A body found hanging near a Walmart in Alabama is not Brian Laundrie, who is currently a person of interest in the death of his fiancee Gabby Petito.
Speculation has been mounting about the whereabouts of Laundrie after a body found matching Gabby’s description was found in a national park in Wyoming shortly after Laundrie’s disappearance.
Laundrie and Gabby embarked on a cross-country trip and documented their journey on social media. However, he returned alone in September and refused to speak to the police.
North Port Police, who declared Gabby deceased in a statement, said they would resume the search for Laundrie on Tuesday.
The FBI said the search for Laundrie will resume on the Venice side of the Carlton Reserve, a 25,000-acre nature reserve.
However, reports have since emerged that police are investigating possible sightings of Laundrie in Alabama.
Numerous individuals on social media claim to have seen a man matching Brian’s description in Mobile. This information led to the rumor that he was found dead hanging from a tree.
TikToker claims Brian Laundrie was found dead hanging in Alabama
A TikToker named @bountybyobservation spread the rumor about Laundrie being found dead in Alabama:
“Breaking news, they just found Brian Laundrie hanging from a tree; he hung himself,” he said in the video, which has over 3 million views.
However, the rumor was investigated and debunked by local police. The man found hanging was a homeless man.
According to CBS 42: “Police confirm that the body found near the Walmart outside Mobile, Alabama was not Brian Laundrie, who is being sought in connection to the death of Gabby Petito.”
The 23-year-old is still missing and wanted in connection with Gabby’s death.
Brian Laundrie reportedly ‘hit’ and ‘slapped’ Gabby Petito
Meanwhile, it has emerged that a 911 caller who reported the domestic dispute between Gabby and Brian said he saw him “slapping the girl” and “proceeded to hit her.”
Police in Utah released bodycam footage showing a distraught Gabby and Brian after the 911 call.
The Utah police advised the couple to spend the night apart. Gabby took their white van, and Brian stayed in a hotel arranged by the police.
The events that took place afterward have not been determined as Brian Laundrie reportedly remained silent about what happened after returning alone.