[imagesource: YouTube]

Brian Laundrie, the fiancé of Gabby Petito, went missing on September 14, according to his parents, although they only reported him missing to police three days later.

Petito’s body has since been found in the Bridger-Teton National Forest, on the eastern edge of Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park, with autopsy results ruling her death a homicide.

As the search for Laundrie continues, and further disturbing reports of sightings of the couple together before Petito’s death emerge, it has been feared that the 23-year-old may have died, with a dive team scouring large bodies of water.

According to one very adamant hiker, Laundrie is still alive.

Here’s NewsAU:

A Florida engineer is adamant he spoke with Brian Laundrie on a deserted road near the Appalachian Trail in North Carolina on Saturday morning.

Dennis Davis’ alleged encounter… comes as police receive tips that Laundrie may be traversing the trail, the world’s longest footpath…

“There is no doubt in my mind I spoke to Brian Laundrie — none whatsoever,” Mr Davis, 53, said.

Davis says he was driving along Waterville Road, where the Appalachian Trail runs, when he was flagged down by a man in another vehicle who appeared lost and dazed.

The man asked Davis for directions to California using only back roads:

The Appalachians is understood to be an area familiar to Laundrie, who was previously reported to have once lived there “by himself for months.”

…Mr Davis, a father of four currently hiking the Appalachian Trail, said the Laundrie-look-alike acted skittish and rambled about being in a fight 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.’

The man was driving a white or light-coloured truck resembling a Ford F-150 and wearing a dark bandana on his head.

Once the man had driven away, Davis said he pulled over and looked up photos of Laundrie.

Despite calling both the FBI and 911, Davis says law enforcement has not contacted him:

“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, I am a highly educated professional.

“And I know that was the guy. There is no doubt about it.”

He did receive an audio file of Laundrie’s voice from the daughter of a ‘bounty hunter’ on the case and said it was a match.

North Carolina police say they have received multiple calls regarding possible sightings of Laundrie on the Appalachian Trail, with this from WBTV:

“We have received a number of calls regarding the sighting of Brian Laundrie over the past several days, each one being investigated thoroughly and areas of concern searched, but all to no avail,” said [Haywood County Chief Deputy Jeff] Haynes.

“We will continue to respond and fully investigate all calls for service related to the nationwide search for Mr. Laundrie within our jurisdiction.”

Experts say that while tips flooding in from the public are great, they can complicate things.

Bryanna Fox, a former FBI special agent, said that “instead of law enforcement having to find a needle in a haystack, it’s now more like a grain of sand on a big beach”.

[sources:newsau&wbtv]