New York Daily News

Missing L.I. woman’s boyfriend, sought by cops, is also missing

- Bill Sanderson With News Wire Services

A Florida man whose Long Island girlfriend mysterious­ly disappeare­d has now vanished himself, it was reported Friday.

Cops were summoned Friday night to the North Port, Fla., home where Brian Laundrie, 23, lives with his parents. But Laundrie, sources said, was nowhere to be found. North Port cops have named him a “person of interest” in the disappeara­nce of 22-year-old Gabby Petito. ,

Steven Bertolino, a Long Island lawyer representi­ng Laundrie’s family, told WABC-TV and other journalist­s: “Be advised, the whereabout­s of Brian Laundrie are currently unknown. The FBI is currently at the Laundrie residence removing property to assist in locating Brian. As of now, the FBI is looking for both Gabby and Brian.”

Petito and Laundrie, who grew up on Long Island, embarked on a cross-country trip in July with the aim of reaching Oregon by Halloween, according to social media posts.

Petito and Laundrie were seen feuding in Moab, Utah, on Aug. 12 in an incident caught on a police body camera. Moab police separated the couple for the night. Laundrie checked into a motel and Petito remained with their converted sleeper van.

Petito’s last known contact with her family was in late August, when the couple were in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. Laundrie drove the Ford Transit van back to Florida on Sept. 1 alone, police said.

Petito’s family filed a missing persons report last Saturday with police in Suffolk County, N.Y.

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