Brian Laundrie, a person of interest in the homicide of Gabrielle “Gabby” Petito, was seen reading the novel Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer in an August vlog entitled VAN LIFE | Beginning Our Van Life Journey that was shared by the then-couple’s YouTube channel Nomadic Statik. The sci-fi book involves four women who venture off into an uninhabited region of wilderness called Area X, and throughout their journey, most of them go missing, while three of them die leaving one survivor.

At one point in the video, Laundrie can be seen reading the book, which was adapted into the 2018 eponymous movie starring Natalie Portman, in a hammock as Petito films him.

Brian Laundrie Seen Reading Novel About Women Go Missing in Travel Vlog With Gabby Petito
Courtesy of Nomadic Statik/YouTube

While there are certainly more plot points to the book than the women going missing during their mission, the novel’s appearance just weeks before Petito went missing and her death is eerily coincidental. A lawyer for the Laundrie family did not immediately respond to In Touch‘s request for comment regarding the vlog.

This is not the first time a post on Laundrie’s social media has raised even more questions amid his own disappearance.

Before his fiancée first went missing, Laundrie shared several images on a Pinterest account that appeared to be his. 

Among mostly harmless posts, there are a few instances that raise some eyebrows. For instance, Laundrie — who is still currently missing after his fiancée’s homicide — saved a pin that read, “The opposite of lost. Don’t try to find me. I have finally escaped my’ master’s’ wicked clutches. to the others I say: Join me. Bite the hand that feeds you. Vive la liberté. -Pierre.”

One image contained an open sky, the other a picture of a poodle as if the dog has rebelled against a human owner. The writing may be attributed to artist and writer Nathaniel Russel, who created a collection of viral fake fliers. 

opposite-of-lost
Pinterest

Laundrie and Petito embarked on a cross-country trip in a white 2012 Ford Transit van in July. In addition to VAN LIFE, the pair documented some events on their social media accounts. 

On September 1, Laundrie returned solo to his parents’ home, where he and Petito lived, in North Port, Florida, and was said to be uncooperative when questioned. Petito was reported missing by her family to the Suffolk County Police Department in New York on September 11. 

Joe Petito, the victim’s father, told In Touch that Laundrie was “useless” in the investigation. 

On September 15, Laundrie was named a person of interest in the then missing person’s case one day after Laundrie’s family claimed they had not seen him, according to Josh Taylor, a public information officer for the North Port Police.

Petito was last seen traveling in the Grand Teton and Yellowstone areas of Wyoming. Human remains that were discovered in the vicinity of the Spread Creek dispersed camping area in Wyoming, one of the last places she was seen alive, on September 19 were confirmed by a coroner as belonging to Petito. Her manner of death was also deemed a homicide, with her cause of death still pending before the release of the full autopsy report.

“Anyone with information concerning Mr. Laundrie’s role in this matter or his current whereabouts should contact the FBI,” FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Michael Schneider said in a statement. 

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