Laundrie Family Camped At Pinellas County Park A Week Before He Disappeared: Report

Updated: 6:40 p.m., Tuesday

PINELLAS COUNTY, FL — Public records, as well as the attorney for the parents of Brian Laundrie, a person of interest in the death of his girlfriend, Gabby Petito, confirmed the family went camping at Fort De Soto Park in early September, about a week before he disappeared, according to reports.

Duane Chapman, an investigator known as Dog the Bounty Hunter, joined the search for Laundrie, 23, over the weekend after a federal search warrant was issued for him in connection with the unauthorized use of an unnamed person’s debit card to withdraw more than $1,000 at ATMs.

Chapman said he’s fielded numerous tips, included leads suggesting the Laundrie family camped twice at Fort De Soto Park in Tierra Verde, just south of St. Petersburg, in early September. The park is about 75 miles north of their North Port home.

He told Fox News that according to the tip he received Monday, Laundrie and his parents stayed at the Pinellas County park Sept. 1-3 and again 6-8. His tipsters claim the Laundries left the park without their son after the second trip, he said.

"They were registered, went through the gate. They’re on camera. They were here," Chapman said. "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 (at the Carlton Reserve)."

Related Stories:

• ‘Not Just Gabby Petito’ Case Deserves Media Attention: Dad
• Laundrie Might Be In Appalachian Trail, Some Experts Say
• 'Be Inspired': Gabby Petito's Dad At Long Island Memorial Service
• Memorial Butterfly Release Planned In North Port For Gabby Petito
• Laundrie: Cops 'Not Wasting Our Time' With Search
• Brian Laundrie Indicted, Sought By FBI On Arrest Warrant

He added, “Allegedly, what we’re hearing, is two people left (Fort De Soto) on (Sept. 8). Three people came in on (Sept. 6), and two people left on (Sept 8). I think he’s been here for sure."

County records confirm that Laundrie’s mother checked into “Site 001-Waterfront” at Fort De Soto Park Sept. 6-8, WFLA reported.

Steven Bertolino, the family’s attorney, said Tuesday that Laundrie camped at the site with his parents Sept. 6-7 and the three left the park together.

Laundrie is familiar with Fort De Soto, as Petito posted pictures from their February visit to the county park to her Instagram page.

A spokesperson for the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office told Patch Tuesday morning that the agency has received multiple calls inquiring about Laundrie but that the office is not actively searching Fort De Soto.

Any tips received will be passed on to North Port police, the spokesperson added, noting, “We are unaware of any confirmed sightings of Brian himself.”

A second PCSO spokesperson said all media inquiries need to be made through the FBI’s Denver office.

When asked about the tips pointing to Fort De Soto Park, Courtney Bernal with the FBI told Patch, "We have no comment other than what is posted on Twitter. "

The agency hasn't tweeted about the family's camping trip or investigations related to it as of Tuesday evening.

Patch has also reached out to Pinellas County for records regarding the camping trip.

Through Bertolino, Laundrie’s parents also denied knowing where their son is and said they haven’t helped him evade authorities, amid media and public speculation to the contrary.

The attempted to dispel rumors that his parents have assisted him, issuing a statement on their behalf Monday evening, Fox 5 NY reported.

"Chris and Roberta Laundrie do not know where Brian is. They are concerned about Brian and hope the FBI can locate him,” he said.

Bertolino added, "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."

Want more local news? Subscribe to your local Patch newsletter. You can also have stories delivered to your phone screen by downloading from iTunes, or by visiting the Google Play store.

The Laundries told North Port police Sept. 17 — about a week after Petito’s Long Island family reported the 22-year-old woman missing in New York — that they hadn’t seen their son in days.

Brian Laundrie and Petito were traveling the western United States in her converted camper van, visiting national parks, when she disappeared. Her family last heard from her at the end of August.

Her body was found weeks later, on Sept. 19, near Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park in the Spread Creek Dispersed Camping area, which is part of the Bridger-Teton National Forest. Her death has been ruled a homicide, though no cause of death has been released.

Authorities in Florida have been searching the Carlton Reserve in Sarasota County for Laundrie since Sept. 18. His parents told police they last saw him Sept. 14 when he left their home without his wallet or cell phone to go hiking at the 25,000-acre nature preserve.

Various methods have been used to comb the swampy reserve, including K-9 dogs, ATVs, drones, helicopters, dive teams and airboats. It’s estimated the search costs taxpayers about $150,000 a day; however, the FBI, which took over the investigation in the reserve, has scaled back the search in that area.

The manhunt for Laundrie has led to tips pouring in from all over the country — and the world — and authorities have looked into reports of sightings of him in Alabama, northern Florida, Canada, the Bahamas, Mexico and other locations.

Some experts, including Chapman and John Walsh of “Unsolved Mysteries” fame, who have both joined the search for Laundrie, have said multiple leads are pointing them to the Appalachian Trail.

Laundrie is familiar with the Appalachian Trail, which spans about 2,180 miles from Georgia to Maine. He spent three months living on the trail alone, according to one of Petito’s close friends, and the couple spent time on the trail together in March.

Walsh, who now hosts “In Pursuit with John Walsh” on the Investigation Discovery network and has used the show to help track down 26 fugitives and eight missing children, said he’s received about 500 tips from viewers about Laundrie’s whereabouts. That’s about three times the number of tips he’s received for any other case, Fox 8 reported.