Unconfirmed Brian Laundrie Sightings Investigated In Mobile, AL Monday: Report

Updated: 11 p.m., Monday

NORTH PORT, FL — Police investigated possible sightings of Brian Laundrie near Mobile, Alabama, as the FBI searched his family’s Florida home Monday.

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

As authorities search for her boyfriend, who hasn’t been seen since Tuesday, the FBI and its partners are working to confirm whether a body found in Wyoming Sunday is that of Petito.

Mobile police told WHNT that they’re looking into unconfirmed reports that Laundrie was seen in Tillman’s Corner, Alabama.

Local law enforcement received more than a dozen tips that he was in the Mobile area over the weekend, though none of them have panned out, according to Fox 10.

Police visited several restaurants in the area and asked to review their security footage in connection with their search for Laundrie, WLOX reported.

A search warrant was issued for the Laundrie home Monday, allowing the FBI and North Port police to comb the property.

Police and FBI agents swarmed the Laundrie home just after 10 a.m., ABC 7 NY reported. His parents were escorted from the house and put in a police vehicle during the search, according to reports.

When cordoning off the property, officers warned onlookers, “You’re in a crime scene,” according to Fox News.

Hours after arriving at the home, 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 they haven’t seen their son since he drove the Mustang, which isn't registered in his name, to the Carlton Reserve 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.

His family's attorney, Steven Bertolino, said he'll hold a news conference Tuesday at 1 p.m. in New York to release a statement, Fox 5 NY reported.

The search of Laundrie’s home comes less than a day after a body matching Petito’s description was found in a Wyoming national park.

The FBI and local law enforcement partners searched for signs of Petito over the weekend in the Spread Creek Dispersed Camping Area in the Bridger-Teton National Forest, on the east boundary of Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming.

While the body's identity hasn't been confirmed, the human remains found Sunday were "consistent with the description of Gabrielle," Charles Jones, a senior agent with the FBI's Denver officer, said during a news conference.

The cause of death is unknown and forensic identification will be done to confirm the body's identity.

Related:

• Body Found Sunday In WY Park Matches Gabby Petito's Description
• Gabby Petito’s Van Caught On Video: Van Life Family
• Gabby Petito: Laundrie Search Will Resume Sunday, No Body Found
• Missing NY Woman Argued With Boyfriend Body Cam Shows: Report
• Gabby Petito's Father Makes Public Plea For Info On Her Location
• Missing NY Woman's FL Boyfriend A Person Of Interest: Official

Authorities are also looking for Laundrie in Florida. The FBI, North Port police and other partner agencies searched the nearly 25,000-acre Carlton Reserve in Sarasota County on Saturday and Sunday for Laundrie, who hasn't been seen since Tuesday.

His parents told authorities Friday evening they believe he may have entered the wildlife reserve with only a hiking backpack.

No signs of Laundrie were found at the nature reserve over the weekend, and the search won’t continue there Monday, WFLA reported.

“At this time, we currently believe we have exhausted all avenues in searching of the grounds there,” Josh Taylor, the city’s public information officer, said in a statement. “Law enforcement agencies continue to search for Brian Laundrie.”

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.

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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, who has refused to cooperate with police, 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, 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.