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Gabby Petito: Hiker Claims Brian Laundrie Stopped Him Near Appalachian Trail

After weeks of authorities, internet sleuths, and Dog the Bounty Hunter searching for Gabby Petito’s boyfriend Brian Laundrie, one man claims he saw Laundrie on the Appalachian Trail in North Carolina.

According to the Daily Mail, 53-year-old Dennis Davis spoke to The New York Post about a bizarre experience with a man who he thinks could only be Brian Laundrie. The incident occurred at night, or what was technically early Saturday morning on Oct. 2. But Davis believes he still had enough light to be able to positively identify the missing man.

“There is no doubt in my mind I spoke to Brian Laundrie — none whatsoever,” Davis said. “Dog the Bounty Hunter’s daughter sent me an audio file of Brian’s voice and the voice was the same I heard.”

While driving down an empty road near the North Carolina-Tennessee border, Davis says a man waved down his car. When Davis pulled up beside him, the man asked for strange directions. He wanted a route that would take him out west to California — but one that would only use obscure back roads.

So, Davis recommended that the man take Interstate 40, one of few roads that goes all the way from North Carolina to California. He gave the suggestion after the man started telling a weird story about a fight he had with his girlfriend.

“He said ‘Man, I’m lost.’ I said ‘What are you trying to find?’ and he said ‘Me and my girlfriend got in a fight but she called me, told me she loves me, and I have to get to California to see her,” Davis recalled of the conversation.

‘I said ‘Well, I-40 is right there and you could take it west to California.’ And he said, ‘I’m just going to take this road into California.’” Davis remembers the man acting “nervously.”

“He was worried and not making sense,” Davis said.

Appalachian Hiker Fully Believes the Strange Man was Gabby Petito’s Boyfriend Brian Laundrie

During the encounter itself, Davis didn’t recognize the man he was talking to. But later on, while looking up photos of Brian Laundrie, he realized it had to be the same man.

Davis said he contacted both the FBI and 911 several times, but no one’s called him back.

“Law enforcement is probably getting millions of leads on this guy. But I am not some goofball out there doing drugs in the middle of the night,” Davis said. “I am a highly educated professional. And I know that was the guy. There is no doubt about it.”

The lack of communication so far has frustrated the father of four. “We have this lead but no one’s doing anything, not even a phone call,” Davis concluded. “Obviously, as a father with a daughter, I want to do whatever I can to help the family find closure. And get this guy off the streets.”

Davis also provided a description of the man he thinks might be Laundrie. The man drove a “light-colored pickup” and wore a bandana.