World-renowned forensic artist speculates on what Brian Laundrie may look like now

CHICAGO (NewsNation Now) — A woman who is arguably the world’s greatest forensic artist joined “Banfield” to explain what Brian Laundrie may look like now.

Lois Gibson holds a 2017 Guinness World Record for most identifications by a forensic artist. She also did the first sketch that aired on “America’s Most Wanted” — that sketch would ultimately end up identifying the suspect and solve the case.

As the search for Laundrie continues, it begs the question: What does he look like now?

Gibson says even if Laundrie doesn’t actively change his appearance, his appearance will change on its own.

“I’ve been working cases for 39 years and he is going to get a lot of sun, he’s gonna lose weight. I don’t care how much money he has. If you’re on the run … it’s hard to eat, it degrades your life,” Gibson said.

Gibson says “if Laundrie is smart” he’ll immediately shave his beard and mustache. She added one of the most difficult things for people on the run to hide are their ears.

“Ears are the most complicated object on the surface of the head. They’re more complicated than the eyes, lips or the nose,” Gibson said. The other thing about ears, she added: There’s really nothing that can be done to alter them.

Gibson says she is planning on providing a picture of how Laundrie may look in the near future.

Laundrie was last seen Sept. 14 entering the 24,000-acre Carlton Reserve in Florida, but he was not reported missing until a few days later. Investigators had focused intently on the area after Laundrie’s parents told police he may have gone there. 

On July 2, Brian Laundrie and his girlfriend Gabby Petito left New York for a cross-country road trip to national parks out West in Colorado, Utah and Wyoming. The couple documented their travels on both their personal Instagrams and a travel account under the name “Nomadic Statik.”

Days after Petito went missing, the Teton County coroner and FBI confirmed a body found Sept. 19 was hers.

Laundrie was reported missing after he returned to Florida without Petito.