Earlier today, Brian Laundrie’s family attorney slammed celebrity sleuths like Dog the Bounty Hunter, but the reality TV star has already fired back with his own response to the lawyer’s comments.
Laundrie is the main person of interest in the ongoing investigation into his fiancé Gabby Petito’s death. The 22-year-old disappeared while the couple was on a cross-country trip together. Laundrie abruptly returned home to Florida in the middle of their months-long tour of America’s national parks and seemingly went on the run not long after. That’s led to a huge FBI-led manhunt in Central Florida for the fugitive who has yet to be tracked down.
The Laundrie family’s lawyer Steven Bertolino spoke out against both Dog and John Walsh. Dog, real name Duane Chapman, rose to fame in the 2000s from his popular A&E reality show Dog the Bounty Hunter. Walsh is well-known as the longtime host of America’s Most Wanted, which aired from 1988 to 2012. Yet Bertolino thinks their involvement with the Gabby Petito case is all for show.
“Dusty relics like that Dog and John Walsh need a tragic situation like this so they can clear the cobwebs off their names and give their publicity-hungry egos some food,” Bertolino told the New York Post.
The bounty hunter shifted his headquarters to Florida temporarily. He and his crew are conducting their own independent search for Brian Laundrie. Additionally, Walsh aired a new TV special on Wednesday titled Gabby Petito: ID Special Report on the Investigation Discovery channel.
Although Walsh declined to comment, Dog the Bounty Hunter has already fired back.
“It’s ironic that Mr. Bertolino would criticize the people trying to find Brian Laundrie. Unless perhaps he doesn’t want him found,” Chapman responded.
Dog the Bounty Hunter Thinks Brian Laundrie Looks ‘Guilty’
Recently, officials announced that Gabby Petito died from strangulation. Following weeks of speculation, Teton County coroner Brent Blue finally revealed Petito’s cause of death on Tuesday. During an interview with CNN, Blue revealed that the young woman died by “human force.”
After hearing the cause of death, Dog the Bounty Hunter explained why he thinks fugitive Brian Laundrie’s evasion of authorities makes him look even more guilty now. Once again, Chapman implored Laundrie to turn himself in to authorities.
“His best decision now would be to turn himself in,” Dog the Bounty Hunter said to The Sun. The 68-year-old added that Blue’s “statement has established a timeline that looks worse for Brian Laundrie.” He says that Laundrie’s “continued evasion of law enforcement makes him look guilty.”
The bounty hunter also called for Laundrie’s parents to do more in finding their son so justice can be served.
“I can’t fathom how Brian’s parents can live with themselves. They need to be doing more to signal Brian to stop running,” Chapman said to the outlet.
