CARLTON RESERVE, Sarasota County, Fla., Sept. 19, 2021 (Gephardt Daily) — The search in Florida continues Sunday for Brian Laundrie, the person of interest in the disappearance of girlfriend Gabby Petito who was last heard from on Aug. 25.
FBI agents, North Port Police officers and others are searching the 24,565-acre Carlton Reserve, where Laundrie’s parents believe he may have gone hiking on Tuesday, Sept. 14. The family reported 23-year-old Laundrie missing three days later.
“The search for Brian Laundrie continues Sunday morning in the Carlton Reserve,” says a statement from the North Port Police Department. “A team of more than 50 looking for anything of note after his parents say this is where he went. We continue to corroborate all info in the search for him and Gabby. 1-800-CALL-FBI.”
The search for Petito, 22, is underway in Grand Teton National Park, in the Spread Creek Dispersed Camping Area, where FBI officials believe Laundrie and Petito may have camped in her van sometime between Aug. 27 and 30, shortly before Laundrie drove Petito’s van home, alone, to Florida, arriving on Sept. 1.
On Saturday, the FBI asked that anyone who had camped in the Spread Creek area at the end of August review photos or video in a search for clues. Overnight, Petito’s family was made aware of a YouTube video believed to show the van near Spread Creek on Aug. 27. Family members commented on Facebook they believe the sighting is real.
“We have this video, so does the FBI. We believe this is the van for multiple reasons. Please do not clog up the tip line with the same video,” the family said on Facebook. “This is in the hands of the right people. Thank you so much, this is exactly why we are asking people to review older photos and video.”
Below is a timeline of the Petito case.
● June and July, 2021 — The couple takes an extended, cross-country trip in her 2012 Ford Transit camper van, with Petito documenting the journey on social media. On July 10, Petito shared a photo of herself at the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve in southern Colorado. On July 16, she posted photos from Zion National Park. On July 26, Petito shared another picture of herself at Mystic Hot Springs in Utah.
The photo below, shot in Ogden, Utah, and posted on Aug. 25 on Petito’s Instagram account, was the last image she shared there.
● Aug. 9 — Petito’s travel adventure video Van Life is uploaded on YouTube.
● Aug. 12 — The couple is reported to the Moab, Utah, Police Department after a witness reports seeing an altercation, in which Petito admitted being the aggressor after Laundrie reportedly locked her out of their van. Police arranged for the couple to spend the night separately to calm down. Laundrie declined to press charges.
● Aug. 25 — Nicole Schmidt, Petito’s mother, says this is the last day she was in contact with her daughter. They spoke by phone, Schmidt said, adding Gabby told her she and Laundrie had stopped in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming, and were planning a trip to Yellowstone.
● Sept. 1 — Brian Laundrie returns alone to his family home in North Port, Florida, in the van owned by Petito, who also resided with the Laundries.
● Sept. 11 — Members of Petito’s family, based in Long Island, New York, report 22-year-old Gabby as a missing person. Laundrie’s family, speaking through an attorney, declines to talk with police.
● Sept. 16 — Body camera video of the police in Moab interview with Petito and Laundrie was released.
● Sept. 17 — The Laundrie family attorney, police and FBI officials confirm Brian Laundrie left the family home three days earlier.
● Sept. 18 — FBI and North Port police begin a search of the Carlton Reserve, a 24,565-acre nature preserve in Sarasota County, Florida, where Laundrie’s family tells officers he may have gone.
● Sept. 19 — The searches in Wyoming and Florida continue.
