The FBI announced on Wednesday that investigators found what appears to be human remains along with personal items Wednesday in a North Port, Fla., park in their search for Brian Laundrie. FBI Special Agent in Charge Michael McPherson said that in addition to possible human remains, searchers found a backpack and notebook that belonged to the 23-year-old Laundrie, adding that at least some of the items had “until recently been underwater.” McPherson made the announcement in a press conference but declined to take questions.
The announcement came after representatives from the Sarasota County Medical Examiner’s Office were called to Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park, the last place Brian Laundrie’s family said they remember seeing him. Laundrie’s parents, Chris Laundrie and Roberta Laundrie, informed law enforcement officials on Tuesday that they planned to search the park. North Port police officers and FBI agents met them at the park Wednesday morning to assist in the search of trails Brian Laundrie was known to frequent. Steven Berolino, an attorney for the Laundrie family, confirmed that “some articles belonging to Brian were found” at the park.
Brian Laundrie’s parents reported him missing Sept. 13, less than two weeks after he returned home from a road trip out West without his fiancée, Gabrielle “Gabby” Petito, 22. Searchers found Petito’s body Sept. 19 at Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming and determined she died of strangulation.Investigators have sought Brian Laundrie as a person of interest in Petito’s death and on federal charges of using someone else’s credit card. They focused their search efforts on a wildlife preserve in Florida as well as the Myakkahatchee park, which is where Brian Laundrie’s parents said they last remembered seeing him.