Law enforcement officials discovered several items belonging to the man sought in the murder of Gabby Petito in a Florida park on Wednesday.
CNN reported that after a brief search Wednesday of a trail Brian Laundrie frequented, the Laundrie family and law enforcement found “some articles” belonging to him, family attorney Steve Bertolino said.
According to the FBI, which gave a news conference on Wednesday afternoon, the items found were a notebook and a backpack belonging to Laundrie.
Involved in Wednesday’s search were Laundrie’s parents, who have been described as uncooperative in the investigation into their son’s disappearance and the murder of Petito, his fiancee.
Bertolino would not give any further information on what or how many items were found, but did say law enforcement was conducting a more thorough search of the area.
A video obtained by Fox News showed the Laundries and law enforcement officers together. The officer appeared to tell the parents: “I think we might have found something.”
NBC news reported that partial human remains appear to have been found near a backpack in the Florida park. The FBI said they could not confirm if the remains were Laundrie’s.
The Sarasota County, Florida, medical examiner and a cadaver dog were also brought to the scene, according to media reports.
This is the first sign of Laundrie since he disappeared in mid-September following Petito being reported missing. Laundrie has never been named a suspect in Petito’s death, but is considered a person of interest.
Petito’s body was found in the Bridger-Teton National Forest last month after she was last heard from in August. She and Laundrie had been traveling the country in a van.
On Sept. 1, Laundrie returned to his home in Florida with the van and without Petito.
A warrant has been issued for Laundrie’s arrest by the federal court in Cheyenne. The warrant does not accuse Laundrie of any role in Petito’s death, but accuses of him of unlawfully using a credit card in the days following her disappearance.
Last week, Teton County coroner Dr. Brent Blue confirmed the cause of Petito’s death as homicide by strangulation. He also said her body had been in the forest for three to four weeks before law enforcement officials discovered her remains.
Nicole Schmidt, Petito’s mother, called Laundrie a “coward” during an appearance on “60 Minutes Australia” over the weekend.
