Courtesy of Schmidt and Petito family
- The fiancé of missing Gabby Petito has broken his silence on her mysterious disappearance.
- Brian Laundrie's attorney Steven Bertolino issued the statement about the 22-year-old woman on Tuesday.
- "This is understandably an extremely difficult time for both the Petito family and the Laundrie family," the statement read.
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The fiancé of the New York woman who went missing on a cross-country road trip has broken his silence on her mysterious disappearance, saying that he hopes she gets reunited with her family.
Brian Laundrie's attorney issued the statement about 22-year-old Gabby Petito on Tuesday.
"This is understandably an extremely difficult time for both the Petito family and the Laundrie family," Steven Bertolino, the lawyer representing the Laundrie family, said in a statement to Insider. "It is our understanding that a search has been organized for Miss Petito in or near Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming."
"On behalf of the Laundrie family, it is our hope that the search for Miss Petito is successful and that Miss Petito is re-united with her family," the statement continued. "On the advice of counsel, the Laundrie family is remaining in the background at this juncture and will have no further comment."
Petito and Laundrie set out on a cross-country journey in a white converted camper van from New York on July 2, her family has said. The pair had visited national parks across the US, including in Colorado and Utah, and documented their journey on social media.
The young woman was reported missing by her family on September 11 and her last known location is believed to be in Wyoming's Grand Teton National Park.
Recently, Laundrie returned with the white van to his parents' home in North Port, Florida, where he and Petito had been living, police told Insider.
Laundrie's family has refused to let him speak with investigators, a spokesman for the North Port Police Department said.
"We showed up. We see the vehicle. We take the vehicle," the spokesman, Josh Taylor, told Insider on Tuesday. "We make an attempt to talk with Brian, and his family declined to make him available, and they gave us the information for his attorney."
Meanwhile, Petito's family has urged the public to help find the young woman.