Human remains were discovered in the Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park near missing man Brian Laundrie’s personal possessions after a month-long search, although the identification of the deceased has not been confirmed.
Searches conducted by the North Port Police and the FBI for nearly a month yielded no new information regarding his whereabouts, and a scattering of sightings across the country proved to be mostly untrue.
His girlfriend, Gabby Petito, went missing two days before he went on a trek in the Carlton Reserve near North Port, Florida, where he never returned. She did not check in for several days when he returned on a cross-country road trip, and her family was suspicious.
Many searches have taken place in the Carlton Reserve since then, but survival experts say even a well-trained survivor would have difficulty avoiding capture and remaining alive in the swamp for weeks on end, therefore they assume Mr Laundrie is either not in the swamp or he has already died.
According to North Port Police Public Information Officer Josh Taylor, Mr. Laundrie has a 50-50 chance of surviving.
Until that time comes, retired FBI agents have warned that the agency cannot devote all of its resources to the pursuit of Mr. Laundrie and that the agency will have to return to its core purpose shortly. In fact, even Dog the Bounty Hunter, who was sidelined due to an ankle ailment, has returned to Colorado, where he has promised to rejoin the hunt if a “strong lead” comes to light.
Ms Petito died as a result of a physical strangulation in October, according to Teton County Coroner Dr Brent Blue. Mr Laundrie, who has yet to explain to authorities what transpired in Wyoming, was once again in the spotlight.
Even if Mr Laundrie is never forced to reveal his narrative, what will happen if he isn’t discovered?
Is it possible to bring criminal charges against his parents?
Mr Laundrie was charged with bank fraud for using Ms Petito’s debit card after he left her in Wyoming and, presumably, after she died, but no other charges have been brought against him in connection with the Gabby Petito case yet.
The Laundrie parents had every right to help their son until the arrest warrant for Mr. Laundrie was issued because he was not a wanted criminal.
After a warrant was issued, the Laundries may have assisted their son, which might lead to accusations of assisting a wanted person. However, if they haven’t, a prosecutor has no grounds to file charges against the parents at this time.
Are there any legal options for Mr. Laundrie to be tried without his presence?
It’s been speculated that if Mr. Laundrie isn’t found and charged with her murder, he might be tried in absentia.
When someone runs during a trial, it is possible for him or her to be tried and found guilty in their absence under Rule 43 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure (FRCP).
Since Mr Laundrie has not been arrested or otherwise placed in custody, he cannot be tried for the offense in his stead.
“A defendant who is not present at the commencement of trial” cannot be tried “in absentia,” according to the Crosby v. United States decision from 1993.
Mr Laundrie cannot be tried unless he is located and brought in for a trial.
Say Mr. Laundrie doesn’t exist anymore. What then?
Some speculate that Mr. Laundrie committed himself or died in the Carlton Reserve, which is home to alligators and poisonous snakes. Near Mr. Laundrie’s personal belongings, remains of a human being were discovered in the connecting Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park, although their identity was not immediately established.
There is no way to prosecute Mr Laundrie for murder after his death. A defendant in a trial must be available to mount a legal defense under the US legal system. Mr Laundrie could not be tried for Ms Petito’s murder or any other crimes arising from her death if he died before he could stand trial in court.
Even though the person responsible for Ms Petito’s death was already deceased, the case might still be investigated and a murderer discovered if evidence supported the charge. However, before they could be tried, the accused would have to be both alive and found and apprehended.
Who of the wanted criminals has evaded capture?
Not for the first time, a suspect flees justice after being arrested on suspicion of a crime. The time Mr Laundrie has spent on the lam is quite short when compared to others who have eluded capture.
Seth Ferranti, a non-violent drug trafficker on the run for two years, was apprehended and convicted after a manhunt.
In connection with the disappearance of his ex-girlfriend, American race car driver John Lee Paul was wanted for questioning. He was last seen on a boat off the coast of Thailand. Since 2001, he’s been missing.
When the bombing of his Scottsdale, Arizona home that killed his family in April 2001 went off, Robert William Fisher went missing. The man was wanted for the murder of his family by setting off a natural gas explosion, but he’s never been located.
One of the most well-known and successful flight hijackers is the legendary DB Cooper. Cooper made off with $200,000 (the equivalent of about $1.3 million today) after kidnapping and forcing passengers to pay him ransom. He then parachuted out of an airplane over the Pacific Northwest before being apprehended by the authorities. The only thing that has ever been recovered to identify Mr Cooper is a few shards of disintegrating $20 bills.