Five questions Brian Laundrie’s parents must answer from mystery burner phone & botched timeline, to gun pic in bedroom
THERE are five key questions Brian Laundrie sleuths want his parents to answer after the death of Gabby Petito and their fugitive son.
Laundrie's parents, Chris and Roberta have been the focus of intense media and online speculation after the remains of Gabby's fiancé were uncovered by police following a weeks-long manhunt.
Investigators are piecing together Laundrie's last known movements and may be looking at a timeline change.
Cops have admitted that the fugitive likely died before the manhunt for him even began, North Port Police spokesperson Joshua Taylor told People.
However, many questions still remain unanswered at this point.
WHAT DOES THE GUN PICTURE MEAN?
Pictures previously surfaced of Laundrie's room showing an American-flag-covered gun.
In the picture, a gun painted to resemble the American flag hangs on the shelf, while a chilling poster depicting violent stabbings and beatings sits atop a bookshelf.
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The picture also shows a Darth Vader mask and a collection of the Watchmen comics.
FBI agents had searched his parents' house in North Port, Florida, in September, removing several boxes and towing away a car used by Brian's mom.
However, internet sleuths also spotted the chilling gun picture in Laundrie's room.
HOW DID THEY MIXED UP TIMELINE?
Laundrie's parents initially gave police the wrong date of their son's disappearance.
The family's attorney revealed the Laundries' provided investigators with the incorrect date for his alleged disappearance into the Carlton Reserve in September.
Brian "left to hike in the preserve" on Monday, September 13, not Tuesday, September 14 as originally shared, their lawyer revealed, resulting in a barrage of Reddit speculation.
Bertolino wrote in a text response to anchor Josh Benson from WFLA in Florida, "The Laundries were basing the date Brian left on their recollection of certain events.”
After consulting with the FBI and confirming the day Brian’s Mustang was found and returned to the Laundries’ home, Bertolino wrote, “we now believe the day Brian left to hike in the preserve was Monday September 13."
WHY DID BRIAN BUY A NEW PHONE?
Sleuths are also hoping to shed some light on Laundrie's alleged burner phone he used while on the lam.
The FBI are said to be investigating reports of a burner phone bought on the day Laundrie went missing.
Agents are said to be looking into security footage taken at a store near his parent's home.
A source told TMZ that Brian purchased a phone at the AT&T store on September 14 with an "older woman."
Tha was initially last day Brian's parents Chris and Roberta say they saw their son when he went off for a hike before they changed their date mix-up.
They reported him missing three days later on September 17.
The store said in a statement to The Sun: "We're not confirming or denying anything and we're not making any statements, thank you and have a great day."
Laundrie family attorney Steven Bertolino said: "To my knowledge, they did purchase a new phone and it's the same phone that Brian left home and which the FBI is in possession of."
WHY DID THEY GO CAMPING?
Laundrie and his parents stayed at a Florida campground 75 miles from their home just days before he vanished, the family's attorney has confirmed.
The potential lead in the case was first offered by Dog the Bounty Hunter, who claimed he'd received a tip that Laundrie and his parents had visited Fort De Soto Park twice in September, most recently on September 6.
Laundrie family attorney Bertolino said: “Cassie saw her brother Brian on September 01 when he stopped by her home and again on September 6 at Fort De Soto Park.
"Law enforcement agencies are well aware of these dates."
It is not clear why the Laundries didn't report him missing until September 17. Two days later, Gabby's remains are found near a campground in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming.
WHAT WERE THEY LOOKING FOR?
Just minutes after Roberta and Chris walked into the Carlton Reserve, they with police found Brian's remains and belongings, with a highly pictured bag showing what looks like to be a book among Brian's stuff.
Chris and Roberta were seen moving in and out of areas of the brush, before separating for roughly 12 minutes when Chris lead the two men into the brush on the left side of a trail.
He returned without the cops and the couple continued on. A video captured by Fox shows Chris wading through another patch of bushes while Roberta stands motionless in the middle of a trail, staring off in the opposite direction.
It's unclear what was found by officers, but the items were found near to a trial Brian was known to use.
Chris and Roberta Laundrie searched with the officers for a while before breaking away by themselves.
Last week, it emerged that feces, and a dirty cloth were reportedly discovered near to where the skeletal remains of Brian Laundrie were found by police last week, an activist has claimed.
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In a post on Twitter, self-described Gabby Petito justice seeker Andra Griffin shared photos of the potentially significant discoveries inside Myakkahatchee Creek Park, adding that police had been notified.
The breakthrough in the case came just moments after Laundrie's parents, Chris and Roberta, found a backpack belonging to their son next to a path he was known to trek.
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