gabby petito

Search for Gabby Petito's Fiancé Continues in Florida, Warrant Issued for His Arrest

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A neighbor of the Laundries says she saw Brian leave with his parents after he came back home to North Port without Gabby. NBC 6’s Cristian Benavides reports

The search for Brian Laundrie is intensifying with each passing day as the investigation into the disappearance and death of his fiancée Gabby Petito ramps up.

On Thursday, a federal grand jury has indicted Laundrie and issued a warrant out for his arrest for unauthorized use of a debit card after her death.

Meanwhile, Laundrie’s parents were spotted leaving the house to retrieve their son’s silver Mustang that had been taken by authorities. 

Authorities continue to look for him in the alligator-infested swamplands of the vast Carlton Reserve, which spans about 25,000 acres. Laundrie is the sole person of interest in the FBI-led criminal homicide investigation of Petito. 

“We’ve deployed numerous resources and we are trying to cover every acre in this reserve,” said Joe Fussell, a commander with North Port Police Department. 

As the search continues, NBC 6 has learned about Petito’s final months before heading out on a cross-country road trip with her now-missing fiancé. 

NBC 6's Cristian Benavides spoke to a former co-worker of Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie

“The only thing I could say is they were ‘couple goals,’” said Nicole Kalanich, a former co-worker. “They were very happy never would expect this from Brian or Gabby.”

The couple worked at a local Publix Supermarket, Petito in the pharmacy and Laundrie in the grocery department.

“They were saving up for this trip, I guess because he got her in to work at Publix,” Kalanich said. 

Much like the videos they posted to document their cross-country road trip, the two seemed like a picture-perfect couple, according to a number of former co-workers NBC 6 spoke with. 

“She was very happy never sad honestly. She always had energy to travel. She was very excited for this trip,” Kalanich said.

Investigators are continuing to look for clues regarding the death of Gabby Petito after the body of the 22-year-old influencer was positively identified in Wyoming. NBC 6's Cristian Benavides reports.

Near the house where Petito lived with Laundrie and his parents, there’s a growing memorial where residents have dropped off flowers and written notes.

“I never met her, but she’s touched everybody right now,” said Stacy Schuman, a North Port resident. 

A coroner in Wyoming confirmed that the body found in the park over the weekend is Gabby Petito, and has ruled that her death was a homicide. NBC 6's Cristian Benavides reports

On Tuesday, exactly one week after Laundrie went missing, the FBI released the preliminary results of an autopsy done by the Teton County Coroner, determining Petito died by homicide. 

All eyes are on Laundries parents, who said their son went missing last Tuesday, after going into the Carlton reserve for a hike but waited until Friday to report him missing.

The parents were questioned by the FBI, and law enforcement experts say it’s likely they know more about what happened than they could be letting on.

The search for Brian Laundrie is still ongoing, and law enforcement is searching a vast nature reserve in Sarasota County in connection with the disappearance of Gabby Petito. NBC 6's Cristian Benavides reports

"I'm sure they want to protect their son,” said Michael Alcazar, an adjunct professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice and former New York Police Department Detective. “But if that was my son, I would want to cooperate immediately. I believe they know something why would they not report him missing for so many days"

Leads on Brain's whereabouts are pouring in from across the country. In Baker, Florida, the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office confirmed they've done an extensive search of campgrounds after a resident posted a surveillance image of someone out alone in the wilderness who resembles Laundrie.

A search warrant revealed a ton of details in the Gabby Petito case — including one text message her mother called "odd." NBC 6's Cristian Benavides reports

NBC 6 cameras captured the moment the FBI raided the Laundrie residence Monday morning, one day after Petito's body was recovered at a campsite in Wyoming.

Her dad previously told NBC Dateline that he worried he'd never see his daughter again.

"I don't know if I can deal with not having my baby girl back, not holding her again."

NBC 6's Cristian Benavides is in North Port, Florida where police are also looking for Petito's fiancé Brian Laundrie, who is a person of interest in her disappearance.

The heartbreaking discovery late Sunday was made at a campground in the Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming, where the FBI had been searching for Petito. 

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