Struggling to understand what’s going on with this Brian Laundrie manhunt?
We get it. The case has been hard to wrap our heads around, from Brian returning to Florida without Gabby Petito, to him refusing to cooperate with law enforcement, to his disappearance without a trace shortly before her body was found. We’ve been wondering how authorities let the 23-year-old slip through their fingers, and why they haven’t been able to find him.
Related: Brian’s Parents Are Being ‘Tortured In Their Own Home,’ Complains Lawyer
We don’t have many answers, and probably won’t until Brian is found. But until then, we can provide some context for the current search. Namely: why isn’t there a bounty out for his arrest?
It’s a bit confusing, since Dog the Bounty Hunter has been involved and there is a price on the young man’s head, so to speak. But the money being offered to find Brian is a reward, not a bounty. (FYI: Inside Edition reported that the reward has reached $200K, of which Dog contributed $10,000.)
According to professional bondsman Mike Harrison of Harrison Bail Bonds in Florida, a bounty is only issued under a very specific set of circumstances. Apparently, when someone who has already been arrested and released on bond skips their trial. Harrison told Newsweek:
“A bond is what gets you out of jail, and if you fail to appear on your bond then there is a warrant issued for your arrest for failure to appear on the court date.”
Although there is a warrant out for Brian’s arrest, he obviously hasn’t yet been arrested, so those conditions don’t apply to his situation. Harrison explained:
“There has not been a breach of the bond.”
Seeking out this particular fugitive is surely a worthy endeavor… but in Dog the Bounty Hunter’s case, there’s technically no actual bounty to be hunted here. And on top of that, Duane Chapman isn’t even a licensed bondsman, so he wouldn’t even be legally allowed to apprehend someone who “violated bond conditions” in the state of Florida anyway!
Related: Was Brian Laundrie Spotted In A Town Near His Parents’ House?
Harrison previously observed in the New York Post:
“I don’t think [Dog’s] personally going to put handcuffs on anyone because that’d be kidnapping and false imprisonment… If he finds him, he’s going to have to call law enforcement.”
Of course, the TV personality has denied participating in the search for publicity and the claim that his involvement might sabotage the investigation. But it certainly sounds like a complicated situation he has waded into.
What do U think, Perezcious readers — did this clear anything up for you? Unfortunately, there’s still a lot more mystery surrounding Gabby’s death. Hopefully more answers will be available in the near future.
[Image via Gabby Petito/YouTube & Duane Chapman/Instagram]
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