SARASOTA COUNTY — UPDATE: The FBI says the human remains found in Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park belonged to Brian Laundrie.
In a press release, the FBI says a comparison of dental records confirmed the remains belonged to him.
Fox 4's Rob Manch is headed to the Laundrie home to get more information.
Stick with Fox 4 both on air and online for the latest developments in this case.
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We’re hearing reaction from the North Port community after the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced possible human remains have been found in the search for Brian Laundrie.
Those remains were located in the Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park. According to the FBI, the remains were found in a part of the park that was previously under water, which is why they hadn't been located earlier.
But Brian Laundrie’s parents were also out there Wednesday morning for only the second time ever during the search 33-day search for their son, and that happened to be the day remains were discovered.
Several people living in the area tell us they find that suspicious.
Nevertheless, it was an announcement people around the country had been waiting for now for more than a month: A lead on what might be the final location of Brian Laundrie.
"Investigators found what appears to be human remains, along with personal items such as a backpack and notebook belonging to Brian Laundrie," said Special Agent Michael McPherson with the FBI office in Tampa.
McPherson said, even though investigators began their search in the Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park and have been combing the woods for weeks, the remains only became visible recently.
"These items were found in an area that, up until recently, have been underwater," said McPherson.
We actually had a first-hand look at how high that water was back on September 27th, when we showed you the entrance to the park completely flooded by water.
But despite that explanation, several people we spoke with say for them, it doesn’t add up.
"How are they just now finding things after being out here with hundreds of personnel over a month ago? It’s just suspicious," said Dave Sizemore, who lives just down the street from the park.
"I was out here just yesterday, the day before. No bags along any trails no book bags, nothing fishy. So it just seems to me like somebody placed something there," said Gary Henderson, who lives in North Port and frequents the park.
Henderson said that suspicion comes from a lack of trust in the Laundrie family.
"Everybody in North Port pretty much knows the parents have not been honest, and they have not been forthright from the beginning," said Henderson.
But the investigation is not over, and that’s why the FBI is asking for patience until it can learn exactly what may have happened to Laundrie.
"We appreciate the tremendous support from the public and continue to ask for your assistance in bringing this investigation to close," said McPherson.
The FBI said it will have an evidence recovery team out in the park for the next few days at least examining the evidence they uncovered and searching the surrounding area. For that reason, investigators said the park is closed to the public until further notice.
