The U.S. District Court of Wyoming has issued a federal arrest warrant for Brain Laundrie, the fiancé of 22-year-old YouTuber Gabby Petito who went missing on a cross-country trip while with him and was later found dead in the Bridger-Teton National Forest in Wyoming.
The warrant was issued after a grand jury indicted Laundrie for his “use of unauthorized devices.”
According to the indictment, Laundrie used a debit card and PIN number for accounts he doesn’t own. The charges were more than $1,000 between Aug. 30 and Sept. 1. The family’s lawyer said that the warrant issued is not for Petito’s death but rather for the activities that happened after.
“It is my understanding that the arrest warrant for Brian Laundrie is related to activities occurring after the death of Gabby Petito and not related to her actual demise,” Steve Bertolino said. “The FBI is focusing on locating Brian and when that occurs the specifics of the charges covered under the indictment will be addressed in the proper forum.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Michael Schneider that although the warrant allows law enforcement to make an arrest, they are still encouraging people who have knowledge of Laundrie’s whereabouts to speak up.
“While this warrant allows law enforcement to arrest Mr. Laundrie, the FBI and our partners across the country continue to investigate the facts and circumstances of Ms. Petito’s homicide. We urge individuals with knowledge of Mr. Laundrie’s role in this matter or his current whereabouts to contact the FBI.”
The immense search for Laundrie continues and is centered around North Port, Florida, where according to investigators, Laundrie returned back home on Sept. 1, without Petito, but driving her car.
Laundrie is currently a “person of interest” in the disappearance and death of Petito, according to police. He was reported missing on Sept. 14.
Latest information about Laundrie’s whereabouts
On Thursday, a source close to the Laundrie family told Chris Cuomo of CNN that Laundrie left his parent’s home in Florida last Tuesday without his cellphone and wallet. He hasn’t been seen since then.
The search on Friday focused on wooded areas and bodies of water.
“We’re looking through wooded areas, we’re looking through bodies of water, we’re looking through swampy areas,” Commander Joe Fussell of the North Port Police Department said in a video. “And we’re deploying the resources to be able to do that. We have air units, we have drones, we have the swamp buggies, air boats, multiple law enforcement agencies, we have ATVs, we have UTVs and we have officers on foot as well.”
The Friday search for Brian Laundrie in the Carlton Reserve near North Port, Florida, concluded after a whole-day search. The police still have no evidence of the missing 23-year-old after seven days of searching.
Vigils for Petito held in her hometown before her funeral
Several vigils for Gabby Petito were held in Long Island, New York, on Friday. Residents in her hometown, Blue Point, lit candles and offered flowers at a vigil for the 22-year-old victim.
Petito’s funeral is scheduled for Sunday afternoon at Moloney’s Holbrook Funeral Home in Holbrook, New York. The service is open to the public according to reports.
Also Read: Family Warn Brian Laundrie’s Lawyer of Legal Action
