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NORTH PORT, Fla. (WFLA) -- The search for 23-year-old Brian Laundrie is back on in a massive Sarasota County nature reserve Tuesday as investigators continue their work trying to piece together what happened to Gabby Petito.
North Port Police PIO Josh Taylor confirmed the department would pick up its search at Carlton Reserve again on Tuesday. In an email, Taylor said North Port police are working with several other law enforcement agencies - including the FBI, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Sarasota County Sheriff's Office, Sarasota Police Department, Venice Police Department and K9 search and rescue teams - to find Laundrie.
Laundrie, who has been named a person of interest in his fiancée Gabby Petito's disappearance, was reported missing to police on Friday, Sept. 17. According to police, his parents reported last seeing him last Tuesday, Sept. 14, in hiking gear.
"Tuesday, we will once again continue our search efforts in the Carlton Reserve, where Brian reportedly visited a week ago today to go hiking," Taylor said.
North Port officers and FBI agents spent much of the weekend searching the reserve for Laundrie. There were no plans for a "major search" of the Carlton Reserve Monday, as North Port police believed they "exhausted all avenues in searching of the grounds there."
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"A weekend ground search and aerial search Monday of the 25,000-acre preserve has yet to yield any answers, but we must press on," Taylor explained.
He added that law enforcement will move in from the Venice side of the area on Tuesday.
"Please be aware, the Carlton Reserve is a vast and unforgiving location at times. It is currently waist-deep in water in many areas," Taylor said. "This is dangerous work for the search crews as they are wading through gator and snake-infested swamps and flooded hiking and biking trails."
As the search continues for Laundrie in Florida, an autopsy is scheduled to begin on the remains found over the weekend in Wyoming. FBI officials said Sunday the body matches the description of Petito but was pending a forensic confirmation of the identity.
This is a developing story, please check back for updates.
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