Brian’s parents’ plea
Insist they didn’t aid fugitive
The lawyer for Brian Laundrie’s parents insisted Monday that the couple didn’t help their son flee authorities after girlfriend Gabby Petito’s disappearance and added they have no idea where he is.
“The speculation by the public and some in the press that the parents assisted Brian in leaving the family home or in avoiding arrest on a warrant that was issued after Brian had already been missing for several days is just wrong,” lawyer Steven Bertolino said in a statement.
“Chris and Roberta Laundrie do not know where Brian is,” Bertolino said.
“They are concerned about Brian and hope the FBI can locate him.’’
Laundries’ parents have been lambasted on social media and harassed at home amid accusations that they helped their fugitive son dodge authorities over his girlfriend’s disappearance and death.
Petito, a 22-year-old Long Island native, disappeared on a road trip in late August and her remains were found in Wyoming on Sept. 19. Authorities have ruled her death a homicide.
Laundrie returned to Florida without her on Sept. 1 and then fled — and is now the subject of a massive FBIled manhunt.
Meanwhile, newly surfaced dispatch audio revealed that the Utah cops who pulled the pair over on Aug. 12 after an alleged domestic incident were told Laundrie was the aggressor — even though cops considered arresting Petito.
“RP [reporting party] states seeing a male hit a female, domestic,” the dispatcher can be heard saying, according to police audio obtained by Fox 13 Utah.
“He got into a white Ford Transit van, has a black ladder on the back, Florida plate,” the dispatcher adds.
In the audio, when one cop asks for the witness’ phone number, the dispatcher again indicates that Laundrie had hit Petito, who was seen in tears in police bodycam footage of the stop.
Moab officials are investigating the police handling of the “domestic dispute” between the couple. City officials said the responding officers’ actions may have been a “breach of police department policy.”
Under Utah law, police must make an arrest or issue a citation when they have “probable cause to believe that an act of domestic violence has been committed,” Fox News reported.