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By Beth Stibal |

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd: We would never have let Brian Laundrie go


Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd says if Gabby Petito’s boyfriend Brian Laundrie lived in his jurisdiction, he’d be behind bars right now.
First because under Florida law, if domestic violence is established an arrest can be made and when Laundrie showed up alone in Petito’s van, Sheriff Judd would have detained him.

Laundrie returned alone to Florida on Sept. 1 after the couple’s cross-country trip, arriving at his parents’ home in North Port in Petito’s 2012 Ford Transit van.
On Sept. 11, the Long Island native’s family reported her missing.
Laundrie later vanished and Petito’s body was found in a Wyoming park.
Sheriff Judd says his team is not involved in the murder investigation involving Petito and Laundrie who remains on the lam.
“Other than that, I’m not sure where their investigation is,” added Judd, who noted that his department is not involved in the case and that he “could speculate based upon news reports.”


Authorities are conducting a massive manhunt for Laundrie, who disappeared from his family’s home on Sept. 14 and was reported missing three days later.