Police Say Search For Brian Laundrie Will Resume At Reserve Sunday Morning, No Body Found

Updated: 9:30 p.m., Saturday

SARASOTA COUNTY, FL — FBI and North Port police have called off the search for Brian Laundrie — the boyfriend of missing 22-year-old Gabby Petito — in Sarasota County’s Carlton Reserve near Venice Saturday evening “due to darkness,” police tweeted.

Nothing was found at the reserve Saturday and the search will start again Sunday morning, police said.

Rumors that a body was found in the area earlier Saturday are untrue, police added.

“There are currently false reports of a body being located where we are searching. Completely fake,” North Port police tweeted around 5 p.m.

It was also revealed Saturday that police now have phone tracking access for both of their phones, though it doesn’t mean investigators can track them in real time, Megan Myers with NBC2 tweeted.

She spoke with Josh Taylor, North Port’s city public information officer, who told her “this does take a bit of time to get the information," she said.

Police also shared additional photos from their search at the Carlton Reserve Saturday afternoon.

The 24,565-acre reserve sits on the state-protected Myakka River, according to the Friends of Carlton Reserve’s website. It has more than 90 miles of trails and nearly 40 square miles for wilderness recreation.

The Laundrie family spoke with North Port police Friday evening after refusing to meet with investigators throughout the week as the search for Petito, and demands for Laundrie to talk to authorities, became a national news item.

On Wednesday, Laundrie, 23, was named a person of interest in the disappearance of his girlfriend, who went missing while they were on a cross-country road trip in August.

Petito's family issued a statement through their attorney overnight Friday, ABC 7 reported.

"All of Gabby's family want the world to know that Brian is not missing, he is hiding. Gabby is missing," the statement read.

Taylor told CNN's Chris Cuomo, "We've been trying all week to talk to his family, to talk to Brian, and now they've called us here on Friday, we've gone to the home, and they're saying now they have not seen their son. So we are working through those details as we speak. It is another twist in this story."

North Port police tweeted around 7:10 p.m. that investigators were speaking with the Laundrie family at their request, but that Brian Laundrie wasn't present.

“We understand the community’s frustration; we are frustrated, too. For six days, the North Port Police Department and the FBI have been pleading with the family to contact investigators regarding Brian’s fiancée, Gabby Petito,” police said. “Friday is the first time they have spoken with investigators in detail.”

The agency added, “It is important to note that while Brian is a person of interest in Gabby’s disappearance, he is not wanted for a crime. We are not currently working a crime investigation. We are now working multiple missing person investigations.”

Related:

• Gabby Petito: FBI Looks At WY Campsite, FL Search For Laundrie
• Gabby Petito’s Father Makes Public Plea For Info On Her Location
• Missing NY Woman Argued With Boyfriend Body Cam Shows: Report
• Missing NY Woman's FL Boyfriend A Person Of Interest: Official

Laundrie stands 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.

Petito is about 5 feet, 5 inches tall and weighs about 110 pounds, police said. She has blonde hair, blue eyes, and several tattoos, including one on her finger and one on her forearm that reads "let it be."

Anyone with leads about either Laundrie or Petito should 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 a summer road trip, vanished while they were visiting national parks in the western United States in her converted camper 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 Sept. 11. Her last believed location was the Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming, North Port police said.

A prayer vigil was held for Petito Friday at 7 p.m. outside North Port City Hall. Initially, North Port residents planned to protest outside Laundrie's home but decided to host a vigil instead, Fox News reported.

In recent days, protesters have carried signs outside the family’s home, calling for Laundrie to speak with police, reports said. Another protester added the words “Where is she?” to a stop sign at the entrance to Laundrie’s neighborhood.

As multiple officers entered the family's home Friday evening, a crowd gathered outside it, many chanting, "Where's Gabby?", Fox 13 reported. Officers were later seen leaving the home carrying unknown items.

Laundrie, who has refused to cooperate with police, returned to his family’s home Sept. 1 alone in Petito’s van, which was recovered there 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 about her whereabouts.

Her father also made an impassioned public plea for information about his daughter during a news conference in North Port Thursday afternoon.

"I'm asking for help from everyone here," Joe Petito said. "I'm asking for help from everyone at home. I'm asking for help from the parents of Brian, and I'm asking for the help of the family members and friends of the Laundrie family, as well."

Laundrie’s sister, Cassie Laundrie, has since spoken out about Gabby’s disappearance — the first in their family to do so — during an interview with “Good Morning America” Friday.

She said she hasn’t spoken with her brother since he returned to North Port at the beginning of September.

"Obviously me and my family want Gabby to be found safe," Cassie said. "She's like a sister and my children love her, and all I want is for her to come home safe and sound and this to be just a big misunderstanding."