they were visiting national parks in the western United States in her van.

Her family on Long Island last heard from her at the end of August and filed a missing person report with the Suffolk County Police Department on Sept. 11. They told authorities her last believed location was the Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming, North Port police said.

Laundrie returned to Florida on Sept. 1 alone in Petito's van, which was recovered at his family's home by North Port police Sept. 11.

When investigators tried to speak with him that day, he refused. Instead, detectives were handed information for the family's attorney, Taylor said. "That is the extent of our conversation with him."

Since then, North Port police, as well as Petito's friends and family, have begged him to come forward with any information he might have.

The Laundrie family also refused to speak with investigators throughout the week and finally reached out to North Port police Friday evening to tell them their son had also disappeared.

Laundrie is 5 feet, 8 inches tall and weighs 160 pounds. He has brown eyes, short brown hair and trimmed facial hair, police said. He was last seen wearing a hiking bag with a waist strap.

Anyone with information about either Laundrie or Petito is urged to submit them by calling 800-CALL-FBI, which is 800-225-5324.