The search for the boyfriend of strangled Gabby Petito is now using a K9 cadaver dog from the Pasco County Sheriff's Office.
The K9 unit is assisting North Port police, the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office, and the FBI at the Carlton Reserve in the search for Brian Laundrie, according to local reports.
"K9 Diesel" is trained to detect human remains, according to officials.
"It's important to note that the K9 trainer drives a vehicle that says 'Arson Investigation' on it, but they have not requested our arson K9 or investigators," the sheriff's office told a local Fox affiliate.
"This trainer simply helps train our HRD K9s."
Laundrie has been on the run for almost a month, as the family reported him missing Sept. 17 believing he left for a "hike" in the Carlton Reserve on Monday, Sept. 13, amid national reports he returned from a West Coast trip in Petito's van and without her.
Laundrie has not been named as suspect in Petito's disappearance, but he is not merely a missing person either. There is a federal warrant out for unauthorized use of Petito's bank card for withdrawals of more than $1,000 between Aug. 30 and Sept. 1.
Petito last made a FaceTime call with her parents and her last social media post Aug. 25.
The Teton County, Wyoming coroner, Dr. Brent Blue, determined in an autopsy of Petito's remains that she was killed by strangulation 3-4 weeks before she was discovered. Her body was found Sunday, Sept. 19, just days after Laundrie took "a hike."
Laundrie, 23, is described by investigators as a white male, 5-feet-8, 160 pounds with brown eyes, very short brown hair, trimmed facial hair, and last seen wearing a hiking bag with a waist strap.
Eric Mack ✉
Eric Mack has been a writer and editor at Newsmax since 2016. He is a 1998 Syracuse University journalism graduate and a New York Press Association award-winning writer.
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