Gabby Petito's family believes they will 'have justice', attorney says: LIVE UPDATES
Richard Stafford, an attorney for the Petito family, told reporters Tuesday that the FBI is "investigating her death and we believe through their investigation we will have justice for Gabby."
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The Watuaga County, North Carolina Sheriff’s Office has not been able to confirm tips that Brian Laundrie has been spotted in the area.
“We were looking into these claims, but nothing has been verified," the Sheriff's Office said in a statement.
Laundrie has also been connected to the Appalachian Trail in North Carolina by Do the Bounty Hunter's daughter, Lyssa Chapman, who has called on experienced outdoors enthusiast to assist in the search in the state on social media.
Fort De Soto Park map
A map of the campground where the Laundrie family allegedly stayed in early September shows the campsite witnesses say they saw the family.
Documents obtained by Fox News show Brian Laundrie’s mom Roberta did check in to Fort De Soto Park twice, from Sept. 1 to 3 and Sept. 6 to 8.
A couple that was celebrating their anniversary in the same park said that the Laundrie's stayed at a campsite three spots down from them. The couple said they "vaguely remember" seeing the Laundrie family truck and camper because it is rare for them to see campers attached to vehicles.
NORTH PORT, Fla. – A flood of flower deliveries addressed to Gabby Petito continue to arrive at Brian Laundrie’s family’s home in North Port, Florida, where she lived for roughly two years before departing on a cross-country road trip with her fiancé in June.
The initiative is meant to keep Gabby's memory alive as Brian Laundrie's parents keep facing backlash on several fronts.
Petito, 22, disappeared in late August and her remains were found on Sept. 19 in Wyoming’s Teton-Bridger National Forest. A coroner later declared her death a homicide.
Brian Laundrie’s mom Roberta did check in to a Florida park about 75 miles north of the family’s home earlier this month, records obtained by Fox News show.
Laundrie, 23, vanished on Sept. 14 – although his parents didn’t say anything until three days later. His 22-year-old fiancée Gabby Petito was found dead in Wyoming on Sept. 18 – weeks after the couple was seen camping near the site of her remains. The coroner later ruled her death a homicide.
Duane "Dog" Chapman, also known as Dog the Bounty Hunter, announced Saturday he was entering the search for Laundrie, and tips quickly poured in. He told Fox News he received a heads-up on Monday that Laundrie’s parents spent the night in Fort De Soto Park with their son twice in early September from Sept. 1 to 3 and Sept. 6 to 8
Sean Whalen, an entrepreneur, tells Fox News on Tuesday he is offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to the capture of Brian Laundrie.
"I am the father of an 18-year-old daughter and what's happened to this girl is every father's nightmare," he told Fox News in an Instagram message.
"I don't much care why or how everything happened, but the unknowns and unanswered questions this father is dealing with are a literal nightmare, a reality that would bring any father to his knees, and from one father to another, me offering some money to help him answer the questions and provide some sort of relief to this tragedy is the least I can do," Whalen added.
Jim Schmidt, Gabby Petito's stepfather, speaks Tuesday. (Fox News)
Jim Schmidt, Petito’s stepfather, says the family has not yet received Gabby’s remains from the coroner’s office in Wyoming.
“When they are ready to release her, we will be bringing her home,” he said.
Schmidt also said he has not yet received any of her possessions from Florida.
“We don’t stop remembering Gabby and keeping her name out there and fighting for other people out there like her," he added when asked what is next in the case. "She is always with us every day, she is giving us signs. It’s difficult, you know, we have been talking – where do you go from here, how do you go back to normal? Whatever normal may be from here on out."
"But we have each other, we are a big family, we have a huge support network," he continued. "And we are just going to keep pushing forward and living every day and loving every day because that is what Gabby did and that is what we need to do.”
Gabby’s father, Joe Petito, tells reporters Tuesday that social media has been “very influential” in the case.
“To be honest, it should continue for other people too. This same type of heightened awareness should be continued for everyone.”
“The FBI has classified her death a homicide,” Petito family attorney Richard Stafford says. “They are the premier agency in the country. They are investigating her death and we believe through their investigation we will have justice for Gabby."
“For the Laundrie’s silence – the Laundries did not help us find Gabby, they sure as not are going to help find Brian," Stafford later said. "For Brian, we are asking you to turn yourself in to the FBI or the nearest law enforcement agency."
Stafford also said the parents are "100 percent happy with the FBI" and that "they have been with us every single step of the way."
(Fox News)
“She was the bright light in everyone’s life that knew her,” attorney Richard Stafford says. “Gabby’s family does not want that light to dim and they want to make some good from this awful tragedy. That is why they are starting the Gabby Petito Foundation.”
Click here to watch on Fox News.
(Fox News)
Reporters are gathering Tuesday ahead of a press conference by Petito's family at 1 p.m. ET on Long Island in New York.
The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office tells Fox News this morning that there is currently no search ongoing for Brian Laundrie at Fort De Soto park.
Google Maps
An image posted on Gabby Petito’s Instagram in February is tagged at the Fort De Soto Park in Florida, near the area where Duane "Dog the Bounty Hunter" Chapman is investigating a tip alleging Laundrie and his parents visited a campground in early September.
The park is about a 75-mile drive northwest from the Laundries' home in North Port. It’s located southwest of St. Petersburg and attracts more than 2.7 million visitors annually, according to Pinellas County’s website.
"The largest park within the Pinellas County Park System, Fort De Soto park consists of 1,136 acres made up of five interconnected islands (keys)," the website says. "These keys are home to beach plants, mangroves, wetlands, palm hammocks, hardwoods and scores of native plants."
The park contains more than 7 miles of waterfront and an "800-foot-long boat launching facility with eleven floating docks," the website adds.
Click here to read more on Fox News.
(Instagram/gabspetito)
An image posted on Gabby Petito’s Instagram in February is tagged at the Fort De Soto Historical Fort, near the area where Duane "Dog the Bounty Hunter" Chapman is investigating a tip alleging Laundrie and his parents visited a campground in early September.
The image shows Laundrie smiling as he stands behind bars.
The couple later posted a review of the Fort De Soto campground on travel website The Dyrt, describing it as a “really nice campground, beautiful area with many hikes and easy walks, the beach, historic sites, really nice camp store and well maintained sites!”
FIRST ON FOX: "Dog the Bounty Hunter" called it "a shame" that Brian Laundrie’s mother Roberta Laundrie called 911 Saturday rather than answer his knock on the family’s front door.
Audio emerged Monday indicating that Brian Laundrie’s parents called 911 to report the presence of Duane "Dog" Chapman on their North Port, Florida property."The female, Roberta... called in on 911," a dispatcher is heard saying on a radio recording, adding that the caller "referenced a situation with the male."
EXCLUSIVE: Duane "Dog the Bounty Hunter" Chapman is investigating a tip that alleges Brian Laundrie, the fugitive fiancé of Gabby Petito, went into a Florida campground 75 miles away with his parents in early September — but only two of them were seen leaving.
Chapman announced Saturday he was entering the search for Laundrie, and tips quickly poured in. He told Fox News he received a tip on Monday that Laundrie’s parents spent the night in Fort De Soto Park with their son twice in early September from Sept. 1-3 and Sept. 6-8.
"They were registered, went through the gate. They’re on camera. They were here," he told Fox News exclusively on Monday evening. "We think at least if he’s not here right now, we are sure he was caught on camera as he went in the gate — that he was here for sure. Not over in the swamp."
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