Missing travel influencer Gabby Petito’s fiancé Brian Laundrie has been charged with allegedly using an unauthorised debit card during her disappearance.
According to The Guardian, Laundrie was indicted by a federal grand jury on Wednesday for allegedly using a Capital One Bank credit card and someone’s unauthorised pin to withdraw over $1000 while Petito was reported missing. He was then charged on Thursday and an arrest warrant was issued.
In a statement shared with the outlet, FBI special agent in charge, Michael Schneider, said the warrant will give law enforcement agencies across the United States the power to investigate Laundrie and his link to Petito’s death, which was confirmed as a homocide from autopsy results earlier this week.
“No piece of information is too small or inconsequential to support our efforts in this investigation,” Schneider said, encouraging anyone who has any information regarding Laundrie’s disappearance or Petito’s murder to come forward and contact police.
As of this story’s publishing date, it is unclear who the card belongs to and what the charges were for.
Last weekend, Laundrie was reported missing shortly after a viral video allegedly depicting a domestic violence incident between him and his fiancé Gabby Petito. Florida police, as well as a dive team, have been looking into his whereabouts in the Carlton Reserve park. Today was the fifth unsuccessful day.
The body of the 22-year-old travel influencer was found in a Wyoming National Park and after she went missing in the middle of a multi-month-long cross-country road trip with Laundrie. Brian returned home from the road trip without her on September 1 and her family reporting her missing on Sep 11.
After being separated by authorities to give statements, a visibly upset Gabby told officers that she was struggling with her mental health and has severe anxiety, and that her and Brian had spent the morning fighting, and were dealing with some “personal issues”. When officers asked Brian why he had scratches on his face, he said that Gabby had gotten him with her phone while she was trying to take their van’s keys off him during an argument.
Following her disappearance, Laundrie hired a lawyer and refused to cooperate with the police.
Yesterday, it was revealed that a Utah park ranger claimed that she “implored” Gabby Petito to leave Brian Laundrie after pulling them over in response to a 911 call.
Help is available.
If you require immediate assistance, please call 000.
If you’d like to speak to someone about domestic violence, please call the 1800 Respect hotline on 1800 737 732 or chat online.
Under 25? You can reach Kids Helpline at 1800 55 1800 or chat online.
