PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. —  An attorney for Brian Laundrie's family is responding to claims the Laundries are helping him evade authorities in the investigation into Gabby Petito's death. 


What You Need To Know

  • The Laundrie family camped at Fort De Soto Park five days after Brian returned home without Gabby Petito

  • An attorney for the Laundries said the FBI is fully aware

  • Brian Laundrie has not been seen in more than two weeks

  • RELATED STORIES: The Gabby Petito case

Attorney Steve Bertolino confirms Laundrie's sister Cassie saw Laundrie on Sept. 1 when he stopped by her home, and again on Sept. 6 at Fort DeSoto park. 

"Law enforcement agencies are well aware of these dates," Bertolino told Spectrum News. "Any prior communication by Cassie that does not reflect these dates is simply a difference of relating an answer to a question misinterpreted by Cassie or poorly posed by the inquirer."

The statement was in relation to questions regarding when the Laundrie family had communicated with Brian Laundrie after returned home from a trip without his  fiancé, Gabby Petito. 

Petito was found dead in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming.

Laundrie has not been seen in more than two weeks.

Cassie Laundrie reportedly did a TV interview that contradicted those dates, saying she hadn't spoken to her brother.

Two Federal Bureau of Investigation agents stopped by the Laundrie family home Thursday.

In a Thursday statement, an attorney for the Laundrie family said: "The FBI is at the Laundrie home today to collect some personal items belonging to Brian that will assist the canines in their search for Brian.  There is nothing more to this."

Meanwhile, the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office earlier this week confirmed surveillance video from the Fort DeSoto Campground was released to the FBI. 

Records show that the Laundrie family went camping at Fort DeSoto just days after Brian Laundrie returned home without his fiancé, Gabby Petito. 

The family checked in on Sept. 6, just five days after Brian returned home, and left the following day.

 

Deputies were not searching Fort DeSoto Thursday, despite social media rumors that they were. 

Spectrum Bay News 9 confirmed the Laundrie family purchased a new phone, Brian left it home when he went on the hike and the FBI has it. 

Laundrie family attorney Steven Bertolino said that authorities are "fully aware of the relevant Laundrie family activities throughout September."

When asked by Bay News 9 about the cell phone, Bertolino responsed view text that "the phone was purchased on Sept. 4 and Brian opened an account with AT&T for that phone (not a burner). Brian left that phone at home the day he went for a hike in the preserve on Sept. 14, 2021 and the FBI now has that phone."

Meanwhile, the Petito family's attorney, Richard Stafford, said the Laundries are not doing enough to help with this investigation. Some are speculating that Brian's parents, Chris and Roberta Laundrie, know more than they are letting on.

"The Laundries did not help us find Gabby, they sure are not going to help us find Brian," Stafford said. "For Brian, we're asking you to turn yourself in to the FBI or the nearest law enforcement agency."

The Laundrie family's attorney responded: 

“The speculation by the public and some in the press that the parents assisted Brian in leaving the family home or in avoiding arrest on a warrant that was issued after Brian had already been missing for several days is just wrong."

He is accused of using a debit card that was not his on more than $1,000 worth of purchases.