Federal investigators believe Brian Laundrie purchased a burner phone at an AT&T store in his hometown of North Port, Florida on the day he went missing.
FBI agents seized surveillance footage from the store as reports have surfaced that Laundrie may have visited the establishment with an older woman on September 14.
This is the day Laundrie reportedly left his parents’ home to go for a hike, which is three days after Gabby Petito was reported missing.
The seizure comes as internet sleuths have noticed changes to his social media accounts and Lyssa Chapman — daughter of Dog the Bounty Hunter who joined the nationwide search for the 23-year-old on Saturday — confirmed that the FBI believes Laundrie’s mother, Roberta, is also using a burner phone.
The North Port AT&T store declined to comment on whether Laundrie and Roberta visited the establishment, telling DailyMail.com: ‘We are not confirming or denying anything and we are not making any statements.’
However, the Laundries’ attorney, Steven Bertolino did tell TMZ the family purchased a new phone but he ‘believes it’s the one Brian left behind at home’ and notes that the ‘FBI is already in possession of it’.
Bertolino’s comment echoes a previous statement he made to Insider, stating that investigators were in possession of the device. The lawyer claims the 23-year-old left his wallet and cell phone at his family’s home before leaving the residence on September 14. The whereabouts of his fiancée’s phone remain unknown.
The FBI also seized surveillance footage from Fort De Soto Park on Wednesday, Fox News reported.
Dog the Bounty Hunter, who currently has boat and ground crews searching the area, says the 1,136 acre park — which is made up of five interconnected islands — is the ‘perfect spot’ for Laundrie to hide.
‘This would be and could be a perfect spot for him to hide, not too many people out here, but there’s a lot of environmental things that we’re gonna fight,’ Dog said in a video posted to Twitter.
‘The search now is really on. The search has just begun.’
Federal investigators believe fugitive Brian Laundrie may be using a burner cell phone that was purchased at and AT&T store in his hometown of North Port, Florida on the day he went missing
The North Port AT&T store (pictured) declined to comment on the alleged purchase, telling the Daily Mail: ‘We are not confirming or denying anything and we are not making any statements’
Dog was searching coastline and creeks on Wednesday for Laundrie in the area of the Florida campground that the fugitive visited with his parents earlier this month.
The TV reality star – real name Duane Chapman, 68 – has been aboard a boat and working with his own teams around the Fort De Soto site located about 75 miles from the North Port home Laundrie shared with dad Christopher, 62, and mom Roberta, 55.
‘He’s working on very strong leads today,’ said the former bail bondsman’s spokesperson Jennifer Willingham. ‘This could very well be the last day of the hunt to apprehend Brian Laundrie.
‘He’s been using a boat. But we don’t want other folk piling in with their boats in the area. He’s following specific information.’
Dog has also called in K9 teams to assist with his search, which he plans to continue into the evening.
‘It doesn’t matter who catches him,’ Dog said Wednesday afternoon. ‘We just want to do everything we can to help bring Brian in safely.’
Laundrie is a person of interest in the homicide of his 22-year-old fiancée, Gabby Petito. The couple embarked on an once-in-a-lifetime cross-country road trip in July, but on September 1, Laundrie returned home to Florida without Petito. She was reported missing on September 11, and her remains were discovered near a Wyoming campsite on September 19.
The newly seized surveillance footage could provide investigators with a more accurate picture of what took place in the days ahead of Laundrie’s disappearance.
On Tuesday, Bertolino confirmed that all three Laundrie family members went camping in a Florida national park just five days before his fiancée Gabby Petito was reported missing.
Bertolino said the family camped together at Fort De Soto from September 6, leaving together the following day.
‘They all left the park,’ Bertolino said, according to Fox 13.
Dog the Bounty Hunter, who has joined the search for Laundrie, said Monday night that Laundrie’s parents spent the night in Fort De Soto in Pinellas County, Florida, from September 1 to 3, staying in spot number 1.
They returned again with Brian to stay on spot 15 from September 6 to 8, and left without him, Dog claims.
Records did not show the Laundrie family staying at the park from September 1 to 3.
After first saying: ‘I will no longer give that dog credibility or dignify his false claims with the time of my reply,’ Bertolino confirmed the family had stayed at the site, though he gave the dates as being from September 6 to 7.
Brian Laundrie, 23, and Petito embarked on a once-in-a-lifetime cross-country road trip in July. But on September 1, Laundrie returned home to Florida without his 22-year-old fiancée. She was reported missing on September 11, and her remains were discovered near a Wyoming campsite on September 19.
If Dog’s claims are accurate, Brian could have had a week head-start before he was named a person of interest on September 15.
The confirmation of the camping trip comes amid growing speculation that Laundrie’s mother could be using a burner phone as the hunt for her son – the prime suspect in Petito’s murder – continues.
Reporters in Tampa approached the FBI after internet sleuths showed screen grabs of Dog the Bounty Hunter’s daughter Lyssa Chapman appearing to confirm the FBI believe Roberta Laundrie is using a burner phone.
It has not been suggested that she is using the burner phone to communicate with her son.
‘We do not confirm or deny contact with any individual or entity in order to preserve their privacy, as such, we do not confirm or deny the receipt of any tip. We have no additional comment,’ the FBI said, according to 10 Tampa Bay reporter Shannon Clowe.
Lyssa Chapman tweeted that the FBI confirmed the accusations that Roberta is in possession of a burner phone but did not present any evidence of the confirmation.
The Laundrie family attorney, Steven Bertolino, had ‘no comment.’
Internet sleuths have claimed that Brian is using a burner phone after allegedly noticing changes to his Instagram and Spotify accounts since he disappeared two weeks ago.
His Instagram account reportedly went live for three seconds on Monday showing waves and just a peak of an olive green boat, according to Inside Edition.
The account also reportedly unfollowed several people.
There have also been claims online that Brian’s Spotify playlist name changed from ‘Selfconsomption’ to ‘Nomatic Statik.’ The playlist was reportedly created after Petito’s disappearance.
Brian has been named a person of interest in the investigation into his fiancée’s death. Her remains were found in Wyoming and her death ruled a homicide after she was reported missing on September 11.
Dog the Bounty Hunter joined the search for Brian on Saturday and was quickly flooded with tips, one of which claimed that the Laundrie family spent the night in Fort De Soto Park with their son twice after he came back alone from Wyoming in early September.
Dog said in an interview with Dr Oz on Tuesday that he wants to speak to Brian’s father, because parents know where their kids are ’50 per cent of the time’ when they have been accused of a crime. He said another 35 per cent of parents help with the search.
The attorney for Brian Laundrie’s parents has confirmed that all three went camping in Fort De Soto in Florida national Park just days before his fiancée Gabby Petito was reported missing. The camping site is seen in exclusive DailyMail.com photos
The campsite (pictured) is located in Fort De Soto in Pinellas County, Florida, close to St Petersburg
Two months ago Laundrie and Gabby Petitio visited the same spot and posted photos hiking and showing them relaxing on the beach. They also posted this photo behind bars
The attorney for the family of Brian Laundrie has confirmed that Laundrie went camping with his parents at Fort de Soto Park five days before Gabby Petito was reported missing. Laundrie had returned home to North Port, Florida on September 1 and Petito was reported missing on September 11. Police and FBI are now searching Cartlon Reserve for any sign of him
Roberta Laundrie (right) has been accused of using a burner phone to keep in contact with her son, Brian, who is currently wanted by the police. Christopher (left) and Roberta (right) Laundrie visited their attorney in Orlando on Thursday
Dog, who was convicted of first degree murder in the 1970s, added: ‘I wanna talk to his dad and explain the difference between involuntary manslaughter and murder one out of Wyoming.
‘In murder one, you’re facing the death penalty. A manslaughter is a life sentence with the possibility of parole.
‘I wanted to explain to him, “I know exactly what you’re going through right now. As a matter of fact, I personally went through it.” So, I just wanted to talk to the dad.’
A Fort Meyers couple have claimed they camped next to Brian and his parents during their campsite trip to Fort De Soto Park.
Marcie and Kenny Newson realized they may have stayed near the family after looking back on photos and seeing a red truck with a camper similar to the one parked in the Laundries’ driveway.
They said they could not confirm physically seeing Laundrie but a selfie from their trip appears to show him walking across the campsite.
‘They kept to themselves. They were there an then they weren’t’, they told NBC 2.
Another camper whose name appeared on the ledger was celebrating his anniversary with his wife three spots down from the Laundries.
Thomas Rutherford told Fox News that he could ‘vaguely remember’ spotting the Laundries’ vehicle, which they noted due to the novelty of seeing a camper attached to a vehicle.
Since the tip lead investigators to the Florida park about 75 miles north of North Port, it has been revealed that Brian and Petito have stayed at the campsite before.
Two months ago, the pair uploaded a series of photos to hiking website The Dyrt that show them relaxing on the beach and exploring the Fort De Soto campground.
A spokesman for the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office told DailyMail.com that there is no search underway and the only activity at the 1,130-acre site Tuesday was a handful of media helicopters circling overhead.
A spokeswoman for the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office said: ‘We are not conducting an investigation at Fort De Soto. We are unaware of any confirmed sightings of Brian.’
Dog continues to push the idea that Laundrie could be there, hopping from island to island in a canoe to evade detection.
Duane Chapman, better known as Dog the Bounty Hunter, (pictured at the weekend outside the Laundrie house in North Port, Florida) said on Monday that he had located a campsite where the Laundrie family stayed in September and where he believes Brian Laundrie is hiding out
Brian (left) has also been accused of using a burner phone after activity to his social media accounts were allegedly spotted by people online
Petito, (right) was found dead in Wyoming after Brian (left) returned from their cross-country ‘van life’ trip without her on September 1
Records show that the Laundrie family checked into the Fort De Soto campground
In one photo from the fateful couple’s visit, Laundrie and Gabby are seen peering through the bars of a jail cell at an old fort. In more snaps, Gabby is seen reading a true crime novel book on the beach, exploring the dunes and holding a starfish in the palm of her hand.
‘Really nice campground, beautiful area with many hikes and easy walks, the beach, historic sites, really nice camp store and well maintained sites!’ the couple said in a review.
Based around a fort built in 1900, Fort De Soto contains more than seven miles of waterfront, eleven floating docks and multiple places to launch kayaks and canoes.
Last week, Laundrie’s neighbors, Charlene and William Guthrie, said they saw the family hook up the camper to the back of their pickup truck for a weekend trip away about a week after their son’s return, on September 11 – the same day Gabby was reported missing.
The family would have returned about two days later as DailyMail.com photos show the camper back in the driveway on September 13.
Marcie and Kenny Newsom (first and second right) said they could not confirm physically seeing Laundrie but a selfie from their trip appears to show him walking across the campsite
A Fort Meyers couple realized they may have stayed near the family after looking back on photos and seeing a red truck with a camper (left) similar to the one parked in the Laundries’ driveway (right)
When police contacted the Guthries over the disappearance of Petito, William told them about the family’s trip, noting that it was unusual for Christopher and Roberta Laundrie to go off in such a small camper with their 23-year-old son.
‘I saw them doing some work. And then when they prepared for their trip, I saw them loading the camper,’ William told Fox News.
Search efforts have so far been concentrated at the Carlton Reserve – an alligator-infested watery 25,000-acre site 13 miles north of the Laundrie family home in North Port.
‘Allegedly, what we’re hearing, is two people left on the 8th,’ said Chapman.
‘Three people came in on the 6th, and two people left on the 8th. I think he’s been here for sure.’
‘Really nice campground, beautiful area with many hikes and easy walks, the beach, historic sites, really nice camp store and well maintained sites!’ Gabby and Brian said in a review of the campsite during their visit two months ago (pictured)
An extensive search for Laundrie has been underway since his parents reported him missing on September 17 – two days after he was named a person of interest in the homicide of Petito, whose remains were found on September 19
In more snaps Gabby is seen reading a true crime novel book on the beach, exploring the dunes and holding a starfish in the palm of her hand
A Fox News Digital reporter overheard a park worker say investigators had checked surveillance video on the grounds.
The Laundries maintained their silence Tuesday when they were seen leaving home mid-morning to buy groceries at Walmart. They have not publicly commented on Brian’s disappearance or the slaying of his fiancé.
Brian was charged with ‘use of unauthorized access device’ last Thursday, but said they will ‘continue to investigate the facts and circumstances of Ms. Petito’s homicide.’
An extensive search for Brian has been underway since his parents reported him missing on September 17 – two days after he was named a person of interest in Petito’s case.
Dog believes that Laundrie could be in this area, hopping from island to island in a canoe to evade detection
Based around a fort built in 1900, Fort De Soto contains more than seven miles of waterfront, eleven floating docks and multiple places to launch kayaks and canoes
Dog is adamant that Brian could be hopping from island to island in a kayak or canoe at the Fort De Soto camping site
Petito and Brian visited the De Soto campground together according to their review on The Dyrt
The FBI refused to confirm or deny the allegations as Steven Bertolino, the Laundrie family attorney, declined to comment
A group of 75 officers from more than 16 agencies joined the search last week, using drones, diver units, dogs and ATV vehicles to comb the 25,000-acre preserve since his parents reported that Brian might be there.
Over 100 miles of hiking, biking and horseback riding trails are contained in the park, along with camping areas and rivers. Wildlife there includes alligators, bobcats, snakes and coyotes.
Florida cattle rancher Alan McEwen, who lives outside the Carlton Reserve, has spent 30 years exploring the area and said it’s not somewhere humans can easily live. He has been assisting police in their search for Brian.
‘There’s no surviving out here, I don’t know how to say it,’ he told Fox News.
‘I’ve been in the woods in and out all my life. I have learned a lot in my life, and one thing I know is no one is gonna survive out there for two weeks on foot.’
Dog vowed to find him before his 24th birthday on November 18. Seattle’s Boohoof Law offered a $20,000 reward for information leading to his capture.