Apparent remains found in search for Brian Laundrie

By Melissa Mahtani, Meg Wagner, Veronica Rocha, Mike Hayes and Melissa Macaya, CNN

Updated 8:07 a.m. ET, October 21, 2021

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7:55 p.m. ET, October 20, 2021

Remains were found in the search for Brian Laundrie today. Here's what you need to know.

Officials have found "what appears to be human remains" in a Florida nature reserve during today's search for Brian Laundrie, FBI Tampa Division will be Special Agent in Charge Michael McPherson announced.

Laundrie, the fiancé of Gabby Petito, was last seen by his parents 37 days ago. His disappearance came after Petito was reported missing in the wake of a road trip through the Western US. Her body was found last month.

Here's what you need to know about today's discovery and the case:

Items found in a previously underwater area: McPherson said investigators found what appear to be human remains, along with personal items, such as a backpack and notebook, belonging to Brian Laundrie, in a Florida reserve. The items were found in an area that, up until recently, had been underwater.
Laundrie's parents were on the scene: Laundrie's parents, Chris and Roberta Laundrie, were in the park when the discovery took place, family attorney Steve Bertolino said. "Chris and Roberta Laundrie were at the reserve earlier today when human remains and some of Brian's possessions were located in an area where they had initially advised law enforcement that Brian may be," Bertolino said. "Chris and Roberta will wait for the forensic identification of the human remains before making any additional comments."
How we got here: Petito, 22, and Laundrie, 23, traveled around the western US in a white van this summer, all while regularly posting photos and stories to their social media pages. Those posts abruptly stopped in late August, though, and Laundrie then returned by himself to their home in North Point, where they lived with his parents, on Sept. 1. Laundrie declined to cooperate with the investigation into her whereabouts, and soon after, he also went missing. Petito's remains were found in a national forest in Wyoming on Sept. 19 near where the couple had last been seen together. Teton County Coroner Dr. Brent Blue ruled her death a homicide and said that she died by manual strangulation.

5:38 p.m. ET, October 20, 2021

Brian Laundrie's parents were at the reserve when human remains were found, family attorney says

Brian Laundrie’s parents were at the reserve when human remains and some of their son's possessions were located Wednesday, family attorney Steve Bertolino told CNN.

Earlier today, the FBI said they found what appear to be human remains, along with personal items, such as a backpack and notebook belonging to Brian Laundrie.

The apparent remains have not been identified.

“Chris and Roberta Laundrie were at the reserve earlier today when human remains and some of Brian’s possessions were located in an area where they had initially advised law enforcement that Brian may be,” Bertolino said. “Chris and Roberta will wait for the forensic identification of the human remains before making any additional comments.”

4:54 p.m. ET, October 20, 2021

Remains and personal items were previously submerged in water, authorities say

From CNN's Josiah Ryan

The apparent human remains officials found today, as well as personal items of Brian Laundrie, were covered by water until recently, authorities said.

"Earlier today, investigators found what appears to be human remains, along with personal items, such as a backpack and notebook, belonging to Brian Laundrie," FBI Tampa Division Special Agent in Charge Michael McPherson said in a press conference.

"These items were found in an area that up until recently have been under water," he added.

The items were found near a trail that Laundrie frequented at a North Port, Florida, park, according to the family's attorney.

Throughout the search for Laundrie, authorities have contended with sitting water. Early in the search, the Sarasota Sheriff's Office deployed the Sheriff's Underwater Recovery Force, which consists of "highly trained underwater specialists," who were "called upon to search for evidence of crimes and victims of drowning, water accidents and foul play," according to the sheriff's office website.

Laundrie disappeared after his fiancée, Gabby Petito, was reported missing in the wake of a road trip through the Western US. Her body was found last month.

4:39 p.m. ET, October 20, 2021

JUST IN: Human remains found in search for Brian Laundrie

Officials have found "what appears to be human remains" during today's search for Brian Laundrie, FBI Tampa Division will be Special Agent in Charge Michael McPherson announced.

McPherson said they also found a backpack and notebook that appear to belong to Laundrie.

The apparent remains have not been identified.

Laundrie disappeared after his fiancée, Gabby Petito, was reported missing in the wake of a road trip through the Western US. Her body was found last month.

Last week, a Wyoming coroner ruled Petito's cause of death was strangulation.

4:09 p.m. ET, October 20, 2021

SOON: FBI officials give an update on the search for Brian Laundrie

Officials with FBI Tampa are expected to give a statement to the media concerning today’s developments in the search for Brian Laundrie at 4:30 p.m. ET.

Officials will be speaking at the Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park entrance in North Port, Florida, according to Andrea Aprea from FBI Tampa Public Affairs.

Earlier today, a family attorney said "some articles" belonging to Laundrie were found off a trail that he frequented at the park.

Laundrie disappeared after his fiancée, Gabby Petito, was reported missing in the wake of a road trip through the Western US. Her body was found last month.

Last week, a Wyoming coroner ruled Petito's cause of death was strangulation.

3:37 p.m. ET, October 20, 2021

FAA issues temporary flight restriction over Florida environmental park

From CNN's Paul P. Murphy and Greg Agvent

The Federal Aviation Administration has issued a temporary flight restriction over the Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park, shortly after Brian Laundrie's family attorney Steve Bertolino said "articles" belonging to Brian were found off a trail there.

The order means that no aircrafts, including drones, are allowed to fly in the 10-mile diameter area above the park. Prior to the restriction, local news station helicopters had been providing live aerial footage.

The restriction is set to expire on Oct. 22 at 4 p.m. ET.

3:33 p.m. ET, October 20, 2021

FBI Tampa will provide an update regarding the search for Brian Laundrie at 4:30 p.m. ET

From CNN’s Rebekah Riess and Danielle Hackett

FBI Tampa will be making a statement to the media concerning today’s developments in the search for Brian Laundrie at 4:30 p.m. ET.

Officials will be speaking at the Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park Entrance in North Port, Florida, according to Andrea Aprea from FBI Tampa Public Affairs.

2:22 p.m. ET, October 20, 2021

FBI Tampa confirms "items of interest" found at Carlton Reserve

From CNN’s Rebekah Riess

“Items of interest” were found at the Carlton Reserve this morning in connection with the search for Brian Laundrie, the FBI Tampa confirmed in a tweet Wednesday afternoon.

According to the tweet, an FBI Evidence Response team is "processing the scene." The reserve is closed to the public and no further details are available at this time, the FBI said.

1:38 p.m. ET, October 20, 2021

Additional teams of first responders are arriving on the scene

From CNN’s Leyla Santiago, Randi Kaye, and Jon Passantino

Additional teams of first responders are arriving on the scene at the Carlton Reserve in Sarasota, Florida, as the search for Brian Laundrie continues.

CNN can confirm the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Response Team and Lee County Sheriff’s Office is now on scene along with a mobile unit and a tent.