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Florida man Brian Laundrie, whose girlfriend's body was found in Wyoming this week, has been charged with bank card fraud.
- Brian Laundrie has been charged with unauthorised use of a debit card
- He allegedly withdrew over $US1,000 from a Capital One bank card after Petito went missing
- A warrant has been issued for his arrest over the alleged fraud
A federal grand jury indictment alleged Brian Laundrie withdrew or spent over $US1,000 ($1,370) using a Capital One Bank card and personal identification number after Gabby Petito went missing.
The indictment said the unauthorised use of the debit card occurred from about August 30 to September 1 but it was not clear who the card belonged to.
FBI Special Agent Michael Schneider said an arrest warrant issued over the alleged fraudulent use would allow law enforcement across the country to continue pursuing Laundrie while the investigation continued into Petito's homicide.
Laundrie has been named a person of interest in the 22-year-old woman's death.
AP: The Moab Police Department
)Petito was reported missing on September 11 by her parents after she did not respond to calls and texts for several days while the couple visited parks in the West.
Her body was discovered Sunday near a remote, undeveloped campground along the border of Grand Teton National Park in north-western Wyoming.
The case has garnered enormous public interest, but also raised questions over the unequal attention given to the hundreds of Native American and other minority women missing or murdered across the United States.
On Thursday, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said the extensive news media coverage of the case should be a reminder of missing or murdered Native American girls and women.
Haaland, the first Native American Cabinet secretary, said her heart went out to Petito's family, but that she also grieved for "so many Indigenous women″ whose families have endured similar heartache "for the last 500 years".
North Port Police Department via AP
)On Thursday, searchers in Florida spent a fifth unsuccessful day searching for Laundrie in the wilderness preserve near his parents' home.
The search at the Carlton Reserve park was set to resume on Friday, which began after Laundrie told his parents he was going there, several days after returning alone from his trip on September 1.
Petito's death has been ruled a homicide — meaning her death was caused by another person — but how she was killed will be determined by further autopsy results.
AP