Duane 'Dog the Bounty Hunter' Chapman announced that he has a lead in the search for Brian Laundrie, the fiancé of Gabby Petito, who was named by the FBI as a person of interest in her death.

Champan told FOX News he received a tip that Laundrie's parents spent the night with their son in Fort De Soto Park on multiple occasions from September 1-3 and September 6-8 on Monday (September 27).

"They were registered, went through the gate. They’re on camera. They were here," he told Fox News exclusively on Monday evening. "We think at least if he’s not here right now, we are sure he was caught on camera as he went in the gate — that he was here for sure. Not over in the swamp."

However, the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office told FOX 13 in Orlando that it has received no confirmed tips or signings of Laundrie in response to Chapman's claim.

Additionally, FOX News obtained police dispatch audio of Laundrie's mother, Roberta, calling the police on Chapman, who was spotted banging on the door of the North Port, Florida home where Laundrie and Petito lived last Saturday (September 25).

“It’s a shame they wouldn’t speak with us. The police said we were welcome to knock on the door so we did. I wanted to tell the Laundries that our goal is to find Brian and bring him in alive,” Chapman told FOX News.

On Monday (September 27), authorities in Florida announced they were scaling back efforts as the FBI took over the lead in the investigation into Laundrie's whereabouts.

Last week, an arrest warrant was issued for Laundrie after a grand jury indicited him for his "use of unauthorized devices" during the events following the death of Petito, whose remains were found on September 19 in Wyoming and confirmed to be the missing 22-year-old days later.

The indictment obtained by CNN accuses Laundrie, 23, of using a debit card and PIN number for accounts that didn't belong to him between August 30 to September 1 in order to make purchases totaling more than $1,000.

A source close to Laundrie's family told CNN the 23-year-old left his own wallet and cell phone behind when he was last seen leaving his parents' Florida home 10 days ago after he initially returned to the area from a cross-country road trip without Petito, who was reported missing on September 11.

The source added that Laundrie's parents were concerned he might harm himself at the time he left their home.

An attorney for Laundrie's family emphasized that the arrest warrant isn't related specifically to Petito's death, rather incidents committed by Laundrie afterward.

"It is my understanding that the arrest warrant for Brian Laundrie is related to activities occurring after the death of Gabby Petito and not related to her actual demise," Steve Bertolino said in a statement. "The FBI is focusing on locating Brian and when that occurs the specifics of the charges covered under the indictment will be addressed in the proper forum."

"While this warrant allows law enforcement to arrest Mr. Laundrie, the FBI and our partners across the country continue to investigate the facts and circumstances of Ms. Petito's homicide," added FBI Special Agent in Charge Michael Schneider. "We urge individuals with knowledge of Mr. Laundrie's role in this matter or his current whereabouts to contact the FBI."

On September 24, local and federal authorities continue to search for Laundrie in the Carlton Reserve, a nature preserve estimated to be around 25,000 acres, in North Port near his family home after pausing September 23 due to darkness.

FOX 5 New York reported Laundrie was briefly shown in a video posted on August 19 reading the 2014 novel Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer, which tells the story of four women venturing to Area X, with three dying and a fourth staying in the wilderness.

TikTok user @Alyssaest93 initially pointed out the video, calling it "disturbing."

"This particular book in the series follows four women. What?" wrote @alyssaest93. "So many people have said that that information needs to be handed over to the police."

Valerie Knight

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