Search for Gabby Petito's fiancé Brian Laundrie resumes in Florida's Carlton Reserve
Police say the search for 23-year-old Brian Laundrie is resuming in Florida's Carlton Reserve on Tuesday, a week after his family said they last saw him. Laundrie is a person of interest in the case of his fiancé Gabby Petito, but investigators have not been able to speak with him.
Laundrie and Petito had been on a cross-country trip when Petito disappeared. Laundrie returned to Florida on September 1 without Petito, and 10 days later, Petito was reported missing.
Police believe they discovered Petito's remains near Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming over the weekend. The Teton County Coroner's Office said it should be done with an autopsy on Tuesday, and the FBI's field office in Denver will release any findings.
Federal agents searched Laundrie's Florida home Monday for nearly eight hours, questioning his parents and collecting evidence that could tell them what happened to Petito. Search warrant documents obtained by CBS News authorized authorities to seize computers, flash drives and other electronics.
In the application for the search warrant, authorities wrote that text messages Petito sent to her mother appeared to show increasing tension between the couple as the trip progressed. The application did not include specific messages.
On August 27, the application said that Petito sent an "odd text" about her grandfather that was phrased in a way she did not normally speak, sparking concern from her mother. According to the application, it was the last text she sent before she disappeared.
Authorities have been searching for Laundrie since his family reported him missing last Friday. On Saturday, police and FBI began searching for him in the Carlton Reserve, a 24,000-acre county park in Florida's Sarasota County. Laundrie's family told authorities they believed he entered the area last week.
Police said Tuesday the search was resuming on the Venice side of the reserve.
"A weekend ground search and aerial search Monday of the 25,000-acre preserve has yet to yield any answers, but we must press on," spokesperson Josh Taylor said, CBS affiliate WTSP reported.
"Please be aware, the Carlton Reserve is a vast and unforgiving location at times."
"This is dangerous work for the search crews as they are wading through gator and snake-infested swamps and flooded hiking and biking trails."
By land. By air. pic.twitter.com/4LFcmwcD2b
— North Port Police (@NorthPortPolice) September 21, 2021
Contributing: Jericka Duncan