KEY POINTS
- Halloween costumes based on fugitive Brian Laundrie have appeared on the internet
- One costume referenced the theory that Laundrie could be hiding below his parents' backyard
- Another costume showed a man wearing a laundry basket to poke fun at Laundrie's surname
Halloween costumes inspired by fugitive Brian Laundrie have popped up on the internet as the 23-year-old continues to elude authorities.
A photo of one such costume based on Laundrie showed a man donning a flower mask and green morph suit with a flowerbed edited in the torso area, the Independent reported.
The costume allegedly referenced the conspiracy theory that Laundrie was hiding from authorities in a secret bunker below the backyard of his parents' North Port, Florida home following the death of his 22-year-old fiancée, Gabrielle "Gabby" Petito.
The photo of the costume was titled "Brian Laundrie's Halloween Costume this year,” according to the report.
Another photo of a costume based on Laundrie showed a man wearing a laundry basket filled with clothes and detergent around his waist with the text, "My name is Brian," superimposed on the photo, according to the same report.
The costume appeared to have been a play on words of Laundrie’s surname.
Laundrie was last seen on Sept. 13, two days after Petito, of Long Island, New York, was reported missing by her parents. The two had spent months in a cross-country van trip, but only Laundrie returned home.
Petito's body was later found at a national park in Wyoming on Sept. 19. Her death was ruled as strangulation.
The deceased YouTube vlogger's body had been in the wilderness for three to four weeks prior to being discovered, which meant she died in mid or late August, according to coroners.
Laundrie, who is currently wanted on fraud-related charges, has not been charged in connection to Petito's death despite being the primary person of interest in the case.
"We want vengeance and justice, and for him to pay for his crimes," Petito's stepfather, Jim Schmidt, was quoted as saying in a recent interview.
Authorities have resumed their search for Laundrie at Florida's 24,565-acre Carlton Reserve. Laundrie's parents, Christopher and Roberta, claimed their son went to the reserve with a bookbag and without a phone.
Search operations for Laundrie have also been launched in Wyoming as well as the Appalachian Trail in North Carolina following alleged sightings in both areas.
Petito's family has since called out Laundrie's family for their alleged lack of cooperation in the investigation.
Steve Bertolino, a lawyer who represents Laundrie's family, has since spoken out against claims accusing the couple of helping their son evade capture.
North Port Police officers stands in the driveway of Brian Laundrie, who is a person of interest after his fiancé Gabby Petito went missing on Sept. 20, 2021 in North Port, Florida. Photo: Octavio Jones/Getty Images
