45°
A nationally-known legal expert is offering his take on why the boyfriend of a missing New York woman is refusing to talk with police about her whereabouts.
Long Island native Gabby Petito, age 22, of Blue Point in Suffolk County and North Port, Florida, was reported missing on Saturday, Sept. 11 by her mother after she had not heard from her daughter in more than two weeks while on a road trip with her boyfriend Brian Laundrie.
Laundrie, age 23, returned from the trip on Wednesday, Sept. 1 in Petito's van, but without Gabby. Since that time, he has refused to talk with the police or the FBI.
Listed as a person of interest by the North Port Police, who is the lead agency on the case, Laundrie put out a statement through his attorney that he would not be speaking to anyone about Gabby or where she was.
Since that time, Petito's family has begged Laundrie to tell them where she is.
ABC News Chief Legal Analyst Dan Abrams gave his opinion on the latest statements being provided by the Laundrie family's attorney.
"I find some of the languages that the Laundrie family attorney is using, is odd. Abrams said on ABC News. "You look at the first statement: 'It is our understanding that a search has been organized for Miss Petito.
"On behalf of the Laundrie family, it is our hope that the search for Miss Petito is successful and that she is reunited with her family.' I mean, that's not a very empathetic statement right?"
Instead, Abrams said, he would expect the boyfriend to say something such as: "We are scared, we are nervous, we don't know what's happening, we are hoping that we can get some bit of information to help."
He went on to tell "Good Morning America" viewers "the most obvious answer would be if there is incriminating information.
"I think the lawyer has a sense," Abrams added. "I think lawyers at the very least have a sense and sometimes they know."
In another bizarre twist to the case, police in Utah are also looking into a double murder in which two women were killed at a campsite around the same time Petito and Laundrie got into a fight at the Moab co-op where the women worked.
According to Moab Police, store worker Kylen Schulte, 24, and her wife Crystal Turner, 38, were found dead and partially undressed where they had been camping, six days after the explosive fight.
The two women told friends about a 'creepy man' that had been bothering them and that if something happened to them to look for him.
Now police in Moab and North Port, are looking into possible links between the double murder and Petito's missing person case.
The Grand County Sheriff's Office said they have been in contact with North Port police and are actively looking into any connection between the Gabby Petito missing person case and the double homicide that occurred in Grand County.
On Thursday, Sept. 16, the Sheriff's Office added that they are "not ruling out anything at this time."
And on Friday, Sept. 17, Laundrie's sister, Cassie Laundrie, told "Good Morning America," that she hasn't been able to talk with her brother either, even though they live in the same house and it was "typical" for Gabby and Brian to fight.
"Obviously me and my family want Gabby to be found safe," Laundrie said. "She's like a sister and my children love her, and all I want is for her to come home safe and found and this to be just a big misunderstanding."
Detectives are asking anyone with information to call an FBI national hotline set-up to receive tips at 1-800-CALLFBI (225-5324).
This continues to be a breaking story. Check back to Daily Voice for updates.
Click on the Facebook icon below to share this story.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Hartford and receive free news updates.
