Grainy backpack picture hints at Brian Laundrie whereabouts

A grainy image of a man walking in the woods could be a clue to the whereabouts of Gabby Petito’s missing fiance.

2 min read

September 22, 2021 - 5:41PM

A backpack worn by a man on a wilderness trail appears to match the one worn by the fiance of the late Gabby Petito.

Social media sleuths claim the backpack worn in deer cam footage is the same make and model as the item owned by Brian Laundrie who has not been seen in days after returning from a trip without his fiance.

An autopsy has revealed Ms Petito was likely murdered, after the 22-year-old’s body was found in Wyoming’s Bridger-Teton National Forest.

Before Ms Petito’s disappearance, the backpack could be seen in Instagram photos of the couple’s van and on Utah police bodycam footage of the pair when they were stopped on their travels.

The REI brand backpack in “night lights” pattern is black and white in colour with dark trim ribbing.

Now more recent imagery has emerged of a similar accessory seen on a man who resembles Mr Laundrie. The footage was captured at Baker, Florida, about 800km away from Mr Laundrie’s home in North Port on the state’s Gulf Coast.

The deer cam footage of the backpack, left, and the one worn by Brian Laundrie

Online sleuths say the backpacks of the two men are the same make and model.

A local said he spotted a man toting a backpack at 6.17am Monday in the town of Baker, Florida. Picture: Facebook/Sam Bass

Brian Laundrie’s parents told authorities he had left home with a backpack to go on a hike and never returned. Picture: Moab City Police Department

The man was caught on the wilderness trail footage by local Sam Bass near Shady Grove Church Road in the southwest of the tiny town.

Though the video is not high quality, the man appears to have a bald head at the front, with hair coverage at the back and is of a similar lanky build to Mr Laundrie.

The imagery is infra red which accounts for the dark backpack appearing to be a lighter colour. Nonetheless the bag features the same ”night lights” pattern and ribbing.

Mr Bass posted the image online with the comment: “I’m not saying this is the guy. But whoever was on my trail camera this morning in Baker strongly fits the description of Brian Laundrie.”

Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Department officers, which has jurisdiction over Baker, have searched without results following reports of the sighting of the man.

Shirley, who works in the Gator Cafe in central Baker, told news.com.au he hadn’t accessed the cafe and that locals weren’t aware he had entered the town limits.

Police said they were “actively” investigating the deer camera footage that captured the hiker trekking through the wilderness.

Mr Laundrie, who is a person of interest in Ms Petito’s disappearance, was reported missing by his parents last Friday.

“We are aware and are actively checking it out,” Okaloosa sheriff’s spokeswoman Michele Nicholson told the New York Post on Tuesday, adding, “At this point, there is no confirmation.”

The same REI co-op backpack in night lights pattern worn by Laundrie.

Utah Police footage shows the backpack in the van Mr Laundrie and Ms Petito were driving.

Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie seen in an Instagram post. Picture: Instagram

Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie in a photo posted to Instagram. Picture: Instagram

But it was a different story on social media.

“Looks like the guy from Sam Bass’ video in Baker, Florida has the same backpack as Brian Laundrie. Could it actually be him?” wrote one Twitter user.

A Facebook poster on the Okaloosa Sheriff’s page wrote: “These are the exact two same backpacks as in the Instagram channel and YouTube channel.

“The odds of this person having 1 are a stretch. But them having the exact same 2 backpacks, plus the same general hair style, height, weight? Astronomically rare.”

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