Federal authorities have issued an arrest warrant for Brian Laundrie, the missing fiance in the disappearance of Gabby Petito.
The U.S. District Court in Wyoming issued the warrant “pursuant to a Federal Grand Jury indictment,” the FBI’s Denver office posted on Twitter.
On September 22, 2021, the U.S. District Court of Wyoming issued a federal arrest warrant for Brian Christopher Laundrie pursuant to a Federal Grand Jury indictment related to Mr. Laundrie’s activities following the death of Gabrielle Petito. pic.twitter.com/SSrBVbAeBs
— FBI Denver (@FBIDenver) September 23, 2021
Mr. Laundrie remains missing, however, as searchers continue looking for him Thursday in Florida swampland.
While Ms. Petito’s death was ruled a homicide earlier this week, that is not the immediate charge against Mr. Laundrie, the FBI’s Denver office said Thursday evening.
Mr. Laundrie is accused of “violation of [a] federal statute … ‘Use of Unauthorized Access Devices’ related to” his activities after Ms. Petito’s death, according to an FBI news release also posted to Twitter.
Today’s official #FBIDenver statement and the relevant charging documents are attached. pic.twitter.com/KMEIMOuqKH
— FBI Denver (@FBIDenver) September 23, 2021
“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,” said Michael Schneider, the special-agent-in-charge at the Denver FBI office.
The charge accuses Mr. Laundrie specifically of the unauthorized use of a debit card, saying he made withdrawals or charges worth more than $1,000 while Ms. Petito went missing, though the feds do not specify to whom the Capital One Bank card belonged.
The FBI also asked for more information from people who were at the Spread Creek dispersed Camping Area on Aug. 27-30, and anyone who may have seen either Mr. Laundrie, Ms. Petito, or their car. They reiterated their tip line contact information in the press release.
“No piece of evidence is too small or inconsequential,” Mr. Schneider said.
The Laundrie family’s lawyer noted that the missing 23-year-old has not been accused of murder.
“It is my understanding that the arrest warrant for Brian Laundrie is related to activities occurring after the death of Gabby Petito and not related to her actual demise,” Laundrie attorney Steven Bertolino told Fox News Digital. “The FBI is focusing on locating Brian and when that occurs the specifics of the charges covered under the indictment will be addressed in the proper forum.”
