# Van lifer goes missing on cross country trip with fiancee **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 13, 2021, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/van-lifer-goes-missing-on-cross-country-trip-with-fiancee/950604 "2021-09-13T13:48:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 64
**Author:** ![Fluffy\_PickleSniffer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/77aa72/32.png) [@Fluffy\_PickleSniffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fluffy_PickleSniffer)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2021, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/van-lifer-goes-missing-on-cross-country-trip-with-fiancee/950604/1264 "2021-10-29T22:34:07Z")
That makes a little more sense. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2021, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/van-lifer-goes-missing-on-cross-country-trip-with-fiancee/950604/1265 "2021-10-29T22:44:28Z")
It would seem like in 2021, the police would have a linked computer database to coordinate among themselves. There are two officers, Barney and Gomer who can’t tell the difference between a 55 year old woman and a 22 year old young man, who are watching the house. They should have access to the names, vehicles, plate numbers, VINs, etc. of the people that they are watching. When another officer, even of another department, flags a car for being abandoned, that should go into the same system so that Barney and Gomer are alerted that this has taken place. Is that asking too much or too costly of a computer system? ---
**Author:** ![SunUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SunUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SunUp)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2021, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/van-lifer-goes-missing-on-cross-country-trip-with-fiancee/950604/1266 "2021-10-29T23:51:04Z")
> [@UltraVires](#): > > Is that asking too much or too costly of a computer system? I’m guessing that might be asking for something too Big-Brotherish for the tastes of many. For that matter, it’s a difficult problem to solve. The FBI threw $170 million at the Virtual Case File project in the early 00’s, and stopped only after it failed completely. They were looking to be in similar trouble on a successor project named Sentinel a few years later that ended up landing by FY2012. And that’s one organization, with a single set (though large) of procedures and needs for the software, not even mentioning the kinds of changes that would be needed for something cross-departmental. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2021, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/van-lifer-goes-missing-on-cross-country-trip-with-fiancee/950604/1267 "2021-10-30T00:27:35Z")
> [@UltraVires](#): > > It would seem like in 2021, the police would have a linked computer database to coordinate among themselves. There are two officers, Barney and Gomer who can’t tell the difference between a 55 year old woman and a 22 year old young man, who are watching the house. They should have access to the names, vehicles, plate numbers, VINs, etc. of the people that they are watching. > > When another officer, even of another department, flags a car for being abandoned, that should go into the same system so that Barney and Gomer are alerted that this has taken place. Is that asking too much or too costly of a computer system? I don’t know the specifics of the capabilities of the police and sheriff operations in Sarasota County (where North Port is located), but I do know that their primary mission is protecting prosperous white residents from being annoyed by uppity non-white residents (who are relatively few in number and, presumably, suitably cowed). Surveilling a white family isn’t really in their usual wheelhouse. Wikipedia on North Port: > [@](#): > > …the racial makeup of the city was 87.6% White, 7% African American, 0.3% Native American, 1.2% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 1.7% from other races, and 2.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.7% of the population. Wikipedia on Sarasota County: > [@](#): > > The racial makeup of the county was 92.65% White, 4.18% Black or African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.77% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.14% from other races, and 1.02% from two or more races. 4.34% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. > **[North Port, Florida](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Port,_Florida)** > > North Port is a city located in Sarasota County, Florida, United States. The population was 74,793 at the 2020 US Census. It is part of the North Port–Bradenton–Sarasota Metropolitan Statistical Area. It was originally developed by General Development Corporation as the northern / Sarasota County portion of its Port Charlotte development, the other portion located in the adjacent Charlotte County. GDC dubbed the city North Port Charlotte, and it was incorporated under that name through a s Arc... > **[Sarasota County, Florida | Demographics](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarasota_County,_Florida#Demographics)** > > As of the 2020 United States census, there were 434,006 people, 189,228 households, and 117,532 families residing in the county. 3.5% of that population was under the age of 5 years old, 14.0% was under 18 years old, and 37.4% was 65 years or older. 52.4% was female. > The median household income was $64,644 with a per capita income of $44,402. 8.7% of population below the poverty threshold. The median value of owner-occupied housing-units between 2016 and 2020 was $269,300 and the median gross re... ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2021, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/van-lifer-goes-missing-on-cross-country-trip-with-fiancee/950604/1268 "2021-10-30T02:36:54Z")
> [@UltraVires](#): > > There are two officers, Barney and Gomer who can’t tell the difference between a 55 year old woman and a 22 year old young man, who are watching the house. Hey. _Hey_. People make mistakes: > [@UltraVires](#): > > How could they have possibly been watching him if his parents’ story is true? He would have walked out the front door, got in his car, and drove away. They couldn’t have followed him? > > If they really were watching him, I can’t believe that any officer would be _that_ incompetent. Leads me to believe that Laundrie didn’t leave as described. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2021, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/van-lifer-goes-missing-on-cross-country-trip-with-fiancee/950604/1269 "2021-11-09T05:56:13Z")
Any information on when we might know if they’re able to salvage information from the notebook? ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2021, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/van-lifer-goes-missing-on-cross-country-trip-with-fiancee/950604/1270 "2021-11-12T01:18:41Z")
> [@outlierrn](#): > > Any information on when we might know if they’re able to salvage information from the notebook? - The last news story I can find that mentions the notebook dates from two weeks ago; none contain any estimates on when results of salvage attempts might be published. Of possible interest: a story from two days back about a woman looking for more human remains in the Florida nature preserve in which some as-yet-undisclosed portion of a human skeleton were (famously) found on October 21: > [@](#): > > …claims that half of his remains were found, implying that additional bones are still mired in the 25,000-acre reserve in Sarasota County. > > Not everyone agrees with the theory, with one user writing, “**How do you know that half his remains are not recovered? LE (law enforcement) didn’t disclose,”** according to the news outlet. > > But some internet sleuths were intrigued by the possibility. > > “All it takes is for her to find the other part of his skull,” one person wrote on one of chroniclesofolivia’s clips… My bolding; real information on the remains, as well as on the notebook, have both been in short supply. > **[Woman reportedly spends 5 hours a day searching for more Brian Laundrie remains](https://nypost.com/2021/11/09/florida-woman-searches-for-more-brian-laundrie-remains-report/)** > > A TikTok user with an account called chroniclesofolivia posted video of the unidentified woman at the Carlton Reserve, where she has spent the past 10 days searching for additional remains from Lau… ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2021, 10:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/van-lifer-goes-missing-on-cross-country-trip-with-fiancee/950604/1271 "2021-11-12T10:10:59Z")
I’m not going to argue anything bout the Laundries. We did not at the time (and definitely not now) know they didn’t talk to the police. However, I wish to address this bit: > [@UltraVires](#): > > If someone wants atonement, they can go see a preacher. Why do you need to go to jail to atone? Because that is the whole reason the law exists. Jail is the prescribed punishment that we as a society have agreed upon as atonement (i.e. payment) for certain crimes. By your logic, the Catholic church didn’t do anything wrong when they covered up for the police. I mean, the pedophiles went to their priests/bishops. If they can get atonement there, then they have paid for their crime and should not be punished. No, atonement for crimes against society requires going through a society’s legal system. There is value in saying that you shouldn’t talk to the police. Getting a lawyer is the right move if there is any chance you suspicious, due to how our adversarial court system works. But I do think you morally should cooperate as much as you can with an investigation, even if you do it safely by going through a lawyer. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2021, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/van-lifer-goes-missing-on-cross-country-trip-with-fiancee/950604/1272 "2021-11-23T18:54:32Z")
Laundrie’s death has been ruled a suicide, by gunshot wound to the head. > **[Autopsy shows Brian Laundrie died by suicide, attorney says | CNN](https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/23/us/brian-laundrie-autopsy/index.html)** > > Brian Laundrie died by suicide from a gunshot wound to the head, an attorney for the Laundrie family told CNN Tuesday. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2021, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/van-lifer-goes-missing-on-cross-country-trip-with-fiancee/950604/1273 "2021-11-23T20:24:45Z")
Just like any totally innocent person would do. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2021, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/van-lifer-goes-missing-on-cross-country-trip-with-fiancee/950604/1274 "2021-11-23T20:43:36Z")
I wonder if the autopsy includes genetic testing or are they going to rely on dental records. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2021, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/van-lifer-goes-missing-on-cross-country-trip-with-fiancee/950604/1275 "2021-11-23T20:50:08Z")
They’ve had the autopsy, and yes, his identity was confirmed by dental records back in October. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2021, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/van-lifer-goes-missing-on-cross-country-trip-with-fiancee/950604/1276 "2021-11-23T20:53:59Z")
Interesting to have confirmation that they found enough of his remains to conclusively rule suicide by GSW. From the earlier press, I had doubt they’d put together enough remains to answer “cause of death” and “manner of death” with any certainly. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2021, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/van-lifer-goes-missing-on-cross-country-trip-with-fiancee/950604/1277 "2021-11-23T21:01:39Z")
Even if a gator chews on you, perhaps a lodged bullet would still be evident. ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2021, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/van-lifer-goes-missing-on-cross-country-trip-with-fiancee/950604/1278 "2021-11-23T22:35:31Z")
A gunshot wound to the head is going to leave extremely identifiable damage on every bit of skull they find. Did nobody here watch _Bones?_ 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2021, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/van-lifer-goes-missing-on-cross-country-trip-with-fiancee/950604/1279 "2021-11-23T22:56:39Z")
How do they know he was shot by himself and not by someone else, or by an alligator? Did they find the gun? ---
**Author:** ![Esprise\_Me](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/esprise_me/32/2947_2.png) [@Esprise\_Me](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esprise_Me)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2021, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/van-lifer-goes-missing-on-cross-country-trip-with-fiancee/950604/1280 "2021-11-23T23:05:14Z")
I won’t rest until they find the gator and check his paws for gunshot residue. ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2021, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/van-lifer-goes-missing-on-cross-country-trip-with-fiancee/950604/1281 "2021-11-24T00:09:20Z")
> [@SmartAleq](#): > > A gunshot wound to the head is going to leave extremely identifiable damage on every bit of skull they find. Did nobody here watch _Bones?_ It’s unclear how much of the skull or his remains in general were found although at least some descriptions say ‘part of a human skull.’ We know the autopsy was inconclusive and they had to send what they had to an anthropologist. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2021, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/van-lifer-goes-missing-on-cross-country-trip-with-fiancee/950604/1282 "2021-11-24T00:13:14Z")
I blame Obama. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2021, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/van-lifer-goes-missing-on-cross-country-trip-with-fiancee/950604/1283 "2021-11-24T00:51:19Z")
> [@Folly](#): > > It’s unclear how much of the skull or his remains in general were found although at least some descriptions say ‘part of a human skull.’ We know the autopsy was inconclusive and they had to send what they had to an anthropologist. I wonder if authorities will EVER disclose more information about what was found. It’s difficult to have confidence that this isn’t merely a case of wanting to close the books as soon as possible. For example, I’d be amazed if _any_ law-enforcement resources are being spent on the journal (now or when it was found). The thinking could be ‘why should we bother, if it’s a closed case?’ (And a ready excuse is right at hand: that many people would criticize resources being put to work to deal with the murder of a person who got a lot a media attention, considering that other missing/murdered people get very little media attention.) I don’t think that’s a good excuse—but I bet it’s being employed. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/van-lifer-goes-missing-on-cross-country-trip-with-fiancee/950604.md?page=63) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/van-lifer-goes-missing-on-cross-country-trip-with-fiancee/950604.md?page=65)