(Photo : Photo by Octavio Jones/Getty Images)
NORTH PORT, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 21: A makeshift memorial dedicated to Gabby Petito is located near the North Port City Hall on September 21, 2021 in North Port, Florida. The body of Petito was found by authorities in Wyoming, where she went missing while on a cross-country trip with her fiance, Brian Laundrie. Law enforcement agencies are for searching for his whereabouts.
New details regarding Brian Laundrie's disappearance and Gabby Petito's homicide have just emerged.
On Wednesday, reports claimed that the FBI is investigating a potential burner phone that Laundrie purchased days after he left his Florida home to go on a hike.
FBI agents visited an AT&T store close to Laundrie's house to check for any surveillance.
On Sept. 11, Laundrie went on a hike but he never came home. Sept. 14 was reportedly the last that his family saw him. And on the same day, sources claimed that they also saw Laundrie buying a burner phone.
Three days later, Laundrie's parents told the FBI that their son was missing. And he hasn't been found until today.
Laundrie's family lawyer, Steven Bertolino told TMZ that his client indeed purchased a phone from the nearby AT&T store. However, he clarified that it is the same phone that is already in the possession of the authorities.
Last week, the lawyer told the New York Post that Laundrie left his home without his wallet and his cell phone. His parents are also worried because Laundrie might hurt himself.
Brian Laundrie made other poeple uncomfortable during their encounters
Now, new details also emerge regarding Laundrie's whereabouts.
A Florida couple believes they saw Laundrie with his family camping at the Fort De Soto Park on Labor Day just days before Petit was reported missing.
Pinellas County documents confirmed that Laundrie's mom, Roberta checked out of the campsite two days later and three days before Petito was reported missing.
A Louisiana man also claimed that he spoke to Laundrie near the Yellowstone National Park days before his fiancée was reported missing.
Hunter Mannies called his meeting with Laundrie a very uncomfortable encounter.
"There was a guy by himself at the end of the bar. We really didn't pay him much attention until he got kind of - he just seemed overly invested in our conversation and eventually ended up speaking up," Mannies told Fox & Friends via Fox News.
Mannies added that the conversation between him and his friend about hunting became political. It was then that Laundrie chimed in to utter some expletives about Southerners and Republicans.
At the time, Mannies still had no idea who Laundrie was. And he also didn't know that Petito was missing.
Other than Mannies, at least two others already came forward to share their odd encounters with Laundrie.
Norma Jean Havolec previously said that she picked up Laundrie two days after Petito was last seen. She dropped Laundrie off at the Spread Creek dispersed area, where Petito's body was found.
When Havolec offered to drive Laundrie inside the campgrounds, he seemed agitated and wanted to get off the moving vehicle.
Gabby Petito's family still looking for answers
Petito's family is still mourning her shocking demise. The New York native decided to go on a cross-country adventure in June with Laundrie. And their photos and videos showed them having the best time of their lives.
But after spending two months on the road, Petito suddenly stopped posting on social media. On Sept. 1, Laundrie returned home without her, and this left Petito's family feeling concerned.
After a couple days of searching, Petito's remains were found at the park where Laundrie was last seen. Her death was also ruled as homicide.
Related Article: Experts Explain Why It Might Be Difficult To Find Brian Laundrie Despite Mounting Evidence Against Him
