The case against Brian Laundrie concerning his alleged murder of Gabby Petito was blown wide open after Dog the Bounty Hunter found the campsite where Brian and his parents were staying before he suddenly went "missing." Thanks to that information, new leads have been found in the ongoing search for the alleged killer.
Following the discovery of these details about where Brian has been since going into hiding, a chilling photo of him has been discovered as well.
Dog The Bounty Hunter Is Fully Committed To Finding Brian Laundrie
Dog the Bounty Hunter, officially known as Duane Chapman, is fully devoted to helping find Brian Laundrie. The clues he has found so far have been critical to the FBI in their search for the elusive fugitive.
He Has Made Considerable Progress
Dog the Bounty Hunter has made notable progress towards finding Brian Laundrie in the last couple of days. The public is also part of this search effort, but a recent discovery has left many people with unanswered questions.
Everyone Was Shocked To Hear About Gabby Petito's Case
The tragic story started on September 11, after Gabby Petito was reported missing by her mother. She had been with her fiance, Brian Laundrie, since late August.
At the time, the couple was in Wyoming.
When Laundrie came back without Petito, he eventually became a person of interest in the missing-person case.
Although Petito liked to document her travels on social media for three weeks, she did not post anything on her Instagram account.
Once Petito was reported missing, Todd Garrison, North Port police chief, announced that the search for a young woman was on. In the statement, Garrison explained that they wanted anyone with information about Petito, Brian Laundrie included, to share it with the authorities.
He also took note of the fact that Brian was withholding information and therefore hindering the investigation. Garrison also expressed hope that answers about Petito's whereabouts would eventually be revealed.
The Couple's Van Was Seized By The Police
The police took the van the couple used and searched it for clues. Gabby Petito's family also revealed that Brian was not explaining why he had left Gabby alone before driving back to Florida.
The Laundrie Family Remained Silent As Search For Petito Went On
The Laundrie family did not say anything about Petito's disappearance even as the police looked for her. Eventually, Cassie Laundrie, Brian's sister, came forward and talked about Petito's disappearance in an interview.
She claimed that her family wanted nothing more than for "Gabby to be found safe."
Cassie Laundrie Said Petito Was Like A Sister To Her
According to Cassie, Petito was loved by her and her children. She also explained that her desire was for her to get home safe.
The whole thing, she claimed, was "just a big misunderstanding."
Even After Days Of Searching, Petito Could Not Be Located
The police never stopped requesting information about Petito, and her search seemed to be heading nowhere.
Fortunately, they caught a break on September 19.
The Authorities Found Human Remains
The announcement was made by Charles Jones, a Denver-based FBI agent. He also explained that complete forensic identification had yet to confirm that the remains were indeed Gabby's.
Nonetheless, her family was told about the discovery.
People Were Shocked By The News
A lot of people expressed their thoughts about the upsetting development on social media. Many showed their love to the Petito family.
The Internet Also Came Through In A Big Way
The human remains were found with help from YouTubers who had videoed Petito's van before being reported missing.
YouTubers Saw The Van While Reviewing A Footage
The YouTubers, Jenn and Kyle Bethune, who use the name "Red White & Bethune" on the popular platform, saw the van in one of their videos as the authorities were searching for her.
The pair took the video on August 27, and it showed a white van parked on the roadside in Grand Teton National Park's Spread Creek Dispersed camping area.
That was the exact location where the FBI found the human remains they believed belonged to Gabby Petito.
The Bethune's Uploaded The Video To Their YouTube Channel
The YouTubers were apparently editing the video from August 27 when they saw the van. They had passed by it and noticed the Florida plates.
When speaking to the media, Bethune claimed that her husband had accidentally left the camera recording when they were passing by Petito's van. They later realized they had a video of the van and turned it over to the FBI to assist with their investigation.
The video was of great help as it helped the authorities find human remains in that area.
The Police Were Blamed Over Their Handling Of The Case
Although the authorities were making progress in the case, many think the police did not act on time.
The police were accused of allowing Laundrie to disappear before he could answer questions about Petito's whereabouts.
Brian Laundrie went missing after days of being asked to co-operate with the police. By the time the police found out that he was gone, he had been missing from his family home for three days.
In addition to internet users, former detectives have also been critical of how the police dealt with Laundrie.
Laundrie Should Have Been "Under Surveillance"
According to Ed Gavin, Laundrie should have been "under surveillance." Gavin is an expert in missing person cases:
"They should've immediately placed him under surveillance... The fact that they let him out of their sight, that's no-no. Time is of the essence with these investigations."
Former Miami-Dade Homicide Detective Said Police Should've Gotten A Warrant
Pat Diaz, who worked with Miami-Dade homicide, claimed that the police should have had a warrant:
"Why would you get consent from the guy, and not get a search warrant? You can get a search warrant for everything in that house, including his laptop."
People Are Calling Out The Cops For Another Reason
People were wondering why police did not follow up on a 911 call about a "possible domestic violence" incident. The call was concerning Petito and Laundrie, and it had been made around a month before her sudden disappearance.
The call was made in Utah by a witness, and it was made on September 12. The person making the call claimed that a man hit a woman before driving off in a van.
Police Responded To The Incident Soon After The Call
In the bodycam footage, Petito and Laundrie had a conversation with police officers. Petito seemed upset.
The video shows the couple having a chat with police officers after their van was stopped just outside Arches National Park.
The officers wanted to know what had led to the 911 call.
Petito claimed to have "really bad OCD" while talking to an officer. She also said she was "apologizing to him" for being so mean.
Petito also revealed that they had been fighting all morning.
Laundrie said that Petito got worked up sometimes and that he decided to lock the car to distance himself from her. He also claimed that she had hit him with her phone.
Police Said The Incident Was A "Mental/Emotional Health Break"
Instead of labeling the incident a case of domestic violence, the officers claimed that it was a mental/emotional health break. To avoid any charges, the couple had to agree to spend the night apart, with Petito staying in the van while Laundrie stayed in a hotel room.
The Footage Suggests Petito Started The Violence
Although bodycam footage implied Petito was at fault, the 911 call indicates that this might not be what had happened.
The Caller Told A Different Story
The caller started by saying that he wished to report a domestic dispute involving a white van with Florida plates.
According To The 911 Call, A "Gentleman Was Slapping The Girl"
The officers asked if the man the caller was talking about was slapping the woman, and he said, "Yes." He also offered a lot of details about the location of the van.
Listen To The Audio Here
Weeks later, Petito's mom got a message from her phone.
The Message Made Petito's Mom Concerned About Her Daughter
Schmidt, Petito's mom, did not believe the message came from Petito.
The text said, "No service in Yosemite," and it was sent on August 30. She did not feel that Petito would send such a message.
A Day Ealier, Petito Had Sent Her Last Instagram Post
Four days after the message was sent, Laundrie got back to Florida on his own, which raised more questions about Petito's well-being.
A warrant led to the release of this message, which was the last message Schmidt got from Petito.
The text message said, "Can you help Stan? I just keep getting his voicemails and missed calls." Stan was Petito's grandpa, and her mother was instantly concerned about her daughter because she never called her grandpa by that name.
The Drive Probably Has Clues About Petito's Death
Everyone hopes the drive helps solve the mystery of Petito's murder.
Autopsy Was Done On The Remains Found In Wyoming
The autopsy confirmed that the remains that had been found earlier were indeed Gabby's.
In Florida, a lawyer put a $20,000 bounty on Laundrie's head.
The Lawyer Operates A Law Firm In Tampa
The reward is being offered to the first person who can offer information leading to Laundrie's arrest. Based on this offer, a lot of people are interested in helping find Laundrie.
A Flight Attendant Claims To Have Seen Laundrie In Canada
The TikTok user claimed that the man was staying in a hotel in Toronto, and she posted a video of him.
The woman said that the man appeared flustered, although she did not speak to him. After she took the video of the man, he apparently got into a car and took off in the company of another man.
Another Woman Said She Gave Laundrie A Lift
A woman named Norma Jean Jalovec, who resides in Florida, claimed that she gave him a ride as he hitchhiked in Wyoming on August 29.
As far as this woman was concerned, this man was Laundrie. She has apparently talked to the FBI about it.
Dog The Bounty Hunter Has Also Joined The Search
In an interesting twist, Duane Chapman, better known as Dog the Bounty Hunter, has decided to join the search for Laundrie, who is arguably the most wanted man in America at the moment.
On September 25, He Was Seen Approaching The Laundrie Family Home
Chapman was recorded walking to the house and knocking on the door, although there was no answer.
Chapman Claims To Have Found Something Important
People were surprised and also impressed.
Chapman Claims To Have Received A Tip
Chapman revealed that he got a tip about Laundrie and his parents spending time in Fort De Soto Park between September 1 and 3 and between September 6 to 8.
The park is about 75 miles from Laundrie's home in Pinellas County.
They Were Caught On Camera While There
Chapman revealed that the family members had gone through the gate and were on camera:
"... we are sure he was caught on camera as he went in the gate - that he was here for sure."
However, a spokesperson for the Pinellas County sheriff said that the park was not being investigated in relation to claims.
Chapman's Findings Have Been Confirmed
Steven Bertolino, a lawyer, confirmed what had been said by Chapman was true. Apparently, soon after Laundrie got home, he went on a trip with his parents.
However, unlike Chapman, he claimed that the three family members left the location together on September 7. Chapman insisted that they left on September 8.
Although Dog is offering valuable information about Laundrie, he has made it clear he will not reveal anything that could "jeopardize the case."
The bounty hunter believes that Laundrie is hiding at a campsite in North Port.
The Bounty Hunter Is Working With Law Enforcement
Chapman tweeted that he was working with the police and would not reveal any information that could jeopardize the case. He also addressed rumors that he had plans to meet with Laundrie:
"Not talked to the Laundrie family and we have not arranged to meet Brian Laundrie."
A Couple Has Also Come Forward With Possible Clues
Marci and Kenny Newsom say they have seen Laundrie in a selfie they took while at Fort De Soto Park. The pair comes from Fort Meyers.
While talking to the media, the couple said they were staying next to the Laundries. They also found Brian in one of the photos they took.
The Couple Is Certain That's Brian Laundrie In The Photo
In the background, the man walking is apparently Brian Laundrie. In the photo taken by Marci, the figure is quite blurry.
This photo might help the authorities find Laundrie, although it does not precisely help break the case.
