It has been more than three weeks since Brian Laundrie disappeared after returning without his fiancée, Gabby Petito, from a trip across the country.
The case has had constant updates that have left authorities and the public confused as to the timeline and the reasons behind Laundrie’s disappearance. His parents have not commented much on the case, either.
Laundrie’s family attorney, Steven Bertolino, has previously said that Laundrie’s parents are “taking a backseat” and would not comment on the attorney’s advice. Bertolino has said the Laundries don’t know where their son is and haven’t heard from him since he left their Florida home in mid-September.
Laundrie has not been charged in the death of Petito, whose body was found in Wyoming. He was accused of using two financial accounts that did not belong to him in the days after Petito’s death.
The search for Laundrie is ongoing, but here is a timeline of what we know about Laundrie:
June 2021: Laundrie embarks on a cross-country journey with Petito
Laundrie and Petito planned a cross-country trip to tour the west coast in Petito’s white Ford van. Along the way, the couple would visit state and national parks in the western United States.
Petito documented her journey this summer on social media, posting photos of herself smiling at Monument Rocks in Kansas, posing in Colorado’s Great Sand Dunes and enjoying views of Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah.
August 12: Laundrie and Petito meet with Utah Police
Things took a turn in August when police in Moab, Utah, found the couple “involved in some kind of altercation”.
According to Agent Eric Pratt’s report, the two got into a physical fight after an argument. There were reports and calls to 911 from witnesses describing a man (Laundrie) allegedly beating a woman (Petito).
Camera footage of Pratt’s body showed Petito telling her that even though Laundrie had hit her, she hit him first.
“Both the man and the woman reported that they are in love and engaged to be married and did not desperately want anyone to be charged with a crime,” the Pratt report finally said.
At the suggestion of officers, the couple separated for the night, according to the report, which describes Petito as “confused and emotional”.
“After evaluating the totality of the circumstances, I do not believe the situation has escalated to the level of a domestic assault but to a mental health crisis,” Agent Daniel Robbins wrote in his report. No charges are filed.
August 17-23: Laundrie flies from Utah to Florida and back
Laundrie flew to Tampa, Florida, from Salt Lake City and met Petito six days later in Utah, according to Bertolino, the Laundrie family’s attorney.
Laundrie “flew home to get some items and to empty and close the storage unit to save money while they contemplated extending the road trip,” Bertolino told Citizen Free Press.
August 27: Laundrie and Petito are seen at a Wyoming restaurant
Petito and Laundrie were seen again in Jackson, Wyoming, where a couple reported seeing Petito and Laundrie involved in a “ruckus” as they left The Merry Piglets Tex-Mex restaurant.
At the end of August, Petito stopped posting regularly on social media.
Driving Petito’s van, Laundrie returned to the home he and the young woman shared with their parents in North Port, Florida. Petito was not with him.
September 6-8: The Laundrie family goes camping
The Laundrie family goes to a campsite about 120 kilometers from their home.
Roberta Laundrie, Brian Laundrie’s mother, checked into an oceanfront location at the Fort De Soto campground from Sept. 6-8, according to a Pinellas County Parks campground log report provided to Citizen Free Press.
The Laundries were at the campsite from Sept. 6-7 and left together, Bertolino later told Citizen Free Press.
September 11: Petito’s disappearance is reported
Petito’s family reported the girl’s disappearance on September 11, weeks after calls to her mother and frequent social media posts ceased.
From then on, things get even more confusing.
September 13 or 14: Laundrie disappears
At the time, Petito’s body had not been found, and the police were publicly asking Laundrie and his parents to talk to them about what they knew.
Laundrie had availed himself of his Fifth Amendment right, North Port Police Chief Todd Garrison told Citizen Free Press’s Don Lemon. It generally means that a person cannot be compelled to make statements that they believe may be negative or used against them.
Laundrie’s parents initially told North Port Police that they had not seen their son since Sept. 14, but did not contact authorities about it for three days.
Parents told police Laundrie left home with his backpack, and a source close to Laundrie’s family told Citizen Free Press’s Chris Cuomo that the young man left his home without his cell phone and wallet.
Laundrie’s parents also told police he was going to the nearby Carlton Preserve, a 10,000-acre nature reserve near the family’s home that has waist-deep water, snakes and alligators.
The September 14 disappearance was what federal and local authorities followed during the more than three weeks they were searching for Laundrie on the reservation.
Laundrie’s family then said in October that he had left their home on September 13, a day earlier than had been reported.
Bertolino told Citizen Free Press that Brian Laundrie’s father, Chris Laundrie, went looking for Brian the night of September 13 after his son failed to return from the park.
The next day, Sept. 14, Brian’s parents returned to the Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park area to look for him and found his Ford Mustang with an abandoned vehicle notification, Bertolino said. The North Port Police Department confirmed that the summons had been placed on the car.
The parents returned the next day, September 15, to retrieve the vehicle.
September 19: Petito’s remains found in Wyoming
Petito’s remains were found in Wyoming’s Bridger-Teton National Forest. The Teton County Coroner confirmed the remains were Petito’s two days later, on Sept. 21.
September 23: Federal indictment against Laundrie
The FBI announced on September 23 that the Wyoming District Court issued a federal arrest warrant against him. Laundrie has been charged with using two financial accounts that did not belong to him between August 30 and September 1.
The indictment says he used these accounts to collect more than $ 1,000 from commerce after Petito’s death, which affected interstate commerce. Laundrie did so “knowingly and with intent to defraud,” according to the indictment.