Who is Brian Laundrie, the boyfriend of Gabby Petito?

For almost a week now, there has been a witch hunt going on. Both online and in real life: everyone in the US is currently looking for Brian Laundrie. Officially not yet a suspect in the case of Gabby Petito, but a ‘person of interest’. He is the last person to have seen her alive, and two days after she was found dead, he appeared to have left with the northern sun. The strangest stories are circulating, with multiple people claiming to have seen him, and the police are still searching hard for him.

They are currently doing this in a swamp area called Carlton Reserve in Venice, Florida. According to the latest news, that park is still closed to visitors due to the police investigation. On Sunday, the police also visited Laundrie's parents to pick up some ‘personal belongings of Brian’. Whether this would involve DNA, scent (for tracking dogs), or something else is (still) unclear.

So far, there is no sign of Brian, alive or dead. It seems clear that the police assume he is still alive, as they have not only been searching in the swamp. And if he is found alive, they can at least arrest him: he is currently officially wanted for credit card fraud. After Gabby went missing, he used her credit cards multiple times. It is, of course, to be expected that an announcement will soon follow that he is also officially a suspect in her murder case.

But who is this Brian Laundrie anyway? Perhaps you have seen the bodycam footage, showing the police stopping him and Gabby by their van after a heated argument. Notably, Brian was dropped off at a hotel by the police after this argument, and the room was paid for by him. They have engaged a good cause that supports victims of domestic violence in such ways. Yes, you read that right: according to the police, Gabby was in this case the ‘aggressor’ and Brian was the one who needed to be brought to safety.

The police cannot be blamed for this, as Gabby admitted it herself (as can be seen and heard in the footage). Additionally, Brian was covered in scratches, and Gabby said she had hit him multiple times. The police could not have imagined that this would happen just a few days later.

Brian Laundrie is known as an eco-activist. He proclaimed that he did not use plates in their van, but empty watermelons. This is because they are biodegradable and plastic plates are not. According to classmates, he was quiet but friendly, and not aggressive. In his free time, he enjoyed drawing, as can also be seen on his Instagram. Notably, his drawings do not have the most uplifting themes: they mainly feature blood and violence.

He comes, like Gabby, from the state of New York, but lived with his parents in North Port (Florida). They were engaged but were in no hurry to get married.

And now he is missing and about the most wanted man in all of America. The stories vary widely: there are neighbors of the Laundrie family who claim they went on a three-day camping trip, but that Brian was not there upon their return. The story of this camping trip has not yet been officially confirmed by the police.

His parents, who initially cooperated rather reluctantly with the police, say he left for Carlton Reserve on September 14 — they only said this on September 17. Rumors are circulating (and honestly, I believe this too) that his parents know much more than they are saying and that they gave Brian a three-day head start.

He could literally be anywhere now. But if he is still in Carlton Reserve, the chances of him coming out alive are getting smaller by the hour. Even though his surroundings say he is an experienced ‘survivor’, experts say that Carlton Reserve is not exactly an easy environment. And then the alligators and crocodiles are not even the most dangerous, but getting to water would be nearly impossible.

If you want to stay updated on this case, be sure to follow the subreddit of Gabby Petito. https://www.reddit.com/r/GabbyPetito/ Every day, a new topic is opened there with all updates and new developments. And every day, everyone hopes that this is the day he is found and that we hear he is officially a suspect. But above all, we hope he is found alive, because he should not get off that easily.

Image: Instagram @gabspetito