Authorities are searching for Gabby Petito's fiance. Her family says he is hiding, not missing.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

But first, this reminder:

OwMyPopehat Retweeted

You know who doesn’t want you to hire an expert to assist you navigating the complex and coercive criminal system? Police. You know whose propaganda you are buying into when you demonize people who acknowledge they need a lawyer? Police.

Link to tweet

And a second reminder:

Your suspicions (or mine) and a vaccination card will get you a free glazed doughnut at Krispy Kreme. Two, if you've had two shots.

Okay. Now that I've got that out of the way...

National

Authorities are searching for Gabby Petito’s fiance. Her family says he is not missing: ‘He is hiding’

By Timothy Bella
Today at 8:07 a.m. EDT

Law enforcement officials are looking for the fiance of Gabrielle “Gabby” Petito, the 22-year-old woman who disappeared and has been the subject of a nationwide search, Florida police said Friday night.

North Port, Fla., police and the FBI are searching for Brian Laundrie, 23, after his family’s attorney told investigators that they haven’t seen him since Tuesday, police said.

The couple were on a cross-country trip, and Laundrie became a person of interest in the case after driving back to their Florida home without Petito. He has not been charged in Petito’s disappearance but has also not been cooperating in the investigation. North Port police said they are conducting multiple missing-person investigations and not a criminal investigation.

“We understand the community’s frustration, we are frustrated too. For six days, the North Port Police Department and the FBI have been pleading with the family to contact investigators regarding Brian’s fiancee Gabby Petito,” the North Port Police Department said in a statement. “Friday is the first time they have spoken to investigators in detail.”

Richard B. Stafford, an attorney for the Petito family, said in a statement late Friday, “All of Gabby’s family wants the world to know that Brian is not missing, he is hiding. Gabby is missing.”

{snip}

By Timothy Bella
Timothy Bella is a staff writer and editor for the General Assignment team, focusing on national news. His work has appeared in outlets such as Esquire, the Atlantic, New York magazine and the Undefeated. Twitter https://twitter.com/TimBella

[marble falls]

1. If the cops don't know where he is, it's hiding.

[FreeState]

22. Or death

He may have taken his own life or been killed.

[marble falls]

27. Ya never know. Remember how long the abortion clinic bomber stayed on the run in the woods?

[hlthe2b]

2. I don't think badly of someone hiring a lawyer. I think badly of someone who won't go, lawyer in tow

to provide even the most general statement to the police--with the advice of said counsel-- as to what you know.

There is a big, damned difference. The former is someone protecting their rights. The latter is someone most likely protecting only THEMSELVES at the expense and total disregard of a missing woman, her family, friends and the entire justice-respecting society.

There is nothing to praise in THAT.

[crickets]

19. +1

[Whiskeytide]

3. I'm a lawyer. The fact that he has a lawyer is ...

… NOT what is making him look guilty. The fact that he was the last person to see her (that we know of, anyway) and he is remaining silent is what does make him look guilty.

If he dropped her off at a truck stop, or if she left him somehow, or whatever other scenario you can come up with that doesn’t suggest that she is already dead, no lawyer in his/her right mind would advise the client to keep quiet. If there was ANY chance of finding her alive at this point, legal advice to hinder that possibility would be malpractice.

It’s possible that whatever happened to her was an accident. But if so, continuing to keep quiet about it is still a mistake.

If he killed her, and disposed of the body somehow, I suppose one might believe that without a body they would have a much harder time prosecuting for murder. That, unfortunately, is the only reason I can come up with for his lawyer to advise him to keep silent.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

6. Thanks. NT

[hlthe2b]

7. Would you ever advise a client to refuse to talk with the police accompanied & advised by you

in real-time? To refuse all statements and assistance whatsoever?

As I stated earlier the fact the individual has a lawyer should have no negative implications. I should only hope all could have counsel when under suspicion. The OP seems to go further in supporting that person's refusal to even talk to the police, lawyer in tow. I find that abhorrent. Would you ever advise that under this kind of circumstance? Coming from an extended multi-generational family of various lawyers, I was always told this was the knee-jerk response of the most inexperienced among lawyers--usually those fresh out of school or lacking in any criminal experience whatsoever--and that it usually backfires on the client.

[Whiskeytide]

29. Lying to law enforcement can ...

… be a crime. If I knew my client was prepared to lie, I’d advise him not to talk. And if telling the truth would incriminate him, you have to advise him not to talk.

I believe in the fifth amendment, and I believe in the right to not speak to the cops. Those are foundations of our criminal justice system. But in this particular case, his silence speaks volumes. If telling the cops what happened is worse for you than letting this shit show go on, that’s probably bad for Ms. Pitito.

[FakeNoose]

11. I believe he doesn't have to talk to police if he surrenders his phone

His guilt or innocence will be proven by whatever is on his phone.

Yes the guy looks very guilty right now, but only because we don't know what he did, or whom he called after they separated. The GPS on his phone will show where he went, and his calling records will tell the rest of the story.

Trying to keep an open mind, but it's not easy.

[honest.abe]

21. That's my take on this as well.

Well stated.

[LiberatedUSA]

4. Keep thinking about Natalee Holloway.

That is what this is reminding me of. Maybe it will be more like Scott Peterson…both of them…and they’ll either find the body or have enough evidence to convict.

[hlthe2b]

9. Or the case of Barry Morphew (FINALLY charged yesterday for Mother's Day 2020 death of wife)

Susan Morphew's body has never been found, but the evidence is overwhelming in his involvement, IMO.

https://www.denverpost.com/2021/09/17/barry-morphew-first-degree-murder/

or the case of Kelsey Berreth whose body was likewise never recovered--dead Thanksgiving, 2019
https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/19/us/colorado-man-court-hearing-kelsey-berreth/index.html

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/patrick-frazee-sentenced-colorado-mom-kelsey-berreth-gets-justice-a-year-after-thanksgiving-day-killing/

[H2O Man]

5. Recommended.

It is a sad case that will not end well for either extended family. I've watched some of the coverage, and find myself thinking that as sad as it is, her family is "lucky" she is/was a cute white female with blond hair, rather than one of the dozens of Native American girls and women who go missing without any media attention.

Last night, I watched an internet show based in Florida. Literally all of the viewer comments displayed a level of ignorance of the Constitution that saddened me. No one should graduate from high school without learning some basic things about the way the legal system works, and why it can be frustrating -- even tragic -- in some instances.

[treestar]

15. Link to the cases so we can pay them some attention.

[GusBob]

8. The innocent and the guilty both need a lawyer

The criminal needs a lawyer most

Who speaks for or defends the victim of a crime?

If he is hiding he is not following the advice of his attorney and his lawyer isn’t able to advise him

[joetheman]

10. Who the heck is Gabby and why is her missing so much more important than the thousands of other

women who are missing across the country?

[treestar]

16. Link to some cases

It's not like it means nothing that she is missing. If there are other cases, then we would care about them. Obviously you know about them so there must be information somewhere.

[womanofthehills]

24. Besides being pretty, she had a social media presence

So her trip to the SW was documented big time - camping, doing handstands, making dinner, kissing Brian, etc.
Also two encounters with police. So much video of her out there. A woman posting on social media how wonderful wonderful her life is.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

12. Police are scouring a vast Florida preserve in search of Gabby Petito's fiance

Police are scouring a vast Florida preserve in search of Gabby Petito’s fiance

Link to tweet

[smirkymonkey]

13. Could anybody possibly be trying to look any guiltier than this guy?

He's going to have a lot of explaining to do once they do catch up to him.

Unfortunately, things are not looking good for poor Gabby.

[Shanti Shanti Shanti]

14. Cant they track her phone? She could be revenge porning her way around the country with a trucker

"Take my truck, I'll show HIM!"

Well, it could happen

[obamanut2012]

18. Why do you think this is funny?

It isn't. The young woman is almost absolutely dead, and that's a tragedy, period.

Revenge porning with a trucker? Seriously?

[Shanti Shanti Shanti]

20. I didnt say it was funny, another dead girl? Its a mystery, happens all the time

We may never know

[Xolodno]

17. I was really hoping they just find her in some obscure campground...

...and she just accidently dropped her phone in a river after a break up.

But yeah, its not looking good.

Never want to hear stuff like this and hope for a good ending, which sadly, is often too rare.

[honest.abe]

23. Interesting they admitted he is hiding.

That's essentially confirms guilt.

[USALiberal]

28. No it does not! Nt

[honest.abe]

30. It's consistent with what a guilty person would do.

An innocent person might hide from the media but not from law enforcement. He is being investigated and they may charge him with a crime soon. Disappearing certainly looks like he is trying to avoid that suggesting he fears they will have evidence linking him to a crime.

This is a contuation of a series of bizarre actions only a person guilty of something would do.

[Xolodno]

25. Not good news.

I follow a lot of the NPS sites on facebook....probably the only reason I still have an account.

But this doesn't sound good.

https://www.facebook.com/GrandTetonNPS

“Investigative activity at Spread Creek Dispersed Camping Area pertaining to the disappearance of Gabrielle “Gabby” Petito.
The FBI Denver Field Office and its Wyoming Resident Agencies, in coordination with the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, the Teton County Sheriff's Office, and the Jackson Police Department, have been conducting ground surveys at the Spread Creek Dispersed Camping Area in the Bridger-Teton National Forest on the east boundary of Grand Teton National Park. This area is closed to the public and will remain closed until the surveys are complete.

The FBI seeks assistance from anyone who utilized the Spread Creek Dispersed Camping Area between the dates of August 27-30, 2021 who may have had contact with Gabby or her boyfriend, or who may have seen their vehicle. If you were in the area and saw Gabby and/or her boyfriend or their vehicle, please provide that information to the FBI through these tiplines: tips.fbi.gov, 1-800-CALL-FBI, or 303-629-7171. Photos and videos may be uploaded via the FBI’s digital media tipline dedicated to this case: fbi.gov/petito.

[vercetti2021]

26. The motherfucker is guilty

If you weren't, you would be cooperating with police. The fact this spineless jellyfish is hiding and on the run means he either killed her or did something else like sell her into sex slavery.