More Serious Charges Against Brian Laundrie 'Extremely Likely' If He's Found Alive: Expert

A Florida prosecutor believes that additional criminal charges are "coming" for Brian Laundrie, the 23-year-old fugitive and former fiancé of Gabby Petito's.

In an interview with NewsNationNow, Palm Beach County State Attorney Dave Aronberg opined that prosecutors in Sarasota County are likely "not rushing" to file additional, more serious charges because of the various procedural rules imposed upon them.

For instance, Aronberg notes that all defendants in Florida are entitled to a speedy trial — meaning that once formal criminal charges are filed against an individual, the state has just 180 days to present their case at trial.

With Laundrie still at large, and the search for him ongoing, prosecutors are probably just waiting for him to be captured, Aronberg posited.

When asked if Laundrie would face additional, more serious charges, Aaronberg said, "I think it's coming," saying such a scenario was "extremely likely."

On Sept. 1, Laundrie returned to his parents home in North Port, Fla., without Petito, 22.

Petito was found dead on Sept. 19 in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming, and officials have since determined her death was a homicide.

Petito was last seen in late August, while on a cross-country road trip with Laundrie.

For nearly two months, the pair had been traveling across America in a white, repurposed Ford Transit van. Petito, an aspiring influencer who'd been documenting the couple's travels, was reported missing on Sept. 11 — more than two weeks after her mother last spoke to her by phone.

At this point, investigators have yet to say how Petito was killed, but believe she died sometime between Aug. 27 and Aug. 30.

Laundrie has been the subject of a massive manhunt across a swampy Florida reserve, where it is believed he went hiking more than three weeks ago.

A warrant for his arrest was issued in late September, accusing Laundrie of unauthorized use of a debit card. He has been named a person of interest in Petito's case, but has not been named a suspect in connection with her death.

Laundrie and his parents refused to meet with detectives handling the case.

While speaking to NewsNationNow, Aronberg said that it was unlikely officials would release Petito's cause of death before Laundrie was in custody. He also speculated on the possibility Laundrie's parents may face arrest.

"They have done everything possible to incriminate themselves in the court of public opinion," Aronberg said. "But in the court of the law, that is different, because under the law, to be charged as an accessory after the fact, you need to know that Brian committed a crime and then, you have to do something to prevent his punishment or his arrest."

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Aronberg said that if police eventually learn Laundrie's parents "sanitized the van" he and Petito had been living out of, "now that'll get 'em hooked for a crime. If they hid evidence, if they bought him a plane ticket to get out of town because they knew he was involved in a crime, then you would see prosecutors getting ready to file charges right away."

Aronberg said he suspects the state has not developed enough evidence against the parents to bring forth criminal charges.

Aronberg said Laundrie's disappearance could "come back to haunt him," as prosecutors could argue his vanishing suggests "consciousness of guilt."

If you have information on this case, call 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324).