Dog the Bounty Hunter claimed on Monday that he has identified a campsite where Brian Laundrie and his parents stayed at after the family went camping after their son returned to Florida without his girlfriend Gabby Petito on September 1. Duane "Dog" Chapman told Fox News that this lead could be key to finding Laundrie and he has shared the tip with the FBI.
Laundrie's whereabouts have been the subject of immense curiosity ever since Petito's body was found in Wyoming on September 19, with her death ruled to be a homicide. Police have been looking for Laundrie for almost two weeks now but have not been able to learn anything about his whereabouts.
New Lead, New Doubts
Chapman has claimed that police can learn a lot about Laundrie if they follow his tip. According to him, Laundrie and his parents camped together at Fort De Soto Park in Pinellas County in early September. However, it was not once but twice and on both the occasions the sports were different.
According to Chapman, Laundrie and his parents camped in Fort De Soto, first from September 1-3, and then from September 6-8. Chapman said that he received the tip on Monday and has shared it with the FBI. The site of the camp is 75 miles north of the Laundrie family home in North Port.
"They were registered, went through the gate. They're on camera. They were here," Chapman told Fox News. "We think at least if he's not here right now, we are sure he was caught on camera as he went in the gate — that he was here for sure. Not over in the swamp."
Dog tipped off police to the find and believes there is unspecified evidence linking Laundrie's parents to the site, according to TMZ.
New Site of Search
Police have been fanatically looking for Laundrie for the past two weeks but are still clueless about his whereabouts. Chapman's claims could now make the police shift focus to a new area of search. Moreover, Dog the Bountty Hunter also said that laundrie's parents know a lot about their son's whereabouts.
"Allegedly, what we're hearing, is two people left on the 8th," said Chapman. "Three people came in on the 6th, and two people left on the 8th. I think he's been here for sure," he added.
Search efforts have so far been concentrated at the Carlton Reserve - an alligator-infested watery 25,000 acre site 13 miles north of the Laundrie family home in North Port.
Meanwhile, Laundrie's parents continued to maintain on Monday that they don't know about their son's whereabouts. In a statement released on Monday, Chris and Roberta, denied any knowledge of or involvement in Laundrie's disappearance.
"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," attorney Steven Bertolino said in a statement.
Dog started his search for Laundrie on Saturday and was seen by many knocking the door of his parents' home in North Port, Florida. The parents didn't answer the door. It was later reported that Laundrie's mother called on police.
