Dog the Bounty Hunter has insisted that he's still very much on the hunt for Brian Laundrie - despite going back home to Colorado to treat an ankle injury.
On Monday, October 11, it was revealed that the reality star, whose real name is Duane Lee Chapman, had left the search in Florida after suffering an injury to his ankle.
However, a spokeswoman for the 68-year-old TV personality has confirmed that his team is still investigating leads in connection with the 23-year-old fugitive.
"Dog has not ended his search for Brian Laundrie," spokeswoman Jennifer Willingham said in a statement, per The New York Post. "Dog and Francie Chapman need to attend to a variety of matters at home in Colorado, including Dog’s ankle injury which occurred during the search."
Willingham continued: "There is still a group of investigators working with Dog who remain in Florida and are researching regional tips.
"Additionally, Dog's command center team led by [daughter] Lyssa Chapman and Greg Zecca continue to assist in managing the search logistics and researching leads from Hawaii and Colorado, respectively."
She concluded: "Dog and the team will continue to search until Brian Laundrie is found."
WFLA news anchor Josh Benson originally broke the news that Chapman was on his way back to Colorado, tweeting over the weekend: "Just got an update from Dog the Bounty Hunter’s team.
"They say he’s headed back to Colorado soon to meet with his doctor after injuring his ankle in the search. He’s also raising funds to continue what he calls an 'expensive search'."
In a follow-up tweet, he added: "Team says he’s put together a talented network of local team members he calls the ‘Florida Team’ that will continue the search while he’s gone. He says he will continue to process leads in Colorado while he’s there."
Laundrie, 23, has been missing for a month and is the only person of interest in the disappearance of Petito, who was confirmed dead last month.
The fugitive and his 22-year-old fiancée had embarked on a cross-country road trip over the summer, with Laundrie returning to his parents' Florida home on September 1 without Petito.
Ten days later, Petito's concerned parents reported her missing, and investigators would eventually find her remains on September 19 near Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming.
Laundrie went missing himself on September 14, his parents told law enforcement.