Brian Laundrie – update: FBI confirms remains found are those of Gabby Petito’s boyfriend

Human remains found inside the Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park on Wednesday have been confirmed as belonging to Brian Laundrie.

Mr Laundrie was travelling with van-life blogger Gabby Petito on a cross-country road trip from New York to Oregon when she went missing in late August.

The Independent’s Helen Elfer has everything we know about the missing man so far:

Following the FBI’s announcement that a notebook of Brian Laundrie’s has been found, criminologists suggest it could contain answers about what happened to his fiancé Gabby Petito.

Speculation is rife over whether one of the notebooks pictured was the one found in the park, and what Mr Laundrie was using it for.

​​Criminologist Casey Jordan told CNN that it could contain a suicide note or letter giving a window into his state of mind while he’s been missing.

The Independent’s Helen Elfer reports.

Wednesday, 20 October, began like every other in the 33 days since Brian Laundrie was reported missing.

Then, around midday, came a flurry of news. Chris and Roberta Laundrie were at the Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park and had contacted law enforcement the night before to ask them to accompany them to the site. To seasoned observers of the case, this all seemed a little convenient. The same location where the items were found had been pored over by highly-trained FBI, police and sheriff’s search teams with cadaver dogs just a month earlier.

So how did law enforcement miss this crucial discovery, that the family have all but confirmed belong to Mr Laundrie?

The Independent’s Bevan Hurley looks for answers.

Skeletal remains found in a Florida reserve have been confirmed as Brian Laundrie.

The FBI matched the remains to the missing fugitive’s dental records just over 24 hours after they were discovered in the Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park.

Bevan Hurley has the latest.

Petito-Schmidt family attorney Rick Stafford said in a statement to correspondent Laura Ingle they would not make any statements on the identification of Brian Laundrie’s remains until they’re “emotionally ready”.

“Gabby’s family is not doing interviews or making a statement at this time. They are grieving the loss of their beautiful daughter. Gabby’s family will make a statement at the appropriate time and when they are emotionally ready.”

Two detectives entered the home of Chris and Roberta about 5.15 pm local time on Thursday, according to New Nation Now reporter Brian Entin, who has been a constant presence at their house throughout the manhunt.

He said they were there for about two minutes before walking out and leaving without comment.

Reports of the positive identification came about 20 minutes later.

The parents of Brian Laundrie acknowledged the death of their son in a short and unemotional statement released through their lawyer.

“Chris and Roberta Laundrie have been informed that the remains found yesterday in the reserve are are indeed Brian’s,” attorney Steve Bertolino said in a statement to Fox News. “We have no further comment at this time and we ask you respect the Laundrie family’s privacy at this time.”

Investigators confirmed the identification of Mr Laundrie’s skeltal remains the day after they were discovered at the Carlton Reserve near his backpack and items of clothing.

The Independent’s Graig Graziosi is following the story.

The key piece of information from the FBI’s confirmation of Brian Laundrie’s remains is the method of identification.

“A comparison of dental records confirmed that the human remains found at the T Mabry Carlton Jr Memorial Reserve and Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park are those of Brian Laundrie.”

It was revealed earlier that the remains found were bones, meaning he had likely been dead long enough that his family was unable to identify his remains by sight.