NORTH PORT, Fla. (WFLA) — A federal arrest warrant has been issued for Brian Laundrie in connection with the ongoing investigation into the disappearance and death of Gabby Petito, the FBI said Thursday.
According to the FBI in Denver, the U.S. District Court of Wyoming issued the federal arrest warrant “pursuant to a federal grand jury indictment” related to Laundrie’s “activities” following Petito’s death.
Court documents obtained by WFLA show Laundrie was indicted for the “use of unauthorized access devices” following Petito’s death. According to the documents, Laundrie used a Capitol One Bank debit card and a personal identification number for two Capital One Bank accounts “knowingly and with intent to defraud” between Aug. 30 and Sept. 1 in Wyoming. Using the accounts, he obtained “things of value aggregating to $1,000 or more.”
“While this warrant allows law enforcement to arrest Mr. Laundrie, the FBI and our partners across the country continue to investigate the facts and circumstances of Ms. Petito’s homicide,” the agency said in a statement. “We urge individuals with knowledge of Mr. Laundrie’s role in this matter or his current whereabouts to contact the FBI.”
Petito mysteriously disappeared during a cross-country road trip she was on with her fiancé, Brian Laundrie. Police say Laundrie returned home to North Port alone on Sept. 1.
Petito’s family officially reported her missing on Sept. 11.
Her white van that the couple had been traveling in was later recovered by police from the Laundrie home. Police later identified Laundrie as a person if interest in the Petito case.
Laundrie was reported missing by his family last Friday, Sept. 17, sparking a massive search that is still ongoing as of Thursday, Sept. 23. According to North Port police, family members said they last saw Laundrie Sept. 14.
A body found in Wyoming over the weekend matching Petito’s description was positively identified as the 22-year-old this week. The preliminary findings of the autopsy ruled her manner of death a homicide, but the cause of death is still being determined.