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Gabby Petito news - latest: Laundrie lawyer confirms Brian visited campsite with parents

It’s been nine days since Brian Laundrie went missing after telling his parents he was going for a hike in the “vast and unforgiving” Carlton Reserve. He disappeared the same day he was made a person of interest in the missing person case of his girlfriend Gabby Petito, whose body was subsequently found later that evening.

During a 1pm press conference, Ms Petito’s parents and step parents said they would continue seeking justice for her and believed the FBI would find Mr Laundrie. They called on him to turn himself into law enforcement.

Dog the Bounty Hunter, real name Duane Chapman, told police he’d uncovered a lead suggesting Mr Laundrie’s family went camping at the Fort DeSoto campgrounds in Pinellas County, Florida. Thus far the police have rejected the tip, saying there have been no reported sightings of anyone resembling Mr Laundrie in the area. However, park records show Ms Laundrie’s mother did stay at the park between September 6 and September 8.

One tourist, 44-year-old Hunter Mannies told the New York Post that he and his friends had a strange encounter with a lone man who resembled Mr Laundrie while drinking at Bullwinkle’s Saloon in West Yellowstone. It became apparent the man had been listening when the conversation turned to “hunting and guns and politics,” Mannies said.

He told the New York Post: “The guy just looked mad and then at some lull in the conversation, he said, ‘Stupid southerners and f—ing Republicans.’”

He continued: “I kind of laughed and said, ‘Well, where are you from? and he said, ‘New York,’ and I said, ‘Okay, New York’ and he said, “I have a name, it’s Brian.”

Read More

Brian Laundrie’s parents claim speculation they helped son escape is ‘just wrong’ as Dog the Bounty Hunter accuses them with ‘new tip’

Where is Brian Laundrie? Gabby Petito’s boyfriend remains on the run

Brian Laundrie’s mother calls 911 on Dog the Bounty Hunter as he joins search claiming to have 1,000 leads

Key points

  • Search for Laundrie enters second week...

  • Laundrie’s lawyer confirms Brian visited campsite with parents

  • Laundrie family lawyer says ‘concerned’ parents do not know his whereabouts

  • Petito family lawyer sceptical that Laundries will help law enforcement agencies

  • Dog the Bounty Hunter claims Laundrie could be hiding in a Florida campsite 75 miles from family home

  • ...as images reveal scale of ongoing manhunt

Petito case draws attention to female homicide figures

07:00 , Maroosha Muzaffar

According to the CDC, homicide is the fourth leading cause of death for girls and women aged one to 19 years old, and the fifth leading cause of death for women aged 20 to 44.

An analysis of FBI homicide data by Violence Policy Center also reveals that “American female intimate gendered killings happen at a staggering rate of almost three women every day”.

Black women and girls are being murdered by male offenders at a rate of almost three times more than white women, the FBI data confirms.

And the analysis found that “of all female homicides accounted for in 2018 where the relationship between perpetrator and victim could be identified, 92 per cent of cases involved women or girls killed by a man they knew and 63 per cent of whom were killed by current husbands, ex-husbands or current boyfriends”.

Petito family lawyer sceptical that Laundries will help law enforcement agencies

06:23 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Gabby Petito’s family attorney, Richard Stafford, is sceptical that Brian Laundrie’s family would help the FBI in finding him.

Mr Stafford on Tuesday said that the Laundries didn’t help them find Petito when she was reported missing and that “they’re sure not going to help us find Brian.”

Addressing the media for the first time, Gabby Petito’s family yesterday urged the public to pay attention to other missing persons cases in the country.

Mr Stafford also asked the “person of interest” Brain Laundrie to turn himself in to the FBI.

Dog the Bounty Hunter says won't reveal information that will jeopardise the case

05:44 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Duane Chapman, popularly known as Dog the Bounty Hunter, said that he will not reveal any information pertaining to the Brian Laundrie search that might “jeopardise the case”.

Chapman also claimed that he had received more than 1,000 tips relating to “person of interest” Mr Laundrie’s whereabouts and that he has reason to believe Mr Laundrie is hiding in a campsite 75 miles from his parents’ house in North Port.

Rubbishing speculation that he has arranged to meet Mr Laundrie, Chapman on Tuesday said that “we are cooperating with law enforcement. We will not reveal information that will jeopardise the case.”

He clarified that he has “not talked to the Laundrie family and we have not arranged to meet Brian Laundrie.”

‘Multiple’ sightings of Brian Laundrie in North Carolina being investigated

05:20 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Multiple sightings of Brian Laundrie in Watauga County in North Carolina are being investigated, the Sheriff’s Office said but added that “nothing has been verified.”

The Sheriff’s Office said in a statement that they are “looking into these claims.”

The North Port Police has meanwhile rubbished Dog the Bounty Hunter’s claim that Mr Laundrie could be hiding in a campsite in Park De Soto Park in Pinellas County.

The 23-year-old is a person of interest in the Gabby Petito homicide case and is also a subject of a federal arrest warrant.

On Tuesday, the Petito family held a press conference and urged internet sleuths to pay attention to other missing persons cases in the country as well. The Petito family members have also gotten matching tattoos that “Gabby designed herself.”

Meanwhile, a lawyer for Petito’s family, Richard Stafford, called on Brian Laundrie to turn himself in and criticised his parents for not cooperating in the search.

Laundrie’s lawyer confirms Brian visited campsite with parents

05:01 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Steven Bertolino, the attorney representing Brian Laundrie’s family, confirmed on Tuesday that Mr Laundrie went on a camping trip with his parents after returning from his road trip with Gabby Petito.

But the lawyer denied that his parents helped him go into hiding.

Mr Bertolino insisted that all three Laundries came back from the campsite. Dog the Bounty Hunter had claimed that he had a solid lead on Mr Laundrie’s whereabouts and said that he was hiding in Park De Soto Park in Pinellas County — almost 75 miles from his parents’ house in North Port.

Records from the Pinellas County Parks department confirm that Mr Laundrie’s mother did check in to the Fort DeSoto campgrounds on 6 September and left on 8 September, three days before Petito was reported missing.

Person of interest in Miya Marcano case was ‘infatuated’ with vanished teenager, family say

04:45 , Justin Vallejo

The family of Gabby Petito called on social media sleuths to pay as much attention to other missing person cases.

One of those includes Miya Marcano, who went missing on Friday. Her family said today the suspect in her disappearance, Armando Caballero, 27, was “infatuated” with her and “constantly texting”.

Caballero worked with Marcano at a student housing complex in Orlando, Florida and was suspected by police of entering her apartment using a master key just before she vanished last Friday. His was found dead on Monday from a suspected suicide.

“He was infatuated with her, he was in love with her,” Ms Marcano’s cousin Caili Sue told reporters. “I don’t know the very specifics, but he was constantly texting her.”

Read the full report.

Miya Marcano: Person of interest was ‘infatuated’ and ‘constantly texting’

Brian Laundrie showed signs of domestic abuse, report says

03:45 , Justin Vallejo

An expert criminal profiler said Brian Laundrie showed signs of a domestic abuser in his erratic public behaviour, according to Fox News.

John Kelly, a psychotherapist, told the outlet that Laundrie may have flipped from “asocial” to “anti-social” before Gabby Petito died in Wyoming.

“Asocial is pretty much somebody that likes to be alone…they’re not hurting anybody,” he told the outlet. “Antisocial is when you strike out at society and have a lot of anger and resentment.”

“I see a projection of himself in his art, where he understands to some point that he has this monster inside of him, or he is a monster,” he added. “And this monster may have come out.”

Petito family call on Laundrie to turn himself in

02:45 , Justin Vallejo

A lawyer for Petito’s family, Richard Stafford, called on Brian Laundrie to turn himself in and criticized his parents for what he said was a lack of cooperation in the search that turned up Petito’s remains.

The Laundries released a statement Monday saying they weren’t helping him flee.

“The Laundries did not help us find Gabby, they sure are not going to help us find Brian,” Stafford said. “For Brian, we’re asking you to turn yourself in to the FBI or the nearest law enforcement agency.” - Associated Press

ICYMI: Can Gabby Petito help solve the case of a father missing in Wyoming? Family say sighting has raised hopes

01:45 , Justin Vallejo

Robert “Bob” Lowery disappeared while visiting Wyoming’s Bridger-Teton National Forest, near Grand Teton National Park.

The 46-year-old Houston father was last seen on 20 August on the Black Canyon Trail, according to authorities, who said the coverage of Gabby Petito has helped tipsters to come forward with information on the man’s disappearance.

Mr Lowery’s family had been searching for weeks, but the tragic death of the 22-year-old Ms Petito, who was travelling the US in her van with her fiancé, seems to have given the case more exposure, Teton County Sheriff Deputy Chad Sachse told NBC’s Dateline.

“You never know what little bit of information could help,” said Mr Sachse. “Hopefully, more tips will come in to help these other families.”

Jade Bremner reports.

Can Gabby Petito help solve the case of a father missing in Wyoming?

Police ask for personal items of Brian Laundrie for DNA matching, report says

Wednesday 29 September 2021 00:45 , Justin Vallejo

The FBI has asked the family of Brian Laundrie for personal items that might have is DNA as they overtake the search for Gabby Petito’s fiance, according to media reports.

“The FBI requested some personal items belonging to Brian Laundrie to assist them with DNA matching and Brian’s parents provided the FBI with what they could,” Laundrie family lawyer Steven Bertolino told multiple outlets.

Watch: Family of Gabby Petito reveal matching tattoos

Wednesday 29 September 2021 00:15 , Justin Vallejo

“These were tattoos that Gabby designed herself, she was an artist,” step-father Jim Schmidt said at a press conference.

Petito’s mother and father, Joseph Petitio and Nicole Schmidt, along with Mr Petito’s wife, Tara Petito, showed off the matching ink, designed by Ganny, their forearms.

The designs included a flower inside a triangle and a wave that Gabby had drawn and the words “Believe” and “Let it be” in cursive.

Helen Elfer reports.

Family of Gabby Petito reveal matching tattoos in her honour

Family say they still haven’t received Gabby Petito’s remains or possessions left in Florida

Tuesday 28 September 2021 23:50 , Justin Vallejo

The family of Gabby Petito haven’t received her remains, which are in Wyoming, or her possessions, which are in Florida, her stepfather, Jim Schmidt, said at a family news conference.

It was not immediately clear if Ms Petito’s belongings in Florida were currently in the care of the Laundrie family or police, who have searched the missing man’s residence and taken away evidence.

A spokesman for the North Port, Florida police told The Independent after the press conference that he was not certain where the victim’s belongings were and was “unaware of any items of hers from inside the home,” positing that the couple could have rented a storage unit.

Sheila Flynn reports.

Gabby Petito: Family say they still don’t have her remains, belongings

$50,000 reward being offered for Brian Laundrie arrest

Tuesday 28 September 2021 23:25 , Justin Vallejo

Entrepreneur Sean Whalen told Fox News on Tuesday he is offering a $50,000 reward for information leads to the arrest of Brian Laundrie.

“I am the father of an 18-year-old daughter and what’s happened to this girl is every father’s nightmare,” Mr Whaelan told Fox News.

“I don’t much care why or how everything happened, but the unknowns and unanswered questions this father is dealing with are a literal nightmare, a reality that would bring any father to his knees, and from one father to another, me offering some money to help him answer the questions and provide some sort of relief to this tragedy is the least I can do,” he added.

Dog the Bounty Hunter might have something to say about that $50K bounty.

What Gabby Petito’s parents are likely experiencing behind the scenes

Tuesday 28 September 2021 23:00 , Justin Vallejo

Gabby Petito’s family was thrust into the national spotlight as the public interest in her disappearance and death grew.

Matthew Searle has worked with thousands of families who have experienced similar tragedies and shared his perspective with The Independent in his Voices piece below...

What Gabby Petito’s family are probably experiencing behind the scenes

ICYMI: Couple claims they saw Brian Laundrie drinking alone at a bar drinking and “angry at the world"

Tuesday 28 September 2021 22:40 , Justin Vallejo

A couple claims they saw Brian Laundrie drinking at a bar in Montana, alone and “angry at the world.”

The couple claims they got into an argument with Mr Laundrie over politics while they were at the bar.

The Independent’s Gino Spocchia has the full story below...

New Brian Laundrie witness says he saw him drinking alone and ‘angry’

Dog the Bounty Hunter reportedly setting up base in central Florida

Tuesday 28 September 2021 22:20 , Justin Vallejo

Dog the Bounty Hunter, real name Duane Chapman, has joined the search for Brian Laundrie and has reportedly set up a base of operations in central Florida.

Mr Chapman pointed to a campground at Fort DeSoto as a possible location of interest in the search, and it was later confirmed that Mr Laundrie and his family did camp at the location between 6 September and 8 September.

Gabby Petito memorial in Florida still growing

Tuesday 28 September 2021 22:00 , Graig Graziosi

A memorial for Gabby Petito on the lawn of North Port, Florida’s City Hall is still growing.

Mourners are leaving stuffed animals, cards, and other items to remember Ms Petito at the site.

Dog the Bounty Hunter’s team denies rumours that Brian Laundrie has contacted them

Tuesday 28 September 2021 21:45 , Graig Graziosi

Duane Chapman, aka Dog the Bounty Hunter, has denied rumours circulating that he has been in contact with Brian Laundrie.

Social media users have been spreading false information suggesting Mr Laundrie reached out to Mr Chapman and agreed to turn himself in. Those claims are false.

Law enforcement says no foul play suspected in case of missing geologist Daniel Robinson

Tuesday 28 September 2021 21:30 , Graig Graziosi

In the wake of Gabby Petito’s disappearance there has been renewed interest in the cases of other missing people around the country.

Daniel Robinson, a geologist, disappeared into the Arizona desert on 23 June and has not been seen since.

Law enforcement says it does not suspect foul play in the man’s disappearance, but Mr Robinson’s father believes the police have not been responsive to his pleas for assistance in locating his son.

A woman who claims she picked up Brian Laundrie says he acted strange near Gabby Petito’s van

Tuesday 28 September 2021 21:12 , Graig Graziosi

A woman who claims she picked up Brian Laundrie while he was hitchhiking says he acted odd when they got near Gabby Petito’s Ford Transit van. The couple had been using the van during their roadtrip throughout the western part of the US.

The Independent’s Helen Elfer has more on the story below...

Woman who gave Brian Laundrie a lift says he acted oddly near his van

Laundrie family attorney confirms that Brian Laundrie was on September camping trip with his mother

Tuesday 28 September 2021 20:33 , Graig Graziosi

Texts from Laundrie family attorney Steven Bertolino confirm that Brian Laundrie accompanied his mother on a camping trip to Fort DeSoto between 6 September and 8 September.

Mr Bertolino also said Mr Laundrie returned home with his mother after that trip.

The attorney also took the opportunity to shoot down the allegations made by Duane Chapman, better known as Dog the Bounty Hunter, concerning Mr Laundrie’s whereabouts.

Aerial photos show no signs of police search in Carlton Reserve

Tuesday 28 September 2021 20:00 , Graig Graziosi

Aerial photos from a news helicopter show there were next to no police at the Carlton Reserve searching for Brian Laundrie.

Police searched for Mr Laundrie for more than a week after he disappeared from his North Port home. It is unclear where police are currently focusing their search.

Pinella County Parks Department says records requests concerning Fort DeSoto campground must go through the FBI

Tuesday 28 September 2021 19:38 , Graig Graziosi

The Pinella County Parks Department told reporters that any further public records requests dealing with the Fort DeSoto campgrounds where Brian Laundrie’s mother visited between 6 September and 8 September must be directed to the FBI.

Duane Chapman, better known as Dog the Bounty Hunter, directed attention to the reserve after getting a tip that the Laundries had visited the location in early September.

Flower deliveries continue to the Laundrie home

Tuesday 28 September 2021 19:15 , Graig Graziosi

People have been sending flowers in remembrance of Gabby Petito to the Laundrie home in North Port, Florida.

The deliveries began yesterday and have continued today.

Confirmation there are cameras at Fort DeSoto campgrounds

Tuesday 28 September 2021 19:00 , Graig Graziosi

A reporter confirmed that there are cameras that monitor the Fort DeSoto campgrounds where Brian Laundrie’s mother stayed between 6 September and 8 September.

The Pinellas County Parks Department confirmed that Roberta Laundrie checked into the campground on 6 September and left on 8 September, three days before Ms Petito was reported missing.

Petito family shows off tattoos designed by Gabby Petito

Tuesday 28 September 2021 18:57 , Graig Graziosi

Gabby Petito’s parents and step parents showed off tattoos they got to remember Ms Petito.

They said Ms Petito designed the tattoos, which are identical to the “Let it Be” tattoo Ms Petito had on her right arm.

The family members said they got the tattoos together because they parented Ms Petito together.

Gabby Petito’s father says he wants something “positive” to come from tragedy

Tuesday 28 September 2021 18:35 , Graig Graziosi

Joseph Petito, Gabby Petito’s father, said he and Ms Petito’s family wanted something “positive” to come from the tragedy during a press conference in New York.

He said that is why they are starting the Gabby Petito foundation to help families in similar circumstances, and why the families got tattoos on their arms designed by Ms Petito.

Gabby Petito’s family calls for equal interest and coverage of other missing people in press conference

Tuesday 28 September 2021 18:34 , Graig Graziosi

Gabby Petito’s family called for the public to show the same level of interest and the press to give the same coverage to other missing person cases during a press conference in New York.

The family also answered questions and announced the Gabby Petito Foundation, which will be aimed at helping families with missing loved ones.

The Independent’s Helen Elfer has more below...

Gabby Petito’s father praises TikTok as family hold press conference

Confirmation that Brian Laundrie’s mother was at Fort DeSoto campground

Tuesday 28 September 2021 18:28 , Graig Graziosi

Duane Chapman, aka Dog the Bounty Hunter, claimed that the Laundrie family visited the Fort DeSoto campground in Pinellas County, Florida.

Police are not searching in the area, but records show that Mr Laundrie’s mother checked into a campsite there on 6 September and left on 8 September.

The Independent’s Gustaf Kilander has more in the story below...

Record appears to show Laundrie’s mother visited Dog the Bounty Hunter’s ‘tip’ site

Gabby Petito’s parents and step parents got tattoos she designed on their arms

Tuesday 28 September 2021 18:25 , Graig Graziosi

Gabby Petito’s parents and step parents got tattoos designed by Ms Petito on their arms.

The tattoos are the same ones Ms Petito had on her right arm, the words “Let it Be.”

Nichole Schmidt, Ms Petito’s mother, said she “always wanted to have Gabby” with her.

Joseph Petito, Ms Petito’s father, said they all got the tattoos together because they all parented Ms Petito together.

Petito family lawyer calls on Brian Laundrie to turn himself in

Tuesday 28 September 2021 18:14 , Graig Graziosi

Richard Stafford, the lawyer representing Gabby Petito’s family, said the Laundrie family did not help them find Gabby Petito and “sure are not going to help us find Brian” during a press conference in New York.

He called for Mr Laundrie to turn himself into the FBI or the nearest law enforcement entity.

Pinellas County Parks confirms Brian Laundrie’s mother checked into Fort DeSoto campsite in early September

Tuesday 28 September 2021 17:57 , Graig Graziosi

Records from the Pinellas County Parks department confirm that Robert Laundrie did check in to the Fort DeSoto campgrounds on 6 September and left on 8 September, three days before Gabby Petito was reported missing.

The records do not indicate who else may have been with her during the short camping trip.

Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office confirms it is not investigating bounty hunter’s lead

Tuesday 28 September 2021 16:26 , Graig Graziosi

The Pinella County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to reporters that it was not investigating Duane Chapman - aka Dog the Bounty Hunter’s - suggestion to search campgrounds near Fort DeSoto in Florida.

The sheriff’s office said there have been no sightings of Mr Laundrie in the area.

Laundries return home to megaphone carrying protesters

Tuesday 28 September 2021 15:59 , Graig Graziosi

Brian Laundries’ parents returned to their home after taking a short trip away from the house earlier Tuesday morning.

When they returned, a couple with megaphones that has been yelling challenges at them in recent days was waiting for them.

Witnesses claim they argued with man resembling Brian Laundrie in Wyoming saloon

Tuesday 28 September 2021 15:43 , Graig Graziosi

A couple that was dining at a saloon in Wyoming claim they had an argument with a man who was drinking alone, “angry at the world,” and who resembled Brian Laundrie.

The couple claim he identified himself as Brian and was complaining about “stupid southerners and Republicans.”

The couple did not provide conclusive evidence proving the exchange took place.

The Independent’s Gino Spocchia has more on the encounter below...

New Brian Laundrie witness says he saw him drinking alone and ‘angry’

Moab police chief takes leave of absence amid anger over Petito body-cam stop

Tuesday 28 September 2021 15:26 , Graig Graziosi

The chief of the Moab police department in Utah has decided to go on a leave of absence, days after the city announced an investigation into the department’s handling of a dispute between Gabby Petito and her fiancé Brian Laundrie.

The Independent’s Alisha Rahaman Sarkar has more on the story below...

Moab police chief takes leave of absence amid anger over Petito body-cam stop

Aerial photos of Fort DeSoto, where Dog the Bounty Hunter claimed the Laundries camped

Tuesday 28 September 2021 15:00 , Graig Graziosi

A WFLA news helicopter captured photos of the campgrounds at Fort DeSoto, Florida, where Duane Chapman - aka Dog the Bounty Hunter - claimed the Laundrie family had been camping.

There does not appear to be a substantive police presence near the camp ground. The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office has not launched a search in the area and said it has received no tips regarding Brian Laundrie.

Laundrie’s leave their home

Tuesday 28 September 2021 14:45 , Graig Graziosi

Brian Laundrie’s family left their home this morning.

A reporter on the ground outside the home said the couple was headed to Walmart. The last time the couple left their home, they were followed by the FBI.

Gabby Petito’s father shares heartfelt message to women in relationship at daughter’s funeral

Tuesday 28 September 2021 14:30 , Ella Glover

Gabby Petito’s father shared an emotional message and some life advice, especially for “women in relationships,” at the travel blogger’s funeral.

“If there is a relationship that you’re in that might not be the best thing for you, leave it now. Take care of yourself first,” he told the women at the funeral.

He added: “I would like you to take a look at these videos [of Petito’s travels] and I want you to be inspired by them. If there’s a trip you guys want to take, take it now. Do it now while you have the time.”

Gabby Petito’s father gives message to women in toxic relationships at her funeral

Family set up foundation in honour of Gabby Petito

Tuesday 28 September 2021 14:00 , Ella Glover

Gabby Petito’s family have set up a charitable foundation in her name, and are asking people to donate to it in lieu of flowers for her memorial service.

Ms Petito’s father Joe Petito announced on Friday the family had formed the Future Gabby Petito Foundation.

Donations are being collected through the Johnny Mac Foundation, a charity set up by the family of former FDNY firefighter John McNamara who died of 9/11-related cancer in 2009 aged 44.

Family set up foundation in honour of Gabby Petito

Mother of Brian Laundrie calls police on Dog the Bounty Hunter

Tuesday 28 September 2021 13:29 , Ella Glover

The mother of Brian Laundrie called 911 after Duane “Dog the Bounty Hunter” Chapman turned up at her Florida home on Saturday, according to reports.

Audio has emerged of a 911 call made by Roberta Laundrie at around the time Mr Chapman knocked on the door of the Laundrie’s family home in North Port.

Speaking to Fox News on Monday, Mr Chapman said it was a shame Mr Laundrie’s parents wouldn’t speak to him.

“The police said we were welcome to knock on the door so we did. I wanted to tell the Laundries that our goal is to find Brian and bring him in alive.”

North Port Police spokesman Josh Taylor said they treated 911 calls from Mr Laundrie’s parents like they would from anyone else.

“We’ve been called to the house numerous times for all sorts of issues. Media, protesters, celebrity searchers,” Mr Taylor.

“It’s not something normal. If the family calls and is concerned, we will respond like we would for anyone.”

Brian Laundrie’s mother calls 911 on Dog the Bounty Hunter

‘Beautiful girl’: Gabby Petito’s friends and family paid tribute to her at a vigil

Tuesday 28 September 2021 12:12 , Ella Glover

At a memorial service on Sunday, Gabby’s family and friends paid tribute to her.

Her father, Joseph Petito said: “I want you to be inspired by Gabby, that’s what we’re looking for.

“That’s what I want to see. If there’s a trip that you guys want to take, take it now. Do it now, while you’ve got the time.”

Gabby’s stepfather, Jim Schmidt said: “Gabby loved life and lived her life every single day. She is an example for all of us to live by and to enjoy every moment in this beautiful world like she did. Love and give love to all like she did.”

Ted Malkiewicz, the brother of Gabby Petito’s adopted grandmother Noreen Gibbons, said: “The pictures you see of her smiling, that was her. A gorgeous, gorgeous girl.”

Ms Petito’s great aunt, who gave her name as Liz, said she was a “beautiful beautiful person” after coming out from the service.

“I almost don’t even have words. It’s just so heartbreaking what happened to her and we love her and we know she’s at peace.”

Gabby Petito: The ‘girl who touched the world’ remembered as a fearless adventurer

Dog the Bounty Hunter’s ‘lead’ on Brian Laundrie’s whereabouts ‘just wrong'

Tuesday 28 September 2021 11:01 , Ella Glover

Duane Chapman, aka Dog the Bounty Hunter, 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.

He alleged that Brian’s parents had helped him escape arrest.

In a statement released on Monday, the 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.”

The family’s attorney also said Mr Chapman’s unconfirmed lead was “just wrong.”

Tuesday 28 September 2021 10:16 , ella glover

Norma Jean Jalovec, the second woman who picked up Brian Laundrie while he was hitchhiking in Wyoming days before Gabby’s body was found, has shared more details about their encounter.

She said there was “nothing extraordinary about him” until they neared the van he and Gabby had been travelling in.

She told PEOPLE: “He got agitated when I said, ‘Do you want me to take you past the gate, down the road [to the Spread Creek Dispersed Camping Area]?’”

She added: “He was like, ‘No, no, no, no, no. This is fine.’

“He said, ‘Just let me out here. You can let me out here.’”

He literally was getting out of the passenger seat,” before she stopped the car, she added.

She said his “antsy” demeanour was suspicious but she brushed it off at the time.

“But now we all know, obviously, there was a reason why he probably didn’t want me to go down that road,” she added.

Read the full story:

Woman Who Drove Hitchhiking Brian Laundrie Noticed 'Nothing Extraordinary' — Until They Got Near Van

ICYMI: Who is Gabby Petito?

Tuesday 28 September 2021 09:56 , Ella Glover

Gabby Petito’s body was discovered in Wyoming by the FBI after a missing person case was launched. But who was the aspiring van-life blogger?

Here’s what we know about Gabby Petito:

Who is Gabby Petito? ‘Sweet’ waitress whose dream of influencer fame ended in tragedy

ICYMI: News anchor suspended for raising ‘missing white woman syndrome’ during coverage

Tuesday 28 September 2021 09:04 , Ella Glover

An Emmy Award-winning news anchor has been suspended indefinitely after telling bosses he wanted to discuss “missing white woman syndrome” during coverage of Gabby Petito.

Frank Somerville, 63, was suspended by KTUV in Oakland after arguing with station news director about adding a “brief tagline” about how missing persons cases involving white women tend to attract far greater coverage than those of indigenous and Black people.

He was reportedly told by his boss Amber Eikel that it would be inappropriate, and the pair became involved in a disagreement that led to Mr Somerville’s suspension.

Bevan Hurley has the full story:

Anchor suspended for raising ‘missing white woman syndrome’ in Gabby Petito story

Tourist claims he saw Brian Laundrie at a bar

Tuesday 28 September 2021 08:33 , Ella Glover

A tourist claimed to have an encounter with Brian Laundrie at a bar in Montana the day before Gabby was last reported seen alive.

Hunter Mannies, 44, told the New York Post that he and his friends had a strange encounter with a man who resembled Laundrie and was drinking alone at Bullwinkle’s Saloon in West Yellowstone.

“The convo got into hunting and guns and politics,” Mannies said, adding that’s when he realised that the man had been listening.

“The guy just looked mad and then at some lull in the conversation, he said, ‘Stupid southerners and f—ing Republicans.’”

Mannies said that his friend shot back, “Stupid southerners? She and I both have ‘Dr.’ in front of our names. Do you?”

I kind of laughed and said, ‘Well, where are you from? and he said, ‘New York,” Mannies said. “And I said, ‘Okay, New York’ and he said, “I have a name, it’s Brian.”

When the news broke of Gabby’s disappearance, Mannies’ friend called him: “She said that’s the crazy guy from the bar,” he said.

Mannies said he contacted the FBI and spoke with them for 45 minutes.

“How many people named Brian from New York who look exactly like him are in the middle nowhere at the bar?” he said.

Read the full story on the New York Post:

Tourist claims he saw ‘mad’ Brian Laundrie alone in bar just prior to Gabby Petito disappearance

ICYMI: A press conference will be held later today

Tuesday 28 September 2021 08:09 , Ella Glover

A press conference held by the Petito and Schmidt family is scheduled for later today in New York.

It will take place at 1pm PST (6pm BST) at the office of the Petito family’s lawyer, Richard Stafford, who announced the conference yesterday.

More online pro-Laundrie groups surface

Tuesday 28 September 2021 07:47 , Ella Glover

Another online community in support of Brian Laundrie has surfaced on Reddit.

The subreddit, named r/FriendsOfBrian, has some 1,000 members and is similar to r/BrianLaundrie.

Some members of the subreddit claim that Laundrie was the real victim of domestic violence in his and Gabby’s relationship, with some accusing Gabby of being an “alt-right neo nazi”.

One user speculated that Brian was framed by the “real murderer” and is out “hunting revenge”.

The subreddit’s description says: “This community is dedicated to seeing that Brian receives the treatment that he is entitled to by the Constitution of the United States of America, which is innocence until guilt is proven.”

A number of the posts on the subreddit are intended to be sarcastic, while others replicate the same rhetoric seen elsewhere online.

Where is Brian Laundrie?

Tuesday 28 September 2021 06:50 , Justin Vallejo

Authorities in Florida are continuing their search of an aligator-infested nature reserve close to the Florida home of Brian Laundrie after he went missing just prior to the body of his girlfriend Gabby Petito was discovered in a Wyoming national park.

Mr Laundrie, 23, has not been seen since telling his parents he was going for a hike in the “vast and unforgiving” Carlton Reserve on Tuesday 14 September amid intense media interest in the disappearance of Ms Petito, 22, a popular Instagram and YouTube star who had been documenting their cross-country roadtrip on social media until late August.

His disappearance came on the same day investigator’s into the branded him “a person of interest” in the Petito case. The FBI and Florida police subsequently executed a search warrant on the Laundries’ home in North Port.

Bevan Hurley reports.

Where is Brian Laundrie? Gabby Petito’s boyfriend remains on the run

Online community grows in support of Brian Laundrie

Tuesday 28 September 2021 06:45 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Amid the huge interest online in the case of Gabby Petito’s disappearance and death and the whereabouts of her boyfriend Brian Laundrie, a growing community on Reddit and Facebook is speaking out in defence of the missing 23-year-old Brian.

A subreddit titled Justice for Brian Laundrie — r/BrianLaundrie — has recently cropped up on the platform and currently boasts some 2,000 members. On it, users discuss a mixture of conspiracy theories and suggestions that Mr Laundrie is himself a victim of abuse.

Some claim Mr Laundrie may have acted in self-defence – though police have still not filed any charges against him related to Petito’s death, a case in which he remains a “person of interest”.

Other more outlandish posts argue that Petito orchestrated her own disappearance to “divert resources from missing people of colour”.

Some users have even suggested that Mr Laundrie is being unfairly maligned on the basis that he is bald.

On the Facebook group that is also titled Justice For Brian Laundrie, one user declares that “Brian was framed. This entire thing was a government coverup to distract from Biden’s Afghanistan mistakes as the Taliban flaunts their new American weapons and the southern border turns into a s***show. Brian will not be reappeared until it’s timely for us to need further distraction.”

FBI take over search of alligator-infested Carlton Reserve

Tuesday 28 September 2021 05:50 , Justin Vallejo

North Port Police said on Monday the search of the reserve was likely to be scaled back, as torrential rainfall had left trails under waist-deep water, hindering search efforts.

“I don’t think you’re going to see those large-scale types of efforts this week,” North Port Police Department spokesperson Josh Taylor said.

“Hopefully, water will lower in areas hard to currently access.”

Laundrie family lawyer says ‘concerned’ parents do not know his whereabouts

Tuesday 28 September 2021 05:32 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Steven Bertolino, the attorney representing Brian Laundrie’s family, has claimed that his parents are “concerned” about him and rubbished speculation that they helped him leave the family home.

Mr Bertolino said on Monday that “Chris and Roberta Laundrie do not know Brian’s whereabouts. They are concerned about Brian and hope the FBI can find him.”

He added that the “speculation by the public and some by the press that the parents assisted Brian in leaving the family home or in avoiding arrest on a warrant that was issued after Brian had already been missing for several days is just wrong”.

Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie had set out on a road trip from New York in her converted white 2012 Ford Transit van on 2 July. On 1 September Mr Laundrie returned home without Petito. And last week on Tuesday, the FBI confirmed that Petito was a victim of homicide. Mr Laundrie has been missing for almost two weeks now. He has been declared a “person of interest” in the case and is also a subject of a federal arrest warrant.

Moab Police chief goes on leave of absence amid criticism

Tuesday 28 September 2021 05:20 , Maroosha Muzaffar

The chief of the Moab Police Department is taking a leave of absence just days after city officials announced that the officers involved in handling the 12 August domestic violence incident between Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie are being investigated.

Bret Edge, the Moab Police chief, has requested a leave of absence that began on Monday under the Family Medical Leave Act, Fox News first reported.

Lisa Church, communications director for the City of Moab, didn’t clarify whether the leave of absence had anything to with the investigation.

Tourist claims he saw ‘mad at the world’ Brian Laundrie prior to Gabby Petito's disappearance

Tuesday 28 September 2021 05:13 , Maroosha Muzaffar

A Louisiana man has claimed that he had a “strange encounter” with a drunk Brian Laundrie just a day before Gabby Petito was reported missing.

Hunter Mannies, 44, told the New York Post that on the night of 26 August he saw a man who resembled Mr Laundrie at Bullwinkle’s Saloon in West Yellowstone, in Montana.

Mr Mannies was on a road trip through Montana at the time.

He said: “He [Mr Laundrie] was just mad at the world it seemed like” adding that “I didn’t pay attention to him other than that he and this other couple were the only ones in there.”

Meanwhile, Dog the Bounty Hunter has claimed that he has received more than 1,000 leads on the whereabouts of Mr Laundrie.

Police have scaled back the search for the missing boyfriend of 22-year-old Gabby Petito in the Carlton Reserve in Sarasota County in Florida.

A timeline of the social media star’s death

Tuesday 28 September 2021 04:50 , Justin Vallejo

Gabby Petito, a 22-year-old YouTuber and Instagram star, went missing in late August, having embarked on a cross-country road trip with her fiancé Brian Laundrie, 23, that she was documenting on social media.

Key dates:

2 July - Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie set out from New York in her converted white 2012 Ford Transit van.

12 August - The pair are seen bitterly arguing in Moab City, Utah. Bystanders call 911.

1 September - Mr Laundrie returned to North Port alone.

11 September - Mother Nicole Schmidt contacted police and a missing person’s investigation commenced.

14 September - Mr Laundrie went missing.

21 September - Gabby’s body found in Wyoming

23 September - A federal arrest warrant is issued for Mr Laundrie.

See the full timeline:

A timeline of the death of Gabby Petito

Dog the Bounty Hunter claims Laundrie could be hiding in a Florida campsite 75 miles from family home

Tuesday 28 September 2021 04:39 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Duane Chapman, also known as Dog the Bounty Hunter, is “investigating” a lead that claims Brian Laundrie went with his parents to a Florida campground that is almost 75 miles away from their house in early September — but only two of them were seen leaving.

He believes that the campsite in the woods in Florida could be where Mr Laundrie is hiding.

Mr Chapman has said that he received more than 1,000 leads in the Gabby Petito homicide case and that within 48 hours, he would be ready to start his search on the ground.

He told Fox News on Monday that he received a tip that Mr Laundrie’s parents spent the night in Fort De Soto Park with their son twice in early September.

He said: “They were registered, went through the gate. They’re on camera. They were here. We think at least if he’s not here right now, we are sure he was caught on camera as he went in the gate — that he was here for sure. Not over in the swamp.”

Police ban flowers at Brian Laundrie home as search scaled back

Tuesday 28 September 2021 03:50 , Justin Vallejo

Authorities have banned members of the public from leaving flowers at a makeshift Gabby Petito memorial at the Laundrie family home in Florida.

A delivery worker from a local florist in North Port who tried to leave flowers at the home on Monday afternoon was ordered to remove them by police.

“There’s no memorial here,” the police officer says. “Public works are going to come here and throw it in the garbage.”

After police left, more members of the public arrived and were able to leave flowers at the address.

Bevan Hurley reports.

Police ban flowers at Laundrie home as search scaled back

ICYMI: Utah officers were told man was seen hitting woman before couple was pulled over

Tuesday 28 September 2021 02:50 , Justin Vallejo

Police officers in Utah were told that a 911 caller who reported an argument between Gabby Petito and her fiancé Brian Laundrie had seen a man hitting a woman, dispatch records show.

According to the records, the person who reported the incident “states a seeing male hit a female, domestic”. the dispatcher said shortly before the couple was pulled over by the police.

“He got into a white Ford Transit van, has a black ladder on the back, Florida plate.”

After the couple were pulled over by police, body cam footage shows Ms Petito saying that she had hit Mr Laundrie, with police appearing to view the incident as a mental health crisis rather than domestic violence.

Gino Spocchia reports.

Officers told man was seen hitting woman before Petito and Laundrie were pulled over

Sandy Hook tribute song featuring slain YouTuber aged 14 to be re-recorded to raise money for her foundation

Tuesday 28 September 2021 01:50 , Justin Vallejo

A musician who wrote a moving tribute song to the victims of the Sandy Hook massacre featuring a 14-year-old Gabby Petito in the music video is planning to re-record the track to raise money for the Gabby Petito Foundation.

Deb Henson says she was inspired to write the song “Irreplaceable” after the “horrific” 2012 school shooting in Newton, Connecticut which claimed the lives of 20 children and six teachers.

“After Sandy Hook I was devastated like the rest of the world, it was just horrible. I woke up at 2am and picked up that guitar and wrote that song.”

The Independent’s Bevan Hurley reports.

Song featuring Gabby Petito aged 14 to be re-recorded to raise money for her charity

Friends, family flock to Long Island to mourn Gabby Petito

Tuesday 28 September 2021 00:50 , Justin Vallejo

Lines of mourners paid their respects Sunday for Gabby Petito, the 22-year-old whose death on a cross-country trip has sparked a manhunt for her boyfriend.

Among those who congregated in Holbrook, about 35 miles (56 kilometers) east of New York City, were family members, friends, co-workers and people who were touched by Petito’s story even though they didn’t know her.

“She was a beautiful soul; she was full of life, always smiling,” said Desiree Keeffe, a friend of Petito’s mother, Nicole. “She gave you love. She was just a beautiful soul. She touched everybody like she did now.”

Two fire trucks were positioned one on either side of the funeral home, each with its ladder extended, and a line of firefighters was seen filing into the building. Across the street, a chain link fence was adorned with posters featuring Petito’s image and messages such as, “She touched the world.” - Associated Press.

FORWARD LOOK: Petito family holding press conference Tuesday

Tuesday 28 September 2021 00:20 , Justin Vallejo

The family of Gabby Petito just announced they will be holding a press conference in New York on Tuesday, 28 September.

The incoming update from the Petito and Schmidt families comes after lawyers for the parents of Brian Laundrie issued a statement on Monday denying speculation they helped their son avoid arrest.

DOG UPDATE: Authorities called to campground visited by Laundrie parents

Monday 27 September 2021 23:51 , Justin Vallejo

Dog the Bounty Hunter is reportedly waiting for authorities to arrive at his “HOT lead”.

Local WFLA Reporter Josh Benson just got off the phone with Dog’s team, who says the bounty hunter is at a campground he says was visited twice by Brian Laundrie’s parents in recent weeks.

He is waiting for authorities to arrive at what they are calling a “big lead in the woods”.

It comes as Laundrie’s parents issued a statement saying speculation they helped him avoid arrest was “just wrong”.

‘We do not know where Brian is’: Laundrie family issue statement amid speculation ’

Monday 27 September 2021 23:31 , Justin Vallejo

The family of Brian Laundrie has issued a statement amid speculation his parents helped him avoid arrest.

Released by the family’s attorney, the statement says:

“ "Chris and Roberta Laundrie do not know where Brian is. They are concerned about Brian and hope the FBI can locate him.”

The statement, issued by Steven Bertolino, continues:

“The speculation by the public and some in the press that the parents assisted Brian in leaving the family home or in avoiding arrest on a warrant that was issued after Brian had already been missing for several days is just wrong."

‘We do not know where Brian is’: Laundrie family issue statement amid speculation ’

Monday 27 September 2021 23:31 , Justin Vallejo

The family of Brian Laundrie has issued a statement amid speculation his parents helped him avoid arrest.

Released by the family’s attorney, the statement says:

“ "Chris and Roberta Laundrie do not know where Brian is. They are concerned about Brian and hope the FBI can locate him.”

The statement, issued by Steven Bertolino, continues:

“The speculation by the public and some in the press that the parents assisted Brian in leaving the family home or in avoiding arrest on a warrant that was issued after Brian had already been missing for several days is just wrong."

BREAKING? Dog the Bounty Hunter has a ‘HOT lead’ on Laundrie location

Monday 27 September 2021 22:59 , Justin Vallejo

After the family of Brian Laundrie called 911 on Dog the Bounty Hunter, the reality TV star may have a “HOT” lead on his location.

This is according to Dog’s daughter Lyssa Chapman, who says her dad, also known as Duane Chapman, has alerted the proper authorities.

“Please remember by sister Barbara Katie was taken away at the exact age as Gabby was. This is why dad has taken this case so personally,” she said in a tweet.

Chapman rolled up uninvited to the Laundrie home on Sunday. Reports quickly emerged that Roberta Laundrie called 911.

Police ban flowers at makeshift Gabby Petito memorial

Monday 27 September 2021 22:49 , Justin Vallejo

A local florist delivering flowers to the Laundrie family home in Fort Lauderdale was turned away from the makeshift memorial for Gabby Petito on Monday.

“There’s no memorial here,” a police officer says in a video captured by journalist Brian Entin. “Public works are going to come here in the middle of the night and throw it in the garbage.”

They were redirected to City Hall where the official memorial is being held.

WATCH: Gabby Petito was in 2013 Sandy Hook music video ‘Irreplaceable’

Monday 27 September 2021 22:31 , Justin Vallejo

Eight years ago, a 14-year-old Gabby Petito starred in a music video uploaded to YouTube to raise awareness for violence against children after the Sandy Hook massacre.

Titled “Irreplaceable”, it was uploaded in 2013 after the mass shooting that left 26 people dead in Newton, Connecticut a year earlier.

The song was written and produced by Deb Henson, who told The Sun it was about violence against kids and domestic violence in general.

"The lyrics are almost eerie now," Ms Henson told The Sun. "It’s ironic and tragic that she’s in this video and that this happened to her.”

In the video, Petito can be seen holding up a sign that says “I’m irreplaceable”. Henson told said she hopes the track will remind people that all lives are irreplaceable.

"It was a magical weekend," Ms Henson said of filming the video. "And Gabby was just, just the sweetest kid, she was just so full of love, she just wanted to help and be involved in any way she could.

Law enforcement presence notably smaller outside Carlton Reserve

Monday 27 September 2021 22:00 , Graig Graziosi

Reporters outside the Carlton Reserve noted a much smaller law enforcement presence outside the swamp than in past days.

The FBI has taken over the investigation. Search efforts were scaled back after heavy rains flooded the swamp.

Person of interest in case for missing Florida woman found dead from suicide

Monday 27 September 2021 21:39 , Graig Graziosi

In the wake of Gabby Petito’s disappearance, there has been a renewed interest in missing person cases and calls for more coverage of those situations.

A person of interest in the disappearance of missing Florida woman Miya Mancano has been found dead from apparent suicide.

The woman was reported missing after she missed a flight and her dorm room was found empty and in disarray.

The Independent’s Justin Vallejo has more on the story below.

Suspect in Miya Marcano disappearance found dead from apparent suicide

More flowers arrive on the Laundrie’s lawn

Monday 27 September 2021 21:20 , Graig Graziosi

Video taken by reporters outside the Laundrie’s home in North Port, Florida, shows a growing collection of flowers on the couple’s lawn.

Social media users reportedly have been ordering flowers and sending them to property.

People send Gabby Petito memorial flowers to Laundrie home

Monday 27 September 2021 20:45 , Graig Graziosi

Social media uses are reportedly sending flowers to the Laundrie home in memory of Gabby Petito.

A small memorial is apparently growing outside the Laundrie’s home on their front lawn.

Police reportedly said it was all “going in the garbage.”

Florida police search for another missing woman after her dorm room is found empty and in disarray

Monday 27 September 2021 20:28 , Graig Graziosi

In the wake of Gabby Petito’s disappearance there have been calls for equal attention for other missing person cases around the country.

Police in Florida are searching for another woman whose dorm room was found in disarray after her family became worried when she missed a flight.

The Independent’s Gustaf Kilander has more on missing college student Miya Marcano below...

Police search for missing woman, 19, after finding ‘signs of struggle’ in apartment

Aerial photos show scaled back search in Carlton Reserve

Monday 27 September 2021 20:10 , Graig Graziosi

Aerial photos provided by a news helicopter show the scaled back police search for Brian Laundrie in the Carlton Reserve.

Along with the decreased police presence, flooding caused by heavy rains overnight can also be seen in the photos.

News anchor suspended for raising ‘missing white woman syndrome’ during coverage

Monday 27 September 2021 19:45 , Graig Graziosi

A Bay area news anchor was suspended after getting into a heated argument with his producers over whether they should include allegations that interest in the Gabby Petito case was an example of “missing white woman syndrome,” which claims missing white women get more attention in the public than missing people who are not white women.

The Independent’s Bevan Hurley has more below...

Anchor suspended for raising ‘missing white woman syndrome’ in Gabby Petito story

Video of flooding inside the Carlton Reserve

Monday 27 September 2021 19:25 , Graig Graziosi

Police searching for Brian Laundrie in the Carlton Reserve had to pull back their search efforts after heavy rains flooded the swampy natural area.

Reporters on the ground captured video of the roads leading into the preserve covered with water.

FBI takes the reigns on the search for Brian Laundrie

Monday 27 September 2021 19:00 , Graig Graziosi

The FBI reportedly has taken charge of the search for Brian Laundrie in Florida.

Previously the North Point police were leading the Florida effort to find the man.

Dog the Bounty Hunter says he’ll have a solid lead on Brian Laundrie in 48 hours

Monday 27 September 2021 17:57 , Graig Graziosi

Duane Chapman, better known as Dog the Bounty Hunter, claims he will have a solid lead on Brian Laundrie in 48 hours.

The Independent’s Bevan Hurley has more on the reality TV star and his decision to join in the search for Brian Laundrie in the story below...

Brian Laundrie’s mother reportedly called 911 after Dog the Bounty Hunter knocked on her door

Monday 27 September 2021 17:44 , Graig Graziosi

Roberta Laundrie, Brian Laundrie’s mother, reportedly called 911 when Dog the Bounty Hunter - real name Duane Chapman - knocked on her door.

According to Fox News, Ms Laundrie reported that Mr Chapman was on their property and knocking at their door.

Mr Chapman said it was “unfortunate” that the Laundries declined to speak with him.

Search for Brian Laundrie in Carlton Reserve is scaled back

Monday 27 September 2021 16:40 , Graig Graziosi

Reporters on the ground in Florida are reporting that the police presence around Carlton Reserve, where law enforcement believes Brian Laundrie may be hiding, has been scaled back.

It’s unclear if the reduced police presence is evidence that law enforcement is focusing elsewhere in its search or if it’s the side effect of a Sunday rain storm forcing police to pull back and wait for water levels to recede.

Dog the Bounty Hunter tells Fox News he’s gotten more than 1,000 leads

Monday 27 September 2021 16:19 , Graig Graziosi

Duane Chapman, better known as Dog the Bounty Hunter, appeared on Fox News’s “Fox & Friends” this morning to discuss his involvement in the search for Brian Laundrie.

Mr Chapman claims he’s received more than 1,000 leads and said that within 48 hours he would be ready to start his search on the ground.

Memorial for Gabby Petito in Blue Point continues to grow

Monday 27 September 2021 15:41 , Graig Graziosi

A memorial honouring Gabby Petito in her hometown of Blue Point continues to grow as more mourners leave gifts to remember the 22-year-old.

Ms Petito’s memorial service was held in Blue Point on Sunday.

‘There’s no surviving out here,’ rancher says of Carlton Reserve

Monday 27 September 2021 15:23 , Graig Graziosi

An experienced cattle rancher who has reportedly spent 30 years exploring the Carlton Reserve has cast doubt on whether Brian Laundrie is there.

“There's no surviving out here, I don't know how to say it,” Alan McEwen told Fox News.

“I've been in the woods in and out all my life … I have learned a lot in my life, and one thing I know is no one is gonna survive out there for two weeks on foot.”

The Independent’s Bevan Hurley has more from the rancher below...

Rancher says there’s ‘no surviving’ where Brian Laundrie said he was going

Overnight rain impedes police search of the Carlton Reserve

Monday 27 September 2021 14:51 , Graig Graziosi

North Point police continued their search for Brian Laundrie late Sunday night by air. Heavy rain causing increased water levels inside the park focused the police to pull back their on-ground search teams.

News Nation Now reporter Brian Entin spoke with the police about the search. According to Mr Entin, the police appeared poised to return to the swamps once the water level recedes.

Police were told Laundrie hit Petito on 12 August callout, new records suggest

Monday 27 September 2021 14:35 , Graig Graziosi

Police officers responding to the callout regarding Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie on 12 August were told that he had hit her, dispatch records allegedly show.

While it had previously been unclear whether officers knew a witness had claimed this, Fox13 reports that it has obtained records showing that a dispatcher told that the person who reported the incident “states seeing a male hit a female, domestic,”.

The dispatcher reportedly made a second reference, describing Petito as “the female who got hit”, Fox reported.

The Independent’s Harriet Sinclair has more in the story below...

Officers told man was seen hitting woman before Petito and Laundrie were pulled over

Protesters plan to make noise outside the Laundrie house every morning

Monday 27 September 2021 14:18 , Graig Graziosi

A couple with megaphones are reportedly pacing around outside the Laundrie family home yelling at the couple to produce their son, Brian.

According to News Nation Now reporter Brian Entin, the police were called out to the scene but they left.

The protesters claim they are going to continue yelling challenges at the Laundrie family every hour.

Monday 27 September 2021 13:54 , Andy Gregory

The FBI has asked for items that might have Brian Laundrie’s DNA during a visit to his family home, the family’s lawyer told news outlets.

“The FBI requested some personal items belonging to Brian Laundrie to assist them with DNA matching and Brian's parents provided the FBI with what they could,” the lawyer was quoted as saying.

Monday 27 September 2021 13:32 , Andy Gregory

Here’s a local video report on the latest developments in the FBI investigation, as agents visited Brian Laundrie’s home.

Monday 27 September 2021 13:10 , Andy Gregory

A neighbour of the Schmidt family in Long Island who came to pay her respects, Alexandra Kaluta, told The Independent: “This hit close to home for me because I recently survived a very abusive relationship, very similar to what she experienced and I know in my heart that she did nothing wrong,”

“I feel like it could have been me.”

The van-lifer who ‘touched the world’ remembered as a fearless adventurer at memorial service

Monday 27 September 2021 12:51 , Andy Gregory

Gabby Petito’s father told mourners at her memorial service that the “entire planet” now knows his daughter’s name, and asked that they take inspiration from her fearless pursuit of adventure, Bevan Hurley reports from Holbrook.

“I want you to be inspired by Gabby, that's what we're looking for,” Joseph Petito said during a heartfelt eulogy on Sunday at Moloney’s Holbrook Funeral Home in Holbrook, New York.

“That's what I want to see. If there's a trip that you guys want to take, take it now. Do it now, while you've got the time.”

Gabby Petito: The ‘girl who touched the world’ remembered as a fearless adventurer

Gabby Petito’s father has message for all women in toxic relationships

Monday 27 September 2021 07:17 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Gabby Petito’s father, Joseph Petito, issued a message to all women in toxic relationships at the 22-year-old YouTuber’s memorial service on Sunday. More than 1,000 mourners attended the service at the Petitos’ family home in New York. Mr Petito asked them to remember his daughter and to take inspiration from her life.

Read the full story here:

Gabby Petito’s father gives message to women in toxic relationships at her funeral

FBI visits Brian Laundrie’s home

Monday 27 September 2021 06:59 , Maroosha Muzaffar

With Brian Laundrie still believed to be in “hiding” in the Carlton Reserve in Sarasota, Florida, FBI agents have visited the Laundrie family home to collect some of his personal belongings. The reason - according to the Laundrie family’s lawyer - is to use in “DNA matching”.

Read the full story here:

FBI visits Laundrie home to investigate DNA match

Gabby Petito’s mother says she was planning trip for a year

Monday 27 September 2021 06:35 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Gabby Petito’s mother Nicole Schmidt has said that the 22-year-old had been planning for a year for her trip across the country visiting national parks with her boyfriend.

Nichole Schmidt told CBS News in an interview she knew “she wanted to take this trip”. She added: “She had told me about it probably a year before it started.”

Gabby Petito’s body was found last week on Sunday and the autopsy confirmed that it was her.

The FBI said that she was a victim of a homicide and her boyfriend Brian Laundrie was named a “person of interest” in the case. Last week, the FBI also announced that Mr Laundrie is now subject to a federal arrest warrant, on a fraud charge.

Law enforcement agencies have been searching the 25,000-acre Carlton Reserve for Mr Laundrie for about a week now.

The police have said that they are “scaling back” the search and will keep it “targeted based on intelligence.”

Moderator of Gabby Petito subreddit calls on members to help solve other cases

Monday 27 September 2021 06:00 , Maroosha Muzaffar

The moderator of the Gabby Petito subreddit channel on Reddit, which currently boasts 129,000 members, has urged the community to “look into other missing persons’ cases” in the country.

The statement issued on Sunday adds that “it is a tragic fact that people go missing every day. The way to move forward is not by dividing ourselves but rather by familiarising ourselves with the statistics, and more importantly, the resources available to us all to better prevent something like this from happening to anyone in the future”.

The statement said that the moderator “did not foresee the onslaught of attention and interest” in the Petito case.

Interest in the case has seen renewed demands for similar attention to other missing person cases.

The statement said: “There have been an extremely high number of posts related to race, comparisons of other cases & how they were handled, as well as speculation about why people care about this case. We recognise that there are numerous missing persons across the globe, many of whom do not choose to disappear. All of these people are loved and missed by someone.”

Meanwhile, the family of Daniel Robinson — the 24-year-old geologist who went missing in June this year — are calling for more action and an upgrade to a criminal investigation.

Deb Haaland, the first Native American cabinet secretary had also said last week that her heart goes out to the Petito family, but that she also grieves for “so many Indigenous women” whose families have endured similar heartache “for the last 500 years”.

Rewards total $30,000 for tips on Brian Laundrie

Monday 27 September 2021 05:23 , Maroosha Muzaffar

The cash reward for any information that leads the law enforcement authorities to arrest Brian Laundrie now totals $30,000.

A neighbour of the Petito family, Jerry Torres, had initially offered $5,000 for any tips. It was later increased to $10,000 with help from Steve Moyer, the former deputy chief of police for Sarasota, Florida.

Mr Moyer had said that “money gets people to talk.”

Last week, a personal injury law firm — Boohoff Law — announced that it was offering $20,000 for any information on the whereabouts of Mr Laundrie, who is believed to be hiding in Carlton Reserve in Sarasota.

Dispatch audio confirms witness described Laundrie as aggressor during Moab argument

Monday 27 September 2021 05:16 , Maroosha Muzaffar

The dispatch audio of the “domestic” incident between Brian Laundrie and Gabby Petito last month has revealed that the caller did inform the officers that Mr Laundrie had been the aggressor.

Police had tried to portray Petito as the one hitting her boyfriend.

The Moab Police department is to be investigated over its handling of the incident that was also captured on a bodycam video.

The city officials in Moab had said that they launched a probe into the officers who handled the incident on 12 August.

Experts had earlier claimed that the Utah officers “might not have had all information” when responding to the Moab incident.

The dispatch audio was first obtained by Fox 13 Utah.

Police scaling back search for Brian Laundrie

Monday 27 September 2021 04:35 , Maroosha Muzaffar

North Port Police has said that the search for Brian Laundrie will be “scaled back and targeted based on intelligence” after more than a week of search teams combing through the 25,000-acre Carlton Reserve in Florida.

Josh Taylor, a spokesperson for the North Port Police Department said on Sunday night that since the FBI has taken over the search for the missing boyfriend of 22-year-old Gabby Petito — whose body was found last week in a national park in Wyoming — the search will be scaled back.

He said that “hopefully, water will lower in areas hard to currently access.”

He added: “I don’t think you’re going to see those large scale types of efforts this week.”

On Sunday, more than 1000 mourners attended the memorial service for Petito at a funeral home near her hometown of Blue Port, New York.

Meanwhile, a rancher had earlier said that there was “no surviving” in the Carlton Reserve where Mr Laundrie is believed to be hiding.

Gabrielle Petito’s stepfather flies to Utah to search for her

Wednesday 15 September 2021 19:07 , Graig Graziosi

Gabrielle Petito’s stepfather, James Schmidt, along with a family friend have flown to Utah to search for the missing woman.

Richard Stafford, the family’s lawyer, said Mr Schmidt and the family friend are planning to centre their search on Grand Teton National Park, as it is was last place Ms Petito was seen.