The place’s Brian Laundrie? A private investigator says it was straightforward for him to flee the nation

Kenneth Niemeyer September 20, 2021, 9:12 pm

This police camera video, provided by the Moab Police Department, shows Brian Laundrie talking to a police officer after police stopped the van he was traveling in with girlfriend Gabrielle ‘Gabby’ Petito near the entrance to Arches National Park on Aug. 12 . 2021. Moab Police via AP

  • Brian Laundrie, Gabby Petito’s fiancé, has been missing since last Tuesday, police say.

  • It would have been easy for Laundrie to get on a plane to flee the United States as it is now common for people to wear face masks, a private investigator told Insider.

  • The PI said police are likely to consider two scenarios: that Laundrie will go into hiding or attempt suicide.

A private investigator told Insider it was possible Brian Laundrie, the fiancee of missing road tripper Gabby Petito, who has been missing since Tuesday, may have fled the country.

Laundrie was named an interested person in Petito’s missing person case after returning from a road trip across the country without her on September 1. Remains matching Petito’s description were found in Grand Teton National Park over the weekend, according to the FBI.

Police have not charged Laundrie with a crime, but say they “went out of their way” to look for him in Florida’s Carlton Reserve.

Harvey Morse, a private investigator with Florida-based Locators International Inc., told Insider that it would be easy for Laundrie to avoid detection by wearing a face mask.

Morse, who has more than 50 years of detective and private investigator experience, said it was harder than ever for police to identify missing people as the coronavirus pandemic made it common to wear face coverings in public.

“It would be easy for him to get on a plane,” said Morse.

According to Morse, the police are likely considering two scenarios in their search for Laundrie: that he is going into hiding or that he will attempt suicide. Morse said Laundrie’s chances of attempting suicide are “above average” because if he is indicted in the state of Florida in connection with Petito’s disappearance, it could have dire legal ramifications.

Morse said the huge media coverage that generated Petito’s disappearance could also suggest to law enforcement that Laundrie might attempt suicide instead of going into hiding.

Petito’s disappearance motivated internet detectives to post theories on social media about what might have happened to her, which sparked national interest in the case. That widespread interest resulted in a flurry of tips for the police that may not have been useful, according to The Washington Post.

Despite large crowds looking for him, the police warned that Laundrie could be dangerous to himself or those around him.

Morse said that if anyone comes in contact with Laundrie, they should not interact with them and instead discreetly take a picture or video of them before calling the police.

Morse says his hope for Laundrie and Petito’s families is that Laundrie will volunteer to surrender to the authorities if he has committed a crime.

“I hope this person is found and if he is the culprit, he pleads guilty and is not bringing up this case that would cause so much harm to so many people,” Morse said.

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