A Florida personal injury law firm will pay a $20,000 reward for information on Gabrielle “Gabby” Petito boyfriend Brian Laundrie’s whereabouts.
The North Port firm said it will pay the hefty bounty “for information leading directly to the exact whereabouts of missing person Brian Laundrie, a person of interest in the case of 22-year-old Gabrielle ‘Gabby’ Petito.”
Wyoming authorities found a body on Saturday that they identified as Petito. Petito and Laundrie took a cross-country trip in a rented van in July. When Laundrie returned home without Petito on Sept. 1, family members filed a missing person report. The boyfriend went missing last week, and the authorities want to find him.
Lawfirm’s Hefty Bounty
On Thursday, the firm said it will pay the hefty bounty “for information leading directly to the exact whereabouts of missing person Laundrie, a person of interest in the case of 22-year-old Petito.”
“The authorized reward will remain open for two months starting from the receipt of the tip by the investigating law enforcement,” the statement said, the Sun North Port reported.
Law firm employee Kate Shakira told The Sun that the firm “believes by offering a reward, it may help law enforcement get answers and bring justice for Gabby.”
The small law firm also has offices in Seattle and Tampa.
Rewards Helpful
In the old days, reward posters were standard in finding people and getting needed information about suspects.
Law enforcement agencies have offered rewards to solve crimes for years. The FBI’s “Ten Most Wanted” list has updated through the years since its creation in 1950. The agency coordinated with the International News Service to get tips.
Now, the minimum reward is up to $100,000 for information leading to an immediate arrest for anyone on that list.
People are taken off the list if the FBI catches a person or the person dies. Also, dropped charges can result in a name’s removal. When that happens, the FBI adds a new character to the list.
Notable Bounties
The U.S. government has a bounty on terrorist Ayman al-Zawahiri. Currently, the U.S. Department of State has a most wanted list where a $25 million reward for one man. Past $25 million men have been terrorists Osama Bin Laden and Iraqi leader Saddam Hussain.
Individual people or groups can offer rewards as well.
According to The Center Of Hope, a source for families of missing people, tips can help when cases go cold, old memories get stale, and stories fade from the news.
The group said that families should construct the reward wording in conjunction with law enforcement or legal counsel. It also advises families to not place themselves in the position of deciding whether tips qualify for a payout.
