Dog the Bounty Hunter Says He's Hot on the Trail of Brian Laundrie: 'He Was Here for Sure' Duane Chapman, known as 'Dog the Bounty Hunter', explained that hoards of fans had been contacting him via social media urging him to join the search for Brian Laundrie.
By Entrepreneur Staff •
The manhunt for missing 23-year-old Brian Laundrie continues and it looks like one of television's biggest crime fighters is joining the search.
In an interview with Fox News on Monday night, Duane Chapman, known as "Dog the Bounty Hunter," explained that hoards of fans had been contacting him via social media urging him to join the search for Laundrie.
Chapman announced he would be joining the search for Laundrie on Saturday and has already received "over 1,000" anonymous tips and calls — and it looks like one might have real legs.
A new tip claims that Laundrie and his parents were seen visiting the campground at Fort De Soto Park in Pinellas County, Florida twice at the beginning of September.
The park is about 75 miles away from Laundrie's home in North Port, Florida.
"We checked out lead out and it is confirmed. The parents were down here two times, it was September 1st through the 3rd and September 6th through the 8th," the Bounty Hunter told Fox News. "They registered to stay at this park … they're on camera, they were here. And they did enter. They did come here. Allegedly what we're hearing is two people left on the 8th, three people came in on the 6th … I think [Brian Laundrie] has been here for sure."
Related: Users Notice Unusual Activity on Brian Laundrie's Spotify and Instagram Profiles
Authorities from Pinellas County, however, told Fox 13 that "they do not have any confirmed sightings" of Brian Laundrie at the campsite.
Fort de Soto Park is a 1,138-acre area that consists of five main interconnected islands, the main island being Mullet Key.
It boasts "over seven miles of waterfront", "almost three miles of beautiful white sandy beach" and an "800-foot-long boat launching facility with eleven floating docks," per the county's website.
The Bounty Hunter thinks that it's possible that Laundrie could be on any of the accessible islands.
"[Brian Laundrie] was here for sure, not over in the swamp," Chapman maintains.
The swamp in reference is the Carlton Reserve, a place of interest where authorities had been extensively searching for Laundrie in the days following his dissapearance.
Laundrie is currently wanted as a person of interest in the case of his deceased ex-girlfriend Gabby Petito, who went missing after the couple went on a cross-country camping and hiking trip and was later found dead in Wyoming.
Related: Brian Laundrie Still Missing as Gabby Petito's Death Pronounced a Homicide
Laundrie was caught using her credit card's days after she was pronounced missing and the warrant for his arrest is currently regarding those charges, nothing else.
He has allegedly been missing since his parents told athourities that the last time they had contact with their son was on September 14.
The Bounty Hunter remains confident that the power of social media and his reach with his fan base will help him find Laundrie.
"Within 48 hours we will probably have a location where we start the tracking at," he said.
The fugitive finder believes that Laundrie, regardless of where he may be, went to "where he's comfortable, to the outdoors."
He told Fox News he is hoping to find Laundrie and bring him back alive by Laundrie's 24th birthday in November.
Related: The Gabby Petito Case: How Social Media Completely Changed the Crime-Solving Landscape
