Brian Laundrie neighbors charging $3,500 a week to media crews to rent front yard out as media coverage in death of Gabby Petito continues to draw national attention.
Who would have thought one could get rich living next door to the household of America’s most wanted fugitive?
Neighbors of the man wanted for questioning over the murder of Gabby Petito have been reportedly cashing in on the tragedy, charging media companies upwards of $3,500 a week to camp in their yards.
CBS News, Fox News and ABC News are among those who have paid the neighbors the pricey sums, TMZ reported.
All remain camped outside the home of the Laundrie family in North Port, Florida, while the search for 23 year old wanted man, Brian Laundrie continues.
Laundrie’s girlfriend, 22-year-old Petito, was reported missing on September 11 and found dead in Wyoming on September 19. Her death according to an autopsy report was deemed a homicide, and Laundrie is the sole ‘person of interest’ in the case.
Media frenzy
A manhunt has been underway for several weeks, and is now led by the FBI. A search of a Florida swamp, the Carlton Reserve, has so far proved fruitless.
Questions continue to be asked about what Brian’s parents, Christopher and Roberta Laundrie know, and their daughter Cassie, who lives with her husband in Lakewood, said their parents have not spoken to her about the case. To date, the daughter had conceded not knowing whether her parents are involved in her brother’s disappearance, while imploring Brian to ‘turn himself’ to authorities.
Amid the ongoing media frenzy, the media outlets have remained outside the Laundrie family home.
Protesters have taken to staging loud demonstrations outside the Laundrie family home, and scuffles have broken out between fed-up homeowners and those demanding justice for Petito.
Police have attempted to reduce the media presence by closing the street to all except residents.
However, renting a space from the neighbors allows camera crews to circumvent the police restrictions.
Christopher and Roberta Laundrie have been lying low since their son’s disappearance, but on Wednesday their lawyer, Steven Bertolino, said he was asked by the FBI to join the search for his son, and agreed.
Public spectacle
‘Since the preserve has been closed to the public, Chris has not been able to look for Brian in the only place Chris and Roberta believe Brian may be,’ Bertolino said in a statement to The New York Post.
Further questions have been raised as to why the Laundries are not begging their son to get in touch, but Bertolino said they did not believe there was any point in issuing a public appeal for him to turn himself in.
‘The parents don’t believe he is watching the news in any way, shape or form,’ Bertolino said.
‘They believe he’s in the preserve or some other type of wilderness area if he has left the preserve.
‘So putting out a public plea and getting scrutiny for that is not necessarily in their best interest.’
Authorities continue to investigate at the nation watches on with bated breath in anticipation of the next daily installment…
