Police on the hunt for Brian Laundrie have reportedly discovered a recently used campsite at the sprawling Florida park where the fugitive in the Gabby Petito case told his parents he was going on a hike.
A source close to the 23-year-old man’s family told CNN’s Chris Cuomo late Wednesday that authorities said they “found fresh traces of a campsite” at the sprawling, 25,000-acre Carlton Reserve in Sarasota.
News of the discovery came as the family’s lawyer announced that Laundrie’s father, Chris, would be joining the massive manhunt.
The North Port Police Department emphatically denied requesting the dad’s assistance, but the lawyer, Steven Bertolino, was adamant that “law enforcement” wants the family’s help and suggested it may have been the FBI that made the request.
The feds declined to comment.
Bertolino told CNN that Chris Laundrie was asked to assist North Port cops in their search but that police had to postpone.
“Chris Laundrie was asked to assist law enforcement in their search for Brian at the preserve today,” Bertolino said in a statement.
“Since the preserve has been closed to the public Chris has not been able to look for Brian in the only place Chris and Roberta believe Brian may be,” he told The Post.
“Unfortunately North Port police had to postpone Chris’ involvement but Chris and Roberta are hopeful there will be another opportunity to assist,” the lawyer added.
When asked on CNN whether Laundrie’s parents believe he’s in the reserve or another area, Bertolino said: “No, they don’t believe he’s in another area. They believe he is in the preserve.”
Laundrie reportedly went hiking at the reserve on Sept. 13 and never returned to his parents’ nearby North Port home.
Laundrie is the sole person of interest in the disappearance of his slain 22-year-old girlfriend. He had returned home early from the couple’s cross-country trip on Sept. 1 without Petito.
Federal authorities in Wyoming issued an arrest warrant for Laundrie on Sept. 23 for allegedly fraudulently using Petito’s debit card.
Petito had been reported missing on Sept. 11 and her body was found Sept. 19 at a remote campsite at the Bridger-Teton National Forest in Wyoming, with a coroner later declaring her death a homicide.