Divers in Florida joined the manhunt for Brian Laundrie, a person of interest in the murder of Gabby Petito, on Friday.
Authorities are now using dive teams, boats, and sonar equipment to search the reserve — which encompasses thousands of acres of swamp and large bodies of water — where Laundrie is believed to be, the Herald-Tribune reported. Laundrie was reported missing on Sept. 17 by his parents, and since then, a manhunt has been underway in Florida to locate Laundrie.
We continue to respond to requests for mutual aid from neighboring law enforcement agencies & federal partners. To confirm, yes, members of our Sheriff’s Underwater Recovery Force have responded to Carlton Reserve. This in addition to our Emergency Response Team, Air-1 & patrol. pic.twitter.com/LcagDcofLL
— SarasotaSheriff (@SarasotaSheriff) September 22, 2021
More than 50 law enforcement officers have spent five days searching the preserve for Laundrie, according to the Herald-Tribune. (RELATED: FBI Swarms Home Of Brian Laundrie, Declares It A Crime Scene)
“I have directed all state agencies under my purview to continue to assist federal and local law enforcement as they continue to search,” Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis tweeted Wednesday. “We need justice for Gabby Petito.”
“We’ve deployed numerous resources, and we are trying to cover every acre in this preserve,” North Port Police Commander Joe Fussell said, according to the Herald-Tribune. “Or law enforcement partners, they’re motivated, and they’re hungry to find Brian Laundrie.”
Dogs, all-terrain vehicles, and drones have also been called in for the manhunt. Authorities have also started using infrared technology when flying overnight to locate Laundrie, CBS News reported.