Day 4 of search in Florida park for Gabby Petito’s boyfriend

By CURT ANDERSON

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Search teams fanned retired Wednesday astatine a Florida wilderness parkland to look for the fellow of Gabby Petito, the young pistillate who authorities accidental was killed portion connected a cross-country travel with him.

The hunt resumed astir 8 a.m. Wednesday astatine the 24,000-acre (9,700-hectare) Carlton Reserve park, North Port constabulary spokesperson Joshua Taylor said. Investigators accidental Brian Laundrie’s parents told them helium had gone determination aft returning location without Petito connected Sept. 1.

It marked the 4th time of searching successful the Carlton Reserve, with operations suspended Monday portion the FBI searched the adjacent Laundrie location for evidence.

The outdoors hunt includes thousands of acres of forbidding, swampy subtropical terrain replete with alligators, snakes, turkey, cervid and galore different chaotic creatures. There are much than 100 miles (160 kilometers) of hiking and horseback riding trails, positive galore camping areas and rivers.

The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office brought successful a diver portion called SURF, oregon Sheriff’s Underwater Recovery Force, to execute a much specialized hunt for evidence.

“These highly-trained deputies enactment successful the astir hard and challenging environments imaginable. They are connected telephone 24/7/365,” the sheriff’s bureau said successful a tweet.

Petito, 22, was reported missing Sept. 11 by her parents aft they she did not respond to calls and texts for respective days portion the mates visited parks successful the West. Her assemblage was discovered Sunday astatine Grand Teton National Park successful Wyoming.

Teton County Coroner Brent Blue classified Petito’s decease arsenic a homicide — meaning her decease was caused by different idiosyncratic — but did not disclose however she was killed pending further autopsy results. Laundrie, 23, is not charged with immoderate transgression but is considered a idiosyncratic of involvement successful the case.

With online sleuths and theories multiplying by the day, the FBI and constabulary person been deluged with tips astir imaginable Laundrie sightings. Taylor, the North Port spokesperson, said nary person truthful acold panned out. He besides batted down rumors that Laundrie had been captured Tuesday.

“These reports are unluckily false. Please remainder assured that erstwhile Brian is found, we volition beryllium much than blessed to fto everyone know,” Taylor said successful an email.

Petito and Laundrie grew up unneurotic successful Long Island, New York, but moved successful caller years to North Port, wherever his parents live. Their home, astir 35 miles (55 kilometers) southbound of Sarasota, was searched by investigators earlier this week and a Ford Mustang driven by Laundrie’s parent was towed from the driveway. Authorities judge Laundrie drove that car to the Carlton Reserve earlier disappearing.

The mates documented online their travel successful a achromatic Fort Transit van converted into a camper, but got into a carnal altercation Aug. 12 successful Moab, Utah, that led to a constabulary halt for a imaginable home unit case. Ultimately, constabulary determination decided to abstracted the quarreling mates for the nighttime but nary charges were filed and nary superior injuries were reported.

The FBI is seeking accusation from anyone who whitethorn person seen them successful the Grand Teton country arsenic good arsenic immoderate different tips nationally.

“We articulation the FBI successful asking for continued nationalist assistance by sharing immoderate accusation done the extremity lines 1-800-CALL FBI oregon tips.fbi.gov,” Taylor said.