'Your World' on Brian Laundrie search latest

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Forensic pathologist: Task to ID human remains in Laundrie search 'multilayered'

Dr. Priya Banerjee joins 'Your World' to explain the various factors at play in an autopsy.

This is a rush transcript of "Your World" on October 20, 2021. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

CHARLES PAYNE, FOX NEWS ANCHOR: Welcome, everyone. I'm Charles Payne, in for Neil Cavuto, and this is YOUR WORLD.

Now, by now, most of Neil Cavuto has tested positive for COVID-19. In fact, so many of you have reached out to me to wish him well on your behalf. And I want everyone to know that it's feeling fine. We all know he's a fighter and we do look forward to getting him back in his chair as soon as possible.

Now this.

A senior law enforcement official telling FOX -- quote -- "what appears to be human remains" have been found, this in the search for Brian Laundrie, along with some of his belongings, the FBI in Tampa expected to give an update shortly.

And we are watching out for that.

First to Laura Ingle in Blue Point, New York, though, with the very latest -- Laura.

LAURA INGLE, FOX NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Charles.

Yes, we're here in Gabby Petito's hometown, where we are waiting for any type of reaction coming from her mother and stepfather. This is where they reside and where Gabby Petito grew up. And, of course, you have got Joe Petito and his wife, Gabby's stepmother, down in Florida.

No word from the family as of yet. And, again, we are waiting for that press conference to take place very shortly from the FBI to give us some indication about what they are calling or what senior law enforcement officials are saying are human remains that were found today in this reserve, possible human remains. We just won't know until we get that confirmation.

And we want to show you some video of where this is all taking place. We have seen cadaver dogs going into this Carlton area reserve, in addition to a coroner's van from the Sarasota County Medical Examiner's Office and the Lee County Mobile Command Center vehicle.

FOX News digital catching Chris and Roberta Laundrie, Brian Laundrie's parents, at the park, where all of this activity was happening earlier today, with a search team member who reportedly told the parents they may have found something.

Now, if human remains recovered today are confirmed to be those of Brian Laundrie's, this is not going to be the news that Gabby Petito's parents were hoping for. They told me two weeks ago they wanted him to be found alive to answer questions about what happened to their daughter while the couple was on their cross-country trip this summer.

And, again, as you mentioned, the FBI expected to hold this press conference. There are a lot of questions. And I do want to point out that when we were covering this case in Wyoming, and there had been remains found, everybody needed to be careful. The FBI was very careful until they came out at that press conference, because there were other people missing in that area at the time.

So that's why we're not hearing any reaction from the family as of yet, until that official confirmation comes down -- Charles.

PAYNE: Laura, thank you very much.

So, what are investigators focusing on right now?

Former FBI agent Maureen O'Connell is here to discuss.

Maureen.

MAUREEN O'CONNELL, FORMER FBI AGENT: Well, they're focusing on the facts that are unfolding as we speak right now.

For example, the parents -- if you were asking me, I would say that the parents haven't been able to get in touch with him for a period of days. And so, last night, they reached out to both the FBI and the local law enforcement to tell them that they wanted to go to the park. At that point, they brought them pretty much right to his campsite.

Now, he probably told them in the past that everyone was saying, why do they keep searching this area? Why do they keep searching that area? He is probably not even there. Well, I will bet that it's going to come to light that his parents provided information through their attorney to law enforcement that he probably was there.

Thereby, they're thinking that they're reducing their own culpability with regard to aiding and abetting. However, the fact that they brought them right to the campsite leads all of us to believe that they have known all along, and they have been probably communicating all along with their burner phones or whatever they were using.

And so they brought them there. And then they found his backpack. And they probably removed the parents, as we would. They would remove the parents from the crime scene. And, from there, they did a search, and they found human remains.

PAYNE: Maureen, with that scenario that you have described, do you think then the parents would have at some point when the burner phones weren't working, when Brian wasn't picking up anymore, that's when they may have started to alert law enforcement?

And because their lawyers were involved, is there a chance that maybe there was some sort of negotiations going on to mitigate culpability?

O'CONNELL: Yes, I definitely think there were negotiations going on.

I just don't have much confidence in this attorney personally. I think he's done as much harm as he's done good. His approach has been terrible. And these parents, the truth of the matter is, Brian could have been communicating with his attorney with a burner phone on a solar charger.

So it may have been when that stopped. The attorney himself could have been the conduit between the parents and Brian.

PAYNE: The public has been frustrated with law enforcement throughout all of this from the stop, of course, to somehow they lost track of Brian, Brian Laundrie. He was never a suspect. A lot of people still can't come to terms with that.

Maybe we all watch too much television, but your assessment of your colleagues and how this has gone down?

O'CONNELL: Well, I think it's clear that they poured their heart and souls into this investigation. The fact that they didn't have 24/7 surveillance on Brian, there are two schools of thoughts on that. One is that he wasn't charged with anything other than -- I mean, initially, he wasn't charged with anything.

But, secondarily, small departments don't have the manpower to put surveillance on someone 24/7. Surveillance isn't something where one guy sits in his car. It's usually you have to cut off choke points on going northbound, southbound, whichever way. You have to be in communication. You have to know the backyard. You have to have teams, usually three shifts per day, to do something like that.

So it's not -- it's not something easy. It's very manpower-intensive. And what we do for one criminal or one crime, we need to apply those same standards to everyone.

PAYNE: All right, Maureen, thank you very much. I really do appreciate it.

I want to bring it now W...

O'CONNELL: Thank you, sir. I appreciate you too.

PAYNE: ... WTVT'S Josh Cascio. He's joining us live from North Port, Florida.

And, Josh, what are you hearing right now on the ground?

JOSH CASCIO, WTVT REPORTER: Yes, I can tell you this area is a hotbed of activity right now, dozens of media out here, onlookers, law enforcement as well.

The latest from what we're hearing from law enforcement, a law enforcement source saying what appears to be human remains were found at a site search by a cadaver dog within the park today. That is a huge development, as you know, in this case.

Now, at this point, the FBI is only saying they found -- quote -- "items of interest" in the reserve here, which is now closed to the public. We have reached out to the Laundrie family attorney. He confirms some of the items that were found today -- quote -- "articles belonging to Brian."

And we do have video over the scene. We have seen a white tent out there in the reserve. Remember, this is the last place that Brian Laundrie was believed to have been, that according to his parents. It's also where they found that silver Mustang.

His parents, by the way, were actually out here earlier today assisting in that search. In fact, a FOX Digital reporter over her police telling the Laundries -- quote -- "We might have found something," saying they might have found something.

I can also tell you the medical examiner has been called out here as well, which logic tells us likely means something significant has been found. Now, we are hearing unconfirmed reports that perhaps the items that were found may have been in an area that was once underwater, and that's why they may have not been located until now.

So, at this point, connecting all the dots, it certainly seems like we may be nearing the end of this weeks-long search for Brian Laundrie, a person of interest in the death of Gabby Petito.

Now, we are waiting on a news conference with the FBI. We're expecting that in about a half-hour's time right here, where we should get some more clarity on all of this. But, again, when you start putting all the dots together, it does appear there's been a significant break in this case, which, of course, has really captured the attention of folks here in Florida, across the U.S., across the world really.

One more thing. We also know there's been a temporary flight restriction put in place around the reserve to keep news helicopters and drones away from the scene. That is very, very unusual, another sign that something big is going on and certainly that the FBI is taking this very, very seriously.

So we're going to continue to stay on it. But, again, we may be nearing the end of this weeks-long search for Brian Laundrie -- back to you.

PAYNE: Josh Cascio, thank you very much.

And, folks, of course, we will take you to this press conference as soon, immediately, as soon as it starts.

In the meantime, if a body was indeed found, what can we expect? How will they know how to make the identity?

We want to bring Dr. Cyril Wecht, a forensic pathologist.

Doctor, I'm not sure if you heard all of the reporter.

DR. CYRIL WECHT, FORENSIC PATHOLOGIST: Yes.

PAYNE: But it seems like there's a fair amount of evidence there on the scene. They have brought into cadaver dogs, the medical examiner.

What are they looking for?

WECHT: Well, they're trying to determine whether these are human remains, number one, and, number two, then to proceed with identification.

Identification will consist not only of the paraphernalia and other articles like clothing and so on, but then, scientifically, the forensic, odontological, the dental work, and see whether that matches. And then they may be employing a forensic anthropologist to determine whether this is consistent with the remains of a young adult Caucasian male.

I do not think that they're going to be able to have DNA. So, likely, that will take a while in any event. It depends on whether there are any soft tissue still remaining. I don't know if this is a body that has been completely skeletonized.

PAYNE: Doctor...

WECHT: And then, of course, they will determine, try to determine what they can as to the cause of death. If Brian Laundrie shot himself, then, most probably, he would have shot himself in the head, through the mouth or in the chest, in which case there will be bony evidence of such a gunshot wound.

I doubt that he would have hanged himself in that kind of environment. I doubt that he had drugs to take. Possible. That's going to take a while, then, forensic toxicological examination. And that's going to be difficult in the absence of soft tissue and body fluids.

PAYNE: Right.

And, of course, I do want to remind the audience that there's no confirmation that this is Brian Laundrie. Obviously, it's speculation, of course. His family is there, and the media is there, and they have called off the press.

Before I let you go, how much of this work that you described can be done there on the scene? I mean, could we have a clearer picture even before they go back and take him back for a thorough autopsy to his identity?

WECHT: Well, the preliminary examination can be conducted there.

However, to do it properly, you want to take all the remains, lay them out on a table, line up the bones as they are and the human anatomy, and then proceed with the odontological, the teeth examination, and the anthropological, the bony identification.

They will also look for insect life and semiological examination to get a better idea of how long the person has been dead.

PAYNE: Right.

WECHT: So these are things that will be conducted back at the laboratory. I do not think you're going to get specific findings there, unless there is something more than we know thus far.

PAYNE: Dr. Cyril Wecht, thank you very much.

And, of course, once again, we are waiting for an FBI update on the search for Brian Laundrie. When it happens, we will take you there live.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PAYNE: President Biden set to speak in Scranton, Pennsylvania, shortly, as he continues his social spending push.

And the new top-line number now being looked at is said to be about $1.9 trillion. That's down from $3.5 trillion. But will progressives go for that?

Democratic Congressman Emanuel Cleaver weighs in on that in just a moment.

But first to David Lee Miller. He's in Pennsylvania with more on the president's visit -- David Lee.

DAVID LEE MILLER, FOX NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Charles, for the first time since he was elected president, Joe Biden is returning to his hometown. Any moment now, we expect the Air Force One to touch down.

The president will be making his case to a hometown crowd for passage of his social spending Build Back Better agenda. A White House memo details Biden's proposed legislation and how it could impact the Keystone State.

But in light of disagreements between progressive and moderate Democrats, some of the items on the list already seem like wishful thinking. Free community college is one of the items that Biden might be forced to scrap. Another possible change is shortening the extension for the child tax credit.

His sales pitch is expected to focus on how his proposed program of social change will improve life for millions of working families in Pennsylvania. He's also likely to touch on the bipartisan infrastructure deal. According to the administration, Pennsylvania could receive almost $13 billion to improve its roads and bridges. Another $2.8 billion will be used for mass transit.

The state's Democratic governor and Scranton's Democratic mayor, they're expected to attend his speech. This will be at a museum that pays tribute to the city for having the first ever electric streetcar system in the country.

Not everyone, though, is pleased to see Mr. Biden. Supporters of former President Trump have been driving around the Scranton area waving flags and banners. But there's still a great deal of pride welcoming the return of a hometown boy who made good.

And one of the major roadways here, interesting, was recently renamed the Biden Expressway. But how much that enthusiasm is going to translate to his agenda for social and economic programs, that, Charles, remains to be seen.

Lastly, before he boarded Air Force One a few moments ago, a reporter did ask him if he was optimistic that there was going to be a deal before the end of the month, and he said -- quoting him now -- "I think we will get a deal" -- Charles.

PAYNE: All right, David Lee Miller, thank you very much.

So, Joe no or, oh, Joe yea. Some new reporting about West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin and his future in the Democratic Party.

To FOX's Chad Pergram on Capitol Hill with the very latest -- Chad.

CHAD PERGRAM, FOX NEWS CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon, Charles.

A potential party shift by Joe Manchin could flip control of the Senate. It's 50/50 now. Manchin denies the report.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOE MANCHIN (D-WV): I'm not in charge of rumors. And it's (EXPLETIVE DELETED).

Find out who is saying that kind of crazy stuff.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PERGRAM: Joe Manchin is a moderate. Reporters and commentators have asked Manchin for years about potentially switching parties.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

QUESTION: Why don't you fess up and become a Republican?

MANCHIN: I believe deeply in my Democratic roots. As far as a West Virginia, might be a little different than the Washington Democrats.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PERGRAM: There are some on the left who would like to torpedo Manchin.

That's because he appears to have prevailed when it comes to the cost of the social spending bill. Manchin only wants to spend $1.5 trillion, but Manchin leaving the party could cost Democrats control of the Senate. In 2001, it was also a 50/50 Senate. Democrats got control when Jim Jeffords left the GOP.

But Manchin could become an independent and still caucus with the Democrats. Under that scenario, Democrats would maintain control -- Charles.

PAYNE: Thank you very much.

Let's get right to Missouri Democratic Congressman Emanuel Cleaver.

Congressman, before we get to President Biden's spending push, just your thoughts about this report, Senator Manchin thinking about leaving the party. We played a sound bite that I thought was intriguing, where he says, listen, he's a West Virginia Democrat, which may not match up with the Washington, D.C., Democrat.

And that was a few years ago, I think the Washington, D.C., Democrat has moved even further left.

REP. EMANUEL CLEAVER (D-MO): Well, I think Joe Manchin is really one of those individuals who's trying to represent his state.

He's from one of the most conservative states in the union, maybe the most conservative. And I think the fact that he's been able to win in that state is a testimony to the fact that he's trying to remain faithful to his constituency.

I'm -- I happen to like the senator. I think he is a good human being. And I might have some disagreements legislatively with him right now, but I think what we have often bragged, hopefully, with some evidence, that we can handle inside the structure of the Democratic Party any number of ideologies and individuals who might lean left -- left or right. Some go to the extreme on both of them.

But I don't want to lose Senator Manchin or anybody else from the party. I think he would be a -- he is a good voice and maybe one of those voices that helps move people to a more centrist position.

PAYNE: Right.

CLEAVER: But maybe that's where the country is.

PAYNE: And to that point, that's the crux of this battle right now within the big tent Democratic Party.

We're down to $1.9 trillion, according to reports. How do you see it going from here?

CLEAVER: Well, we have been talking all day. I have been in meetings. I just got out of a meeting a few moments ago.

I do think that the number that we wanted certainly is not going to be the number that's going to be agreed upon. It's going to be, I think, between 1.5 and maybe 2.2. But it's not going to go much higher than $2 trillion.

And it even feels weird to use the T-word. But I think that's where we are. And I think we have to be realistic. And all day today, all day yesterday, members of the Democratic Party are going in and out of the White House, meeting with the president, and are -- some of his people, trying to get agreement.

And from what I hear, we are closer today than we have ever been. Doesn't mean that we're going to have an agreement by 5:00 today.

PAYNE: Sure.

CLEAVER: But it does sound like and feel like a deal is imminent.

PAYNE: Sir, I got a minute to go.

I would like to ask, is this part of the negotiation? Since it seems like you have got the dollar parameters sort of in place, is this part where you sort of -- I know this administration's really high on public relations and always sounding like they have won.

Is this where everyone has to get the messaging down that somehow progressives can claim victory, the moderates can claim victory, the White House can claim victory? Is this the part of that? Are we at that stage of this negotiation?

CLEAVER: Well, at this stage, what we want is for everybody to be able to claim victory.

And that means -- or everybody believes that they lost. Either way, I think, means that there was a compromise. And I'm good with a compromise. I think that's what is lacking in Congress people, coming in with an unwillingness to change their position to match that of the country's.

And let me just say, since we're running out of time, I'd like to just wish Neil Cavuto Godspeed. And I wish for and I will pray tonight for his recovery, even though he views me very toughly sometimes.

PAYNE: You two have one of the most beautiful relationships on TV. I love watching you two interact.

And I appreciate you coming on. And, certainly, Neil appreciates your prayers and your thoughts.

Thank you, sir.

CLEAVER: Good to be with you.

PAYNE: So, after weeks of uncertainty, the women's national basketball team is getting out of the Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.

FOX's Trey Yingst with some more of his tremendous reporting from the Doha, Qatar -- Trey.

TREY YINGST, FOX NEWS FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT: Charles, good afternoon; 369 people were flown from Kabul today on a Qatari evacuation flight, making it the largest evac flight for the country to date.

We do know 55 of those people are linked to the organization FIFA. They're either soccer players, families of those players or they play basketball. We did speak today with the women's national team, who was getting out of Afghanistan. Everyone who was on that flight today shared one common thing. And it was they were relieved to be leaving Taliban-controlled territory.

There was a big frustration with how long these evacuation flights were taking, and especially for the women who were there trapped in Afghanistan, knowing how the Taliban treats women. It was of great concern to get out of the country. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

YINGST: The Afghan women's national basketball team is escaping Taliban- controlled territory. We spoke with these players earlier.

And you can sense the relief that they feel leaving Afghanistan, but also the disappointment that they have to leave their home behind. They are determined to continue playing basketball wherever they end up and representing this country.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: In Afghanistan, we have lots of challenges for women, all of sport, not especially basketball, because the people said the women couldn't play sports and they shouldn't go in sports.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

YINGST: A number of American citizens were also on board that evacuation flight that headed from Kabul here to Doha, Qatar -- Charles.

PAYNE: Trey, thank you very much.

And, again, great reporting.

Folks, so we are still waiting for an update on the search for Brian Laundrie. When it happens, we will take you there live.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PAYNE: We're moments away from a highly anticipated FBI briefing on the search for Brian Laundrie.

We will bring it to you live as it happens. It will be in Florida. We will be here.

And we will be back right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PAYNE: Gasoline prices now up for 22 straight days, with a gallon of regular unleaded now $3.35.

My next guest predicted this was coming and that $6 gas could be heading our way.

Let's get the read from Continental Resources founder Harold Hamm.

Harold, it's outrageous. It's just like it's a self-inflicted wound. And here we are talking about $6 gasoline. Could it happen?

HAROLD HAMM, ENTREPRENEUR: Well, sure.

In fact, it has happened. We're seeing prices even higher than that in California, for instance. So, as you will recall, when I made that prediction, the average price of gas across the U.S. was a little over $2.

So it has surged. And it surged for good reason. And the reason behind that, Charles, is simply this. It goes back to economics 101. And it had to do with supply and demand. And when you curb supply, the only thing left to give is price. And so that's what's happened. With the ban on federal leasing, federal permitting on federal lands, you have taken a lot of resources off the table.

So, that's what has happened.

PAYNE: I'm sorry, Harold.

We're going to have to leave it there and go down to Florida for this FBI presser.

(JOINED IN PROGRESS)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ... continued diligence on this story. And thanks for your patience.

As you know, The North Port Police Department has worked collaboratively with the FBI throughout this investigation.

So, Special Agent Michael McPherson is going to make a prepared statement. There's not going to be any questions today. But, hopefully, it answers some of them.

Thank you.

MICHAEL MCPHERSON, FBI SPECIAL AGENT IN CHARGE: Good afternoon.

My name is Michael McPherson. I'm the special agent is in charge of the FBI Tampa Division.

As you're aware, the FBI and the North Port Police Department and our state and local law enforcement partners have been searching the area of the Carlton Reserve for Brian Laundrie, a person of interest in the murder of Gabby Petito.

Earlier today, investigators found what appears to be human remains, along with personal items, such as a backpack and notebook belonging to Brian Laundrie. These items were found in an area that up until recently had been underwater.

Our evidence response team is on scene using all available forensic resources to process the area. It's likely the team will be on scene for several days.

I know you have a lot of questions, but we don't have all the answers yet. We are working diligently to get those answers for you.

We are grateful for the dedication and professionalism of the North Port Police Department, along with our partners from the state and local agencies. Complex investigations such as this cannot be accomplished by one agency alone. But there are just too many agencies to name them all here today.

Portions of the Myakkahatchee Creek Environment Park and Carlton Reserve will remain closed to the public until further notice. This is an active and ongoing investigation. So, we ask the public to maintain distance from any law enforcement personnel, equipment, vehicles, and other related activity for the safety of the public and to protect the integrity of our work.

We have no additional comment related to today's activities. Our FBI Denver office is the lead investigator agency, and all future inquiries should be directed to them.

We appreciate the tremendous support from the public and continue to ask for your assistance in bringing this investigation to close. Thank you.

(CROSSTALK)

QUESTION: Was the backpack found near the...

(CROSSTALK)

PROTESTERS: Justice for Gabby! Justice for Gabby! Justice for Gabby! Justice for Gabby! Justice for Gabby! Justice for Gabby!

PAYNE: Well, the FBI, just a really brief, brief comment there. And you can hear protesters out there calling for justice for Gabby.

We certainly were thinking and hoping for more. So we're sort of left in the lurch here. Of course, the families, both sides are left in the lurch with respect to all of this. And maybe we will hear more. There was one question thrown out there about the backpack. There was no answer.

We will be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PAYNE: The Washington Post reporting that the U.S. detained over 1.7 million migrants along the Southern border in the 2021 fiscal year alone. That's up from an average of around 500,000 per year for the last seven years.

FOX News correspondent Mike Tobin is in La Joya, Texas, with the latest -- Mike.

MIKE TOBIN, FOX NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Yes.

And, Charles, we have got that confirmed to -- through an independent DHS source, that fiscal year 2021 broke a record with 1.7 million detentions here at the border. And that record had stood since 1986.

The one thing we can see by standing here at the border is that the flow of migrants is not slowing down at all. They started appearing right at sundown yesterday. The first group found a gap in the wall where the construction was not complete. They crossed the river. They came through that gap in the wall. They came through the brush. They came through the side roads, and came here to this ball field, where they were helped out and processed by Border Patrol.

They're from Nicaragua and Honduras, single adults and families. The babies they carried were covered head to toe in bug bites. The father of a 10- month-old told the story of hitching rides and walking for 20 days until he got here. They didn't know if they would make it. They don't know if they will be able to stay, but they're hopeful for a better life.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In Mexico City, they boarded a trailer that had no ventilation. People were passing out. They couldn't breathe.

They were in it for two hours. And that was what got them worried about their daughter's safety.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): We have all suffered hunger, thirst, threat, danger. We have all suffered sleeping in warehouses just to make it to this country, where everyone is free.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TOBIN: Now shorts with Border Patrol tells us the families will be able to stay. The unaccompanied minors will be able to stay. The single adults made this long, dangerous trip in vain. They will be subject to Title 42, which sends them back, citing a health crisis.

Now, the one thing, you had the big groups of families that appear on the border. In between them are what are known as the runners, the people who want to get across the border undetected. They're also called the got-aways when it comes to totaling up the figures, because you just don't have figures for the people who don't make contact with the authorities.

But their numbers are estimated for that fiscal year in the hundreds of thousands -- Charles.

PAYNE: Mike, thank you very much.

I want to switch gears here and get and get back to the Laundrie situation here.

We have got former FBI Assistant Director Chris Swecker with us.

Chris, short and brief, obviously, the press conference. I think there was a lot of anticipation to be a lot more. The public certainly intrigued by all of this. From what you understand what's happening right now on the ground, give us your assessment.

CHRIS SWECKER, FORMER FBI ASSISTANT DIRECTOR: Yes, the FBI SAC, the special agent in charge, in Tampa got right to the point.

I mean, they found human remains. He made it a point to mention that the notebook of Brian Laundrie was found with the remains. That's a pretty good tipoff there. So I would say the chances are very, very high that this is indeed Brian Laundrie. But they're not going to say that now. They have to get a positive identification on that.

They're going to process the scene there. I guess it's been underwater for a while. So the FBI's evidence response team is going to take their time and go to it with meticulous detail, because they want answers. And just finding his body is not enough.

PAYNE: Yes, everyone wants answers, and there is already a fair amount of frustration on how this has all played out.

SWECKER: True.

PAYNE: I had Maureen O'Connell on earlier, and she thought maybe there had been possibly communication during this period between Laundrie and his parents.

Any thoughts on what's going on with that? There's been a lot of public speculation, of course, that they have known more than they have told anyone.

SWECKER: I don't think there's any question. Again, this is pure speculation, but it's based on 40 years of experience, but I don't think there's any question that the parents know more, at least when he first came home with her van without her.

There was -- they obviously had to ask the question, where's Gabby? And he had -- I can't imagine him not giving them some information.

So the real question is, has he -- did he go straight to the national park there or the park area there? Did he kill himself or was this an accident? There are a lot of questions that need to be answered here. And I think the forensics and the investigation, we're getting closer now.

I said all along that I thought he was probably in that park area, that he probably couldn't live with what he did, and ended his own life.

PAYNE: Could he have stayed in that park without any help this amount of time? We have seen survivalists who have gotten off the grid for a fair amount of time, but, for the most part, it's rare that anyone could really be isolated like that without some sort of help for sustenance and things like that.

SWECKER: Yes, I don't think so, given the conditions and the terrain and the climate and the bugs.

Everybody talks about the snakes and alligators. I think the mosquitoes alone would drive you out of there in about a day. I have been in the -- trained in the Everglades when I was in Miami with the FBI. And they have mosquitoes there that pick you up and carry you away.

I just don't think he could live in there or stay in there for any longer than a couple of days without help.

PAYNE: Chris, there's a lot of frustration with the -- with law enforcement.

You just suggested maybe you thought that is where he would have been found ultimately. Any thoughts? I mean, there's going to be a postmortem on all facets of this.

SWECKER: Sure.

PAYNE: Any thoughts on why this area -- why he couldn't have been discovered maybe sooner?

SWECKER: Yes, I think we're going to find that mistakes were made along the way.

Could more have been done early on? Could there have been better coordination between Wyoming and North Port? Could the FBI have gotten into this case a little bit sooner? I think these are all questions, again, that will get answered in due time.

But I really hate to dig in right now and armchair-quarterback what happened, but I guarantee you that there are some -- there are some mistakes that were made.

PAYNE: So, what happens now? Walk us through the steps.

The FBI, obviously, just sharing very little with that brief press conference. Again, you heard protesters chanting for justice for Gabby. There were questions thrown at them. The public appetite is really intense for all of this.

What's going on at this very moment? And maybe give us some sort of a timeline.

SWECKER: Yes, the FBI has a very specialized team they call the evidence response team. They're very good at what they do. And that's retrieval of evidence.

They don't test the evidence. They send that to the lab. But there's an art and a science in actually retrieving it correctly and storing it correctly. So, that's ongoing. They're going to combine that with all the electronic evidence, text messages, e-mails, cell phone tracking, tips and leads that have come in, things they may have found at the residence when they did their search warrant or in the car.

And it's going to -- there's a story to tell here. I think they just have to complete the picture here with the forensics at the scene. And it'll take probably, I'm going to say 48 hours to get all the answers here. But I -- there's definitely a story that's going to be told, and I think we will get all our questions answered.

PAYNE: In the meantime, the public is still wondering why perhaps it wasn't a more -- in other words, he was only -- he was never elevated to a prime suspect.

And, Chris, listen, I never got a straight answer from anyone why that was the case. Could you explain that?

SWECKER: Yes, I don't like the word person of interest. You know, we -- that's not a real police word. It's not an FBI phrase.

I think he was a suspect from the very beginning, but I think there are legal implications when you start naming somebody. You look at Richard Jewell and the Olympic bombings.

PAYNE: Right.

SWECKER: They had the wrong guy. They named him a suspect.

So, I think law enforcement has gotten extremely cautious about naming someone until they actually have an arrest warrant in hand.

PAYNE: Chris Swecker.

Chris, thank you so much. Really appreciate it.

SWECKER: Yes. Thanks, Charles.

PAYNE: I want to bring in forensic pathologist Priya Banerjee.

We just heard about the collection of the evidence there. We had a forensic pathologist on earlier, Priya?

What -- how much work do you think now is being done? And how urgent is that work in terms of being able to zero in on all the specifics on cause of death, identification and those things?

PRIYA BANERJEE, FORENSIC PATHOLOGIST: Yes, this is a complicated case. My colleagues have their hands full.

And, really, that's because it's multifactorial. Not only is it hinted at that this is a partial body, right, partial remains, though I don't know exactly what was found. I.D. or identification is going to be first and foremost, because you want to know who your autopsying.

I understand that there is a lot of evidence in this area, but you cannot be sure who your autopsying until there's a definite identification. Hopefully, if there is teeth available, they can go through dental records. Otherwise, you have to go through something like DNA.

And, remember, this is a public place. If it is Brian Laundrie, then you have to see what parts of the body are there. You always try to go back and recover as much as possible. So, working with what they have, they then have to find out why he died. So it's multilayered, if you will.

PAYNE: Approximately, how long would it -- would that particular process take, collection of data, collection of the evidence, doing what they can immediately in the field, and then ultimately being able to go through all of those series of things with the DNA checks and so forth, maybe dental checks?

The process itself, how long would it take, in your mind?

BANERJEE: Yes, I mean, I think, based on what modalities they're using, it could be within 24 to 48 hours, or it could be slightly longer, depending on if they do have to run DNA.

I'm not exactly sure what protocols are run because that's not my expertise. But the collection of evidence can be done quickly, especially if they have narrowed down an area, and then from the body itself.

PAYNE: Once -- again, once we -- once everything is brought back, what would they be looking for?

Because, obviously, there's great speculation. You have got to say that perhaps people are wondering if he took his own life.

BANERJEE: Sure.

PAYNE: Would that be something that could be determined there? Or would -- that obviously would depend on what the process was or whatever means he might have used?

BANERJEE: Exactly.

So, I think the biggest limitation is going to be how much of the body is recovered. And that's going to be either really helpful, what they have, or maybe not completely informative if the body is found in pieces.

And, remember, this is a very difficult environment with not only multiple extremes of temperature. It's wet, swampy, I mean, and that just brings in so many animals as well, right, on the land. There's insect activity, maggots, beetles, but then you also have fish, alligators. So you don't know what has predated on the body.

And then you really have to go and see what you have. X-rays are really helpful. And then you just dive in and look with your naked eye and do a very detailed dissection to see what you can and can't gather from the body parts that you have.

PAYNE: Doctor, thank you very much. Really appreciate it.

And, folks, this is just moments ago from the FBI news conference.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MCPHERSON: Earlier today, investigators found what appears to be human remains, along with personal items, such as a backpack and notebook belonging to Brian Laundrie. These items were found in an area that up until recently had been underwater.

Our evidence response team is on scene using all available forensic resources to process the area. It's likely the team will be on scene for several days.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PAYNE: Former D.C. homicide Detective and FOX News contributor Ted Williams joins us on the phone.

Ted, when -- so when it was previously underwater, for whatever reason, that the tide has shifted, the water has shifted, how much more difficult is that going to make being able to examine this information and this evidence?

TED WILLIAMS, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: Well, it may be somewhat complex, Charles, to examine the evidence.

But one of the things that I'm concerned about is how much of the actual body of whoever it is -- and it's believed that there's a possibility that this is Brian Laundrie -- how much of that body is intact?

Because the body has been out there now over a month, if it's been that long. And we know that the water has just receded in that area. So, one of the concerns are is, can they make an immediate identification?

I heard you asked the last guest that. Well, we know that Brian Laundrie has certain tattoos about his body. We also know that they brought out today, Charles, cadaver dogs. And so, as a result of them bringing out cadaver dogs, it leads me to believe that the body itself may not, may not have been completely intact, and they were using cadaver dogs to find perhaps even body parts.

So, it -- but this is something that a lot of people are going to ask. Why didn't they find this initially if they went through that area? And the answer may very well be that the area at that time was underwater.

PAYNE: Yes. Yes, I have had that conversation with several of the law enforcement guests today. That's a big issue with respect to the general public.

But more pressing, of course, is the identification, and then how -- you brought it up. How did a month go by? How long was he out there? When did the demise come? And, again, this is, again, assuming that this is Brian Laundrie.

What role do you think the parents are going to play in terms of the investigative process from here on out?

WILLIAMS: Well, the investigation is certainly going to continue, Charles.

And the parents are certainly going to be a focus of that continued investigation, because, as we know, that on September 1, Brian Laundrie allegedly returning home there without Gabby Petito. We know that, between September the 6th and the 8th, the family all went hiking in the Fort De Soto Park there, and Brian was alleged to have been with them.

We know that, on February -- on -- I stand to be corrected -- on September the 11th, the parents -- and it wasn't September the 11th -- it was September the 13th -- they reported Brian having been missing. And then, on September the 19th, Gabby Petito's remains were found out there in the Grand Teton Park.

So the question that begs for answer -- and they will be able to tell this -- is, how long has that body been in the area in which it was found?

PAYNE: There's speculation. We had, again, a guest earlier who suggested perhaps there could have been communication between the parents and perhaps even a lawyer, with Brian using burner phones, or, certainly, again, if there was -- if he was in there for any length of time, he had to have some sort of assistance.

And also maybe someone -- if there was assistance, that means someone new. Is there a way of going back, I would suspect, to find out if there was any sort of electronic transmission from that area of the park to anyone else?

WILLIAMS: Well, to some degree, law enforcement have the capabilities of making those checks.

But I have reported and I believe that, if Brian Laundrie was in that park -- because, remember, he was reported missing on September the 13th. He was alleged to have gone to the Carlton reservoir area there.

And my thing is, if he did have a burner phone, that more likely than not will be some evidence that should be somewhere around perhaps.

PAYNE: Ted Williams.

I'm sorry, Ted.

Where does it go from here? Just what are we looking at right now? We have got some sort of timelines with respect to identifying the body. We have got some sort of timeline from when we may hear back from the FBI. And I suspect those things have to intertwine.

So give us a timeline, in your mind, on where we go from here.

WILLIAMS: Well, I think that we should know something preliminarily in the next 24 hours as to whether this is Brian Laundrie, because they can always have his dental records, and they can check.

But, Charles, try to remember, there are two investigations going, one out in the Grand Teton Park to try to make a determination if Brian Laundrie, who was considered a person of interest, and, in my estimation, was, in fact, really a suspect, had anything to do and what, if anything, had to do with the death of Gabby Petito.

But all of these things, like I said, there's two duel investigations that are taking place, one there in Florida, trying to identify these remains and see if they, in fact, are Brian Laundrie, and then the one that's still going on out in the Grand Teton Park out there in Wyoming.

PAYNE: Ted, considering the potential conditions of the body that's been submerged underwater for a certain period of time, how much more complicated would that make then investigating the scene and the evidence in the Grand Tetons?

WILLIAMS: It's -- well, it's according to what was going on and what, if any animals got ahold to the body, should we say, of Gabby Petito.

But it may not be that difficult, because they have already told us the manner and the cause of death, one being homicide and the fact that she was strangled. So they had enough information to find out that on Gabby Petito.

As it pertains to Brian Laundrie, the question is, if that's the body, how did he die? And it is more likely than not that, if it's Brian Laundrie, I would have to believe that he died perhaps as a result of a gunshot wound. That is something that they will be looking at, because, quite naturally, if you look at that area, there is no way that he could have hung himself, let's say.

Maybe he took some medicine and conked out and died that way. But the most likely source would perhaps be that it would be by gunshot. And I'm sure they are looking to see if, in fact, they can find a weapon.

PAYNE: Right.

WILLIAMS: That whole area right now, Charles is a crime scene. Just keep that in mind.

PAYNE: OK.

Ted Williams, thank you so much.

And maybe perhaps, folks, we are getting closure on this tragedy that captured everyone's attention in this country.

And that will be it for us, for me today. Of course, make sure you catch me tomorrow "Making Money" 2:00 p.m. on FOX Business. A lot going on with respect to the market. We're back near an all-time high.

But, for now, "THE FIVE" starts right now.


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