Location of Gabby Petito's fiancé Brian Laundrie is "unknown," attorney says
In a statement Friday night, an attorney for the family of Brian Laundrie, the man whose fiancée mysteriously disappeared last month, said his client's whereabouts "are currently unknown." Gabby Petito went missing while the couple was on a cross-country trip last month.
"Brian was last seen by his family Tuesday morning," attorney Steven Bertolino said in a statement to CBS News. "Be advised that the whereabouts of Brian Laundrie are currently unknown. FBI is currently at the Laundrie residence removing property to assist in locating Brian. As of now the FBI is now looking for both Gabby and Brian."
"They are now claiming that they have not seen their son since Tuesday," said Josh Taylor, the public information officer for the North Port Police Department, on CNN Friday night. Taylor said police had first tried to talk to Laundrie last Saturday, but the family refused.
Earlier Friday evening, police in North Port, Florida, tweeted that they were speaking with the Laundrie family "at their request," but they did not talk to Brian. Hours later, they said their conversation had ended and "information will be forthcoming."
Laundrie and Petito started their trip in July. They left from New York's Long Island, where they both grew up. They intended to reach Oregon by Halloween, according to their social media accounts, but Petito vanished. Her last known contact with family was in late August, and she was in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming at the time, authorities said.
Police video released Thursday shows Petito and Laundrie had an emotional fight in Moab, Utah, weeks before she was reported missing.
On September 1, Laundrie drove their Ford Transit van back to Florida alone, police said. Petito's family filed a missing persons report with police in Suffolk County, New York, last Saturday.
Petito is now the subject of a nationwide search, and her parents have pleaded for Laundrie and his family to cooperate with police.
"What I want from everybody here is help," Joe Petito, Gabby's father, said. "Whatever you can do to make sure my daughter comes home, I'm asking you to help. Nothing else matters right now."
North Port police have identified Laundrie as a person of interest in the disappearance.