NORTH PORT, Fla. — Possible human remains have been found in the area where items belonging to Brian Laundrie were located in Florida on Wednesday, NBC News and Fox News report, citing senior law enforcement sources. The 23-year-old man is considered a person of interest in the death of his fiancée, Gabby Petito.
Officials told CBS News and NBC News that the apparent remains were located in a spot in the Carlton Reserve in Sarasota County that was previously under water.
Authorities have not confirmed whether or not the remains belong to Laundrie.
In a statement obtained by ABC News and Fox News, family attorney Steven Bertolino says Laundrie’s parents, Chris and Roberta, went to the Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park in North Port to search for their son Wednesday morning.
The lawyer says the FBI and the North Port Police Department were informed of Laundrie’s parents’ intentions and the agencies met them at the park.
After a brief search off of a trail that Laundrie reportedly frequented, the attorney says, “Some articles belonging to Brian were found.”
The FBI confirmed that "items of interest" were located at the Carlton Reserve in connection with the search for Brian Laundrie. The agency added that it has an evidence response team processing the scene and the reserve is closed to the public.
Aerial views of the scene show a tent has been set up in the area and many law enforcement vehicles are present.
Additionally, a medical examiner’s office in Sarasota has been called to the park where the search for Laundrie is underway, a spokeswoman for the office confirmed to WFTS and ABC News.
Petito, 22, was reported missing on Sept. 11 after she didn’t return from a cross-country road trip that she went on with Laundrie, visiting national parks in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming.
The woman’s remains were later recovered near the Spread Creek Dispersed Camping Area in Wyoming on Sept. 19. Her death was ruled a homicide and the Teton County coroner has said she died by strangulation.
Authorities say Laundrie returned to Florida without Petito after their trip, but he then disappeared, and law enforcement has been actively searching for him.
According to the FBI, a federal arrest warrant has been issued for Laundrie related to his alleged activities following the death of Petito. Specifically, the warrant is for violating a federal statute over the “use of unauthorized access devices.”
