Brian Laundrie shot himself in head, family attorney confirms
Gabby Petito’s fiance, Brian Laundrie, shot himself in the head, autopsy results show.
Laundrie had been the subject of a manhunt for more than a month as investigators searched for clues in the death of Ms Petito during their cross-country van trip together.
The Laundrie family’s lawyer Steven Bertolino said his parents had been informed that the cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head, and the manner of death was suicide.
Laundrie’s remains were discovered by his parents and FBI in Myakkahatachee Creek Environmental Park on 20 October.
The remains, which included part of a human skull, were found along with a backpack and notebook in an area of the park previously submerged in water.
Authorities have also been trying to repair a personal notebook retrieved from a dry bag near his body as part of their investigation into the death of his girlfriend Gabby Petito.
Crucial to their investigation will be Laundrie’s digital communications, including his texts and emails, use of social media, and internet browsing history prior to his death.
FBI remain silent on Brian Laundrie case
ICYMI: The FBI Denver office is maintaining its silence after a forensic anthropologist revealed that Brian Laundrie died by suicide from a self-inflicted gunshot to the head.
Richard Stafford, the lawyer representing the Petito family also noted today that prosecutors are considering bringing charges against additional individuals.
The federal agency offered no information to reporters who asked about the developments, instead directing them to the FBI Denver Twitter page and wishing them a happy Thanksgiving.
Graeme Massie25 November 2021 03:01
ICYMI: Gabby Petito’s mother says the family didn’t notice any “red flags” during her daughter’s relationship with Brian Laundrie
Graeme Massie25 November 2021 02:01
ICYMI: Thousands sign petition demanding Florida police be investigated for handling of Gabby Petito, Brian Laundrie case
More than 3,400 people have signed a petition calling for a formal investigation into the North Port police department’s handling of the Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie investigation.
The change.org petition, addressed to Florida governor Ron DeSantis, urged him to start an “internal investigation into this case” but added that the “bigger picture is to bring about change”.
“Police deal with citizens on a daily basis and the actions of incompetence can have tremendous, life-altering effects on numerous people in their communities,” the petition said. “What happens when you have a department that’s full of incompetence? Well, Governor DeSantis, this case right here is what happens.”
The Independent’s Maroosha Muzaffar has more in the story below…
Graig Graziosi24 November 2021 22:00
Florida police who lost Brian Laundrie charged 100k in overtime on the case
The months-long investigation by North Port police into the disappearances and deaths of Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie allegedly cost more than $100,000 (£74,000) in overtime pay.
A spokesperson for the North Port Police Department said on Monday that although it did not track how much it was spending on its investigations, the cost of paying overtime was over $100,000 (£74,000).
The Independent’s Gino Spocchia has more on the massive overtime pay in the story below…
Graig Graziosi24 November 2021 21:30
ICYMI: Gabby Petito memorial bench installed outside North Port City Hall
A bench memorialising Gabby Petito has been installed outside North Port, Florida’s, city hall.
The bench was installed in the sport where a large, makeshift memorial filled with flowers, signs, and stuffed animals stood in the weeks after Ms Petito was reported missing.
The original memorial was removed to protect it from the elements, and the items were given to the Petito family.
Graig Graziosi24 November 2021 21:00
Prosecutors considering new charges in Gabby Petito case
Petito family lawyer Richard Stafford revealed that prosecutors may be considering bringing charges against other individuals involved with the Gabby Petito case.
“The Schmidt and Petito family has been aware of the circumstances surrounding the suicide of the sole suspect in Gabby’s murder,” Mr Stafford said. “The family was asked to not comment and let the FBI continue their investigation and allow the United States Attorney’s Office to make a determination on whether any additional individuals will be charged.”
It is unclear who else prosecutors might consider charging or what charges they will bring.
Graig Graziosi24 November 2021 15:43
ICYMI: Brian Laundrie shot himself in the head, family attorney says
Brian Laundrie died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, family attorney Steven Bertolino has revealed. The Independent has more.
Charlene Rodrigues24 November 2021 14:47
ICYMI: Who is Gabby Petito? ‘Sweet’ waitress whose dream of influencer fame ended in tragedy
Gabby Petito, 22, was an aspiring social media star who went missing in late August during a cross-country road trip from New York to Oregon with her fiancé. Her body was later found in Wyoming, where the couple had been travelling.
Charlene Rodrigues24 November 2021 12:06
Brian Laundrie only person ever identified as person of interest in Gabby Petito’s death
The investigation into Gabby Petito’s murder has not yet concluded, however Brian Laundrie was the only person ever identified by law enforcement officials as a person of interest in the case.
Ms Petito’s family reported the 22-year-old missing on 11 September, prompting a search that garnered worldwide media attention and, in Laundrie’s case, focused largely on the Carlton Reserve wilderness park near the Laundrie home.
It is a densely wooded, swampy area that’s home to alligators, coyotes, bobcats, snakes and numerous other creatures.
Ms Petito’s remains were discovered on 19 September on the edge of Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming, one of the places the young couple had visited on the trip they documented through social media videos. Authorities said the body had been there for about a month.
An autopsy in Wyoming concluded the travel blogger died by strangulation and that it was a homicide.
Laundrie was listed as a “person of interest” in her killing but he was charged only with fraudulent use of a debit card that was not his.
Chiara Giordano24 November 2021 08:43
Questions remain over gun that killed Laundrie
As the medical examiners ruled Brian Laundrie’s cause of death to be suicide by way of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, the lack of public information about the recovery of any weapon from the swamp where Laundrie’s remains were found has provoked many questions among followers of the case online.
“If Brian Laundrie shot himself, what happened to the gun? Don’t remember them saying they found one,” said Jack Posobiec, a senior editor at Human Events, a conservative American newspaper.
“All of us trying to figure out how Brian Laundrie killed himself with a gun that was never found,” wrote another user.
While the FBI issued a statement the day after it announced the recovery of skeleton remains from Carlton Reserve, it did not indicate locating a firearm. The agency, however, also has no obligation to reveal any of its findings to the public during an ongoing investigation.
Namita Singh24 November 2021 07:05
