FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — The search for 23-year-old Brian Laundrie is still on, but new information has come to light regarding the Gabby Petito murder investigation.
Laundrie’s family attorney, Steve Bertolino, recently confirmed that during Laundrie’s cross country road trip with his fiancée, 22-year-old Petito, he flew to North Port, Florida, and back to Utah four days before Petito was reported missing, according to a report by WABC, an ABC affiliated news station serving New York.
Bertolino said Laundrie needed to gather items and close a storage unit, WABC reported.
Bertolino also said during Laundrie’s last trip home, he purchased a new cell phone 10 days before he disappeared, leaving behind his old phone and wallet.
Petito was traveling with Laundrie across the country and documenting the trip on YouTube. She was last seen alive in Utah. On Sept. 19, Petito’s body was found in Wyoming.
Laundrie returned to his parents’ North Port home Sept. 1 by himself.
His parents reported him missing on Sept. 17, and previously told authorities he had gone to the Carlton Reserve, a vast wilderness area, on Sept. 14.
However, the Laundries have since reported differently and believe the last time they saw their son was Sept. 13, according to a report by WFLA.
They maintain they do not know where he is.
His parents told investigators they were worried their son might harm himself.
In late September, the FBI issued an arrest warrant for Laundrie, charging him with unauthorized use of a debit card. Laundrie reportedly used an unidentified person’s Capital One Bank card and personal identification number to make unauthorized withdrawals or charges worth over $1,000 during the period in which Petito went missing.
Laundrie is a “person of interest” in the FBI’s investigation and has not been charged with homicide.
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