Dog the Bounty Hunter claims to have 'lead' on Gabby Petito case
Dog the Bounty Hunter, a reality TV star whose real name is Duane Chapman, told Fox News that a tipster sent him to a park in Florida to investigate the disappearance of Brian Laundrie, a person of interest in Gabby Petito's death.
Petito's murder garnered national attention after she disappeared while on a cross-country road trip with Laundrie, her fiance.
The Federal Bureau of Investigations visited Laundrie's family home on Tuesday to request personal items of his to assist with DNA matching, the Laundries' lawyer told multiple news outlets.
NBC affiliate WFLA reported that Chapman knocked on the door of Laundrie's family home on Saturday, and no one answered. Fox News reports that Laundrie's mother called 911 instead of answering the door.
Chapman said that tips pointed him to the Fort De Soto Park, 75 miles away from Laundrie's home. He claims that Brian Laundrie and his parents were at the park on Sept. 6 through Sept. 8.
A reporter with ABC 7 Sarasota said that records from the Pinellas County Parks show that Brian Laundrie's mother, Roberta Laundrie, did check in to the park on Sept. 6 and checked out on Sept. 8. The records do not show if Brian was with her.
A different reporter from WPBF 25 News in Palm Beach spoke to the Laundrie family lawyer, who said that Brian Laundrie was staying with his parents during those dates, and they went camping.
"That dog doesn't know what he's talking about," the lawyer told Jossie Carbonare with WPBF 25 News. "They did go to that campground Sept. 6 and Sept. 7 as a family and they all left together despite the claims of others."
Tipsters told Chapman, according to Fox News, that three people were at the park on Sept. 6 and two people left the park on Sept. 8. Dog the Bounty Hunter told WFLA that deputies with the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office were assisting him with the search, but the sheriff's office told WFLA that this was untrue.
Chapman's theory hinges on the fact that Brian Laundrie's family helped him disappear, but they have denied this. Laundrie's parents told investigators they last saw him on September 14, three days after Petito was reported missing. His parents told police he left their home with a backpack, saying he was going to the nearby Carlton Reserve.
"Brian obviously returned home after camping and what that dog is spewing is nothing but baloney," the Laundrie's family lawyer told WPBF.
The bizarre statements from Dog the Bounty Hunter caused him to trend online, and Fox News ran exclusive coverage of interviews with him.
The television series "Dog the Bounty Hunter" aired on A&E from 2004 to 2012 and followed Chapman tracking down fugitives with his wife Beth.
Gabby Petito's Instagram page shows a photo of her from March at the location where Chapman visited on Tuesday.
Rumors were also circulating on social media that Laundrie was spotted in Boone, NC. A photo on Facebook that claimed to have been taken there was making the rounds online, saying it was a photo of Laundrie.
Officials with the Watagua County Sheriff's Office said that they were looking into these claims, but nothing has been verified.
"The information has been sent to our local agencies as is done for similar information and analysis," said Sheriff Len Hagaman.
Petito's murder has taken the internet by storm, where hundreds of accounts are speculating about what happened to her. The national obsession with Petito's case has posed questions about "true crime sleuths" and if they are distracting from the investigation or assisting in it.
"Social media has been amazing," said Gabby Petito's father, Joe Petito. "I just like to thank everyone for that. I do. It is greatly appreciated. That was very helpful in bringing our daughter home. So thank you very much. I don't think we can thank everybody enough."
TikTok user @mirandabaker_ is now working with police after saying she gave a ride to Laundrie near the area where Petito's body was found. A video posted by Baker has nearly 2 million views.
