Dog the Bounty Hunter sets deadline for finding Brian Laundrie & says Gabby's fiancé will stay outdoors & won't rob
DOG the Bounty Hunter has pledged to catch Gabby Petito's missing fiancé Brian Laundrie before the fugitive's birthday in November and believes Laundrie will stay outdoors and not shoplift.
The reality TV star joined the search at the weekend as cops try to find the 23-year-old.
Laundrie was reported missing on September 17 – days after allegedly telling his family that he was going for a hike in a nature reserve in Sarasota, Florida.
Dog, real name Duane Chapman, told Fox and Friends Monday that he’s received more than a thousand leads from members of the public.
The bounty hunter wants to try and find Laundrie by his 24th birthday in November but believes officials will have a tracking location for him within 48 hours.
Detectives continue to search the Carlton Reserve but some investigators think Laundrie may be heading towards the Appalachian Trail.
He said a lot of the information he has received points to the hiking route.
Dog said: “Well, the leads yes have said that. The reason is that he spent a couple of months there in the past and he’s an outdoorsman. He’s got t-shirts on his social media with the mountains, he’s got pictures.
“He’s been there before. He’s very young. He’s not an experienced criminal.
“He’ll do what he should do. He can’t stay shop and shoplift, and stay in cheap motels or rob people like a lot of people that I chase.
Read our Brian Laundrie live blog for the very latest news and updates…
“This kid is an outdoorsman so I think he went to, again, where he’s comfortable to the outdoors.”
Dog ranked Laundrie a “six” compared to the outdoorsmen he's previously captured.
He also said that his daughter Barbara Katy was a similar age to Gabby when she was killed in a car accident in 2006.
She died the day before Dog's wedding to his fifth wife Beth Smith.
The presenter said: “I kind of know what it feels like. It’s the saddest thing. Catching this guy will not bring that much justification but it’ll make sure that he doesn’t do it again.”
I kind of know what it feels like. It's the saddest thing.
It comes as cops revealed they will target the search to find Laundrie based on intelligence as the probe enters the ninth day.
Efforts led by police are likely to be scaled back as FBI agents lead the probe, reports say.
Josh Taylor, of North Port Police Department, told Fox: “The FBI is now leading the search. I’m told, it will be scaled back and targeted based on intelligence.
“Hopefully water will lower in areas hard to currently access.”
Experienced rancher Alan McEwen has cast doubt that Laundrie is hiding in the vast Carlton Reserve.
He told Fox News: “Unless he’s got a butt like a duck and can float, he’s not in there.
“I’ve been in the woods in and out all my life. I have learned a lot in my life, and one thing I know is no one is gonna survive out there for two weeks on foot.”
SEARCH TARGETED
But, Dog appeared to defend cops as he said that they had to “search and try” based on potential leads.
The Carlton Reserve is a 25,000-acre park and is home to venomous rattlesnakes, alligators, coyotes, and bobcats.
Panthers and black bears have also been spotted prowling in the reserve.
It is around 15 miles from the Laundries' home in North Port.
Footage uploaded on Twitter by North Port Police shows teams on swamp buggies navigating the treacherous marshes.
Dog joined the search to find Laundrie on Saturday as he encouraged Americans with information to call the bounty hunter at 833-TELLDOG.
He knocked on the door of Laundrie’s parents at their home in North Port but was met with silence.
The bail bondsman has previously suggested how he would track down Laundrie.
DOG ON THE CASE
He advised investigators to start with the missing man's family and friends before looking into his connection to the Florida reserve.
Laundrie is being hunted by the FBI after an arrest warrant was issued for the 23-year-old.
He is accused of swiping a Capital One debit card and running up a $1,000 balance from August 31 until September 1.
The arrest warrant came weeks after Laundrie returned to Florida alone without his fiancée Gabby.
Gabby was reported missing on September 11 by her parents and her remains were found in Wyoming just a week later.
Laundrie was named a person of interest in the case but has not spoken with the police as he refuses to cooperate.
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