SUNDAY 9/19/21 5:14 p.m.
NORTH PORT, Fla. (ABC4) – North Port Police have concluded their search for Brian Laundrie in the Carlton Reserve for Sunday night.
Authorities say they have not found anything or any sign of Laundrie at this time.
The search should resume tomorrow morning. As of Sunday evening, officials searching in the Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming area for Gabby Petito have confirmed the discovery of a body that is consistent with Petito’s description.
North Port Police have released a statement regarding the discovery.
Follow ABC4 for breaking updates to the story as more information becomes available.
SUNDAY 9/19/21 8:23 a.m.
NORTH PORT, Fla. (ABC4) – Police have resumed the search for Brian Laundrie on Sunday morning at the Carlton Reserve in Florida.
Last night, authorities ended the search after nothing was found and nightfall made search efforts difficult. Laundrie has been missing since Tuesday and is a person of interest in the disappearance of Gabby Petito, a case that has caught the attention of the country.
A team of over 50 officers is currently searching for Laundrie with assistance from drones, four-wheelers, and K-9 units. The search first began at a smaller park in front stretching about 200 acres in size and later expanded to the reserve behind it, which runs about 25,000 acres in size.
Authorities say they only have the report from Laundrie’s family to go on at the moment and are asking anyone with information to call 1-800-CALL-FBI.
ABC4 will update this story as more information becomes available.
Drones are being used to scour Carlton Reserve, which runs about 25,000 acres in size.(Courtesy of the North Port Police) 
The Carlton Reserve is a wild area popular for hiking and outdoor activities. (Courtesy of the North Port Police) 
Over 50 officers have been deployed in the search for Brian Laundrie on Saturday. (Courtesy of the North Port Police) 
K-9 units are using personal clothing items from Laundrie to track him down. (Courtesy of the North Port Police) 
(Courtesy of the North Port Police) 
This photo provided by North Port Police Department, law enforcement officials conduct a search of the vast Carlton Reserve in the Sarasota, Fla., area for Brian Laundrie on Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021. Laundrie is a person of interest in the disappearance of his girlfriend, Gabrielle “Gabby” Petito. (North Port Police Department via AP)
ORIGINAL STORY: ‘Certainly a twist’: Police searching for missing fiancé of Gabby Petito, both being treated as missing person cases
SATURDAY 9/18/21 12:44 p.m.
NORTH PORT, Fla. (ABC4) – North Port Police say they currently have 50 law enforcement officers from five different agencies deployed in the search for Brian Laundrie on Saturday.
Police say Laundrie’s missing status is “certainly a twist.”
“We’re hopeful that he’s out here,” says Josh Taylor, a North Point Police spokesperson. “Certainly, we’ve prepared for all different possibilities, but our goal is to locate him and bring him back to North Port.”
Police have focused on searching the Carlton Reserve area as Laundrie’s family says it’s a place he likes to frequent for hiking. Laundrie’s family believes he headed into the reserve earlier this week on Tuesday and was carrying a backpack with him.
On Friday evening, police were seen entering Laundrie’s home and speaking with his family for some time, which police confirmed was the first in-depth conversation they were able to have with the family. The family hadn’t heard from Laundrie since Tuesday and were looking to file a missing person’s report.
Officials say they have no other leads at the moment besides the family’s belief that Laundrie headed into Carlton Reserve. The reserve is over 25,000 acres and police say they have deployed drones, four-wheelers, and K-9 units to aid in the search efforts.
At this point, officials are treating the situation as a missing person case and not a criminal investigation as no charges have been filed and there is no confirmation of a crime.
“Brian is a resident of this community,” says Taylor. “Brian is not a suspect in a crime. Brian is a person of interest and a missing person. We’re not following him everywhere he’s going. That’s just not how it works.”
Taylor explains their main priority has been trying to find Petito, with all resources being put towards that goal and not necessarily on tracking Laundrie’s every move.
When asked why the police can’t just bring Laundrie in, Taylor explains there is no crime pinned to anyone at the moment and Laundrie is considered only a regular person of interest at this time.
Considering the less-than-ideal conditions in North Port on Saturday, officials believe Laundrie could be in physical danger, as the reserve has wild, unpaved areas paired with wet, muggy conditions.
Taylor says the search effort is being conducted in conjunction with the FBI. The search first focused on a smaller 200-acre park at the reserve’s entrance, then later expanded to the 25,000-acre reserve further back.
Officials are still searching for both Petito and Laundrie at this time. ABC4 will provide any updates on the story as they become available.
