CHICAGO (NewsNation Now) — As the search continues for Brian Laundrie, many are wondering if he evaded capture. Seth Ferranti, a man who spent two years as a fugitive, shared some ideas with NewsNation Prime.
Ferranti once led the U.S. Marshals’ 15 Most Wanted list for drug trafficking. Now, he is an acclaimed author, producer and filmmaker.
In the early 1990s, Ferranti faked death by suicide and went on the run before being caught two years later and sentenced to a 25-year sentence in federal prison.
He shared his experience with NewsNation and gave insights into where he thinks Laundrie might be.
It has been weeks since any firm new details have emerged in the case as authorities search for Laundrie. His parents last saw him, they say, on Sept. 13 when he took the car to a 24,000-acre Florida reserve. He was reported missing on Sept. 17. Several law enforcement searches have been conducted since then.
Ferranti said mental burnout is the heaviest while on the run.
“The most important thing at first is the mental burden. You have to leave your whole life. You have to become someone else and go into isolation,” Ferranti said. “Then, the paranoia. The first two or three months I was always looking over my shoulder. The third biggest thing was establishing legitimate ID.”
He said life as a fugitive gets easier if the person has help.
“You need money and allies. When you have money and people to put you up that makes life on the run easier,” Ferranti said.
Ferranti believes Brian is with a relative or friend at a safe house in Florida or a neighboring state.
The FBI has issued an arrest warrant for Laundrie. He is wanted for “use of unauthorized access device” related to his activities following Petito’s death. The FBI says he used a debit card and a PIN to access two bank accounts Aug. 30 and Sept. 1.