Medical Examiner Called To The Site Of Brian Laundrie Manhunt

Florida-CBS

The Sarasota County medical examiner has been called to the site of the Brian Laundrie manhunt, their office confirmed to CBS News. The news comes after items belonging to Brian Laundrie were found Wednesday morning near a trail he frequented in a Florida park, according to the Laundrie family attorney.

The manhunt for Laundrie, who is named a person of interest in the disappearance of his late fiancée Gabby Petito, has stretched on for weeks.

“Chris and Roberta Laundrie went to the Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park this morning to search for Brian.

The FBI and [North Port Police Department] were informed last night of Brian’s parents’ intentions and they met Chris and Roberta there this morning,” attorney Steven Bertolino said in a text to WTSP. ”

After a brief search of a trail that Brian frequented some articles belonging to Brian were found.”

Bertolino did not specify what items were found but said authorities are now conducting a “more thorough” search of the area. The Pasco County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the North Port Police Department has requested a human remains detection canine to assist with the search.

Petito, who was 22 at the time of her death, was reported missing on September 11, 10 days after Laundrie returned home from a cross-country trip without her. Her body was found on September 19 in Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park.

In mid-October, the Teton County coroner determined that Petito was strangled to death and that the manner of death was a homicide. He said he believed that her body had been outside for three to four weeks before it was found.

Laundrie has not been charged in Petito’s death. But a court in Wyoming issued an arrest warrant for him in late September, accusing him of engaging in the unauthorized use of a debit card to make unauthorized withdrawals of more than $1,000 between August 30 and September 1.

Petito’s family has pleaded for weeks for Laundrie to turn himself in. Laundrie’s parents have insisted they do not know where their son is and have not helped him evade detection.