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United States Gabby Petito - latest updates: Boyfriend Brian Laundrie named ‘person of interest’ as he avoids FBI interviews
(YouTube/ Nomadic Statik)
Police in Florida have new information on the disappearance of Gabby Petito, a popular YouTuber. On Wednesday, the North Port Police Department announced they were treating Ms Petito’s fiance as a person of interest in their investigation.
Ms Petito disappeared while on a road trip with her fiancé, Brian Laundrie, who returned without her, prompting a frantic search for the 22-year-old woman that began on 11 September.
Mr Laundrie, who lived with Ms Petito in North Port, Florida, has thus far refused to cooperate with authorities. The North Port police will hold a press conference today at 11:30am EST to discuss the latest developments in their search for Ms Petito.
Nicole Schmidt, Ms Petito’s mother, said the last time she spoke with her daughter was 30 August, but because it was a text she cannot be sure that she was actually speaking with the woman. Before that the mother and daughter video chatted on 23 or 24 August.
Ms Schmidt said it was normal for her and her daughter to video chat multiple times a week. When her daughter did not check in after Mr Laundrie returned early from their road trip, she grew concerned and eventually the family alerted the police.
The North Port Police Department announced on Wednesday that it was setting up a national hotline for tips concerning the disappearance and current whereabouts of Gabrielle Petito.
Anyone with information on the woman’s location, disappearance, or anyone who saw her van should call 1-800-CALLFBI (225-5324).
The North Port Police Department said it had already received hundreds of tips and was in the process of vetting the information through various law enforcement agencies.
Graig Graziosi15 September 2021 18:07
In a statement issued through an attorney, the family of Brian Laundrie, the fiance of Gabrielle Petito and the last known person to see her, said they will “remain in the background” of the search effort.
Ms Petito’s family issued a statement in response, frustrated that Mr Laundrie was refusing to cooperate with authorities.
“The Schmidt and Petito family are going through the worst moments of their lives. Their beautiful twenty-two year old daughter is missing and the one person that can help find Gabby refuses to help,” their statement said.
Mr Laundrie has been named a person of interest in Ms Petito’s case by the North Port Police Department.
Graig Graziosi15 September 2021 17:54
Joe Petito, Gabrielle Petito’s father, appeared on Fox News to discuss his daughter’s disappearance and react to the statement put out by her fiance, Brian Laundrie.
“That wasn’t a statement. I’m sorry. That’s not a statement,” Mr Petito told Fox News host Bill Hemmer.
“Forget Brian, Brian’s home safe. His parents, yeah it’s hard for them. Bulls***. You know what? My daughter is not here. Our daughter is not here. We don’t even know what state she’s in.”
He said he was largely unconcerned with the statement.
“You know, we’re shooting from the hip here and trying to do what we can. So I don’t care about the statement. I care about finding Gabby,” he said.
Graig Graziosi15 September 2021 17:32
The North Port Police Department released a press statement with the latest updates regarding the ongoing search for Gabrielle Petito.
The Independent’s Bevan Hurley examines the department’s latest information below...
Graig Graziosi15 September 2021 17:02
The North Port police released photos of the van Gabrielle Petito drove during their cross-country road trip.
Stickers on the back of the van used by Gabrielle Petito and her fiance Brian Laundrie. Mr Laundrie returned from the trip without Ms Petito, prompting a police search.
(North Point Police Department)
North Port Police released photographs of the van they seized from Mr Laundrie’s home
(North Port Police)
Graig Graziosi15 September 2021 16:56
Brian Laundrie, Gabrielle Petito’s fiance and the last known person to see her in person, is now being considered a person of interest in the case.
The North Port Police Department held a press conference on Wednesday to announce that they were considering the fiance a person of interest in their search for Ms Petito.
“We know Brian returned here to North Port on 1 September - ten days before her family reported her missing on 11 September,” the department said in a statement before declaring Mr Laundrie a person of interest.
Police said Mr Laundrie has not made himself available to investigators.
Graig Graziosi15 September 2021 16:45
Gabrielle Petito’s Instagram account mysteriously went dark before it was reactivated on Wednesday. The family’s attorney told WABC-TV they had “no idea who deleted Gabby’s Instagram account.” “We contacted Instagram and the FBI to let them know that it was deleted,” they said.
Graig Graziosi15 September 2021 16:37
2 July, 2021: Gabrielle Petito and her fiance, Brian Laundrie, leave New York on a cross-country trip in a camper van.
5 July, 2021: The couple stops at Monument Rocks in Kansas.
24 August, 2021: Ms Petito is last seen with checking out of a Salt Lake City hotel with Mr Laundrie
25 August, 2021: Ms Petito’s mother, Nicole Schmidt, video chats with her daughter for the last time via phone. Ms Petito reveals she is in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming.
30 August, 2021: Ms Schmidt receives a text purportedly from Ms Petito. Ms Smith says she is unsure if the text was actually from her daughter.
11 September, 2021: Ms Petito’s parents report her missing.
Graig Graziosi15 September 2021 16:27
Police in Moab, Utah reported that they responded to an incident involving Gabrielle Petito and her fiance, Brian Laundrie, on 12 August.
The police did not go into detail regarding the circumstances of the call.
“Our officers did respond to an incident involving Brian Laundrie and Gabrielle Petito on 12 August 2021 however, neither Brian or Gabrielle were the reporting party. Officers conducted an investigation and determined that insufficient evidence existed to justify criminal charges,” Moab Police said in a statement.
Graig Graziosi15 September 2021 16:16
Welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of the search for YouTuber Gabrielle Petito.
Ms Petito left her home in North Port, Florida, to embark on a cross country road trip with her fiance, Brian Laundrie.
When Mr Laundrie returned home early - and without Ms Petito - the 22-year-old woman’s family became worried and alerted the police. Ms Petito’s fiance, Mr Laundrie, has refused to cooperate with police inquiries into her location.
The North Port Police Department announced on Wednesday it would provide updates on the search today at 11:30 am.
Graig Graziosi15 September 2021 16:02
