Yahoo News Brian Laundrie’s parents claim speculation they helped son escape is ‘just wrong’ as Dog the Bounty Hunter accuses them with ‘new tip’
Weeks after Gabby Petito’s fiancé Brian Laundrie went missing, his parents have said they do not have any idea about his whereabouts.
In a statement released on Monday, parents of Mr Laundrie said: “Chris and Roberta Laundrie do not know where Brian is. They are concerned about Brian and hope the FBI can locate him.” Mr Laundrie is a person of interest for investigative agencies in Petito’s mysterious death.
The family’s attorney also squashed allegations that Mr Laundrie was aided by his parents in his escape from arrest or possible action from police authorities as “just wrong.”
Watch: Brian Laundrie: Where the search stands now
Mr Laundrie’s parents did not assist him in leaving the family home or in avoiding arrest on a warrant issued after their son fled, the statement read.
In their conversation with police on 17 September, shortly after Mr Laundrie went missing within days of coming back from the road trip he had taken with Ms Petito but returned without her, Chris and Roberta Laundrie said they did not know about their son’s whereabouts and had not seen him for a few days.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has now been roped in officially for leading the search for Mr Laundrie, announced North Port Florida police department.
In a suspicious turn of events, “Dog the Bounty Hunter” provided a new unknown and unconfirmed lead on the Laundrie family.
Duane Chapman, a television personality and a “bounty hunter” by profession, said that the three members of the Laundrie family were camping at Fort DeSoto campground on two instances earlier this month — on 1 and 3 September and 6 and 8 September.
Here is my conversation with Dog the Bounty Hunter just now about his new lead.
He says Laundries were camping at Fort DeSoto Campground Sept 1-3 and Sept 6-8.
He says he alerted the authorities. He explains his evidence in the call. pic.twitter.com/A99XQtfSuk— Brian Entin (@BrianEntin) September 28, 2021
This is also around the time when Laundries’ neighbour claimed to have seen the family leave in a mini camper.
Mr Chapman, claiming to have evidence on the family’s getaway, said that he had alerted the authorities.
The bounty hunter landed at the Laundries’ doorstep over the weekend assuring the family of his help in bringing their son back. Photographed outside the Laundries’ house in Florida, Mr Chapman was seen knocking on the door but within minutes, Mr Laundrie’s mother Roberta called 911, asking for him to be removed from her property.
Petito, 22, died on a road trip she took with her partner Mr Laundrie to travel 2,328 miles across the country.
The two had set out in early July from their homes in a mini camper and documented their travel tales on social media but evidence shows things turned violent and difficult between the two in August when police officers in Utah spotted them in a physical altercation and intervened.
Petito’s funeral was held on Sunday where she was honoured with a memorial service. Her father, Joseph Petito, asked people to leave abusive relationships.
Watch: Gabby Petito laid to rest as hunt for Brian Laundrie continues
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