The weeks long search for Brian Laundrie, a person of interest in the death of girlfriend Gabby Petito while the couple was on a cross-country road trip, came to an end on Thursday as human remains found in a Florida nature preserve were confirmed to be his.
The remains, a backpack and notebook believed to belong to Laundrie were discovered Wednesday in a Florida wilderness park, according to the FBI. The area where they were found had been under water during earlier searches.
The FBI’s Denver office said in a news release a comparison of dental records confirmed that the remains were Laundrie.
The FBI statement did not list a cause of death. It wasn’t clear how long the remains may have been submerged in water.
Laundrie family attorney Steven Bertolino said his parents, Chris and Roberta Laundrie, would have no further comment at this time.
“His parents are a mess. They are extremely upset. They’re ‘extremely distraught’ is the word I’ve been using, but I don’t think that accurately describes it,” said Bertolino.
Eyewitness News reporter Kristin Thorne asked Bertolino if he believes that Brian killed himself.
“We’re going to wait till we have more information from the Medical Excaminer’s office. I’m told we may have some information (Friday) afternoon,” Bertolino added.
The Petito family declined to comment on the development.
“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,” their attorney said.
The discovery of the remains concluded a massive search involving federal, state and local law enforcement that began shortly after Laundrie disappeared Sept. 14, two weeks after the 23-year-old returned alone to his parents’ home in North Port, Florida.
The investigation into Petito’s slaying, however, is not yet concluded. But only Laundrie has ever been identified by law enforcement officials as a person of interest in the case.
On Thursday morning, several K-9 units and off-road vehicles were observed entering the reserve to further search the area. McPherson says crews will be onsite for several days.
Laundrie’s parents, Chris and Roberta Laundrie, helped law enforcement with finding the items, which Bertolino described as happenstance.
He said Laundrie’s parents informed the FBI and the North Port Police Department on Tuesday night that they wanted to visit the park Wednesday morning to search for their son. Law enforcement met them there and closely accompanied them as they entered the park, Bertolino said.
“As they went further in, Chris ventured off the trail into the woods,” Bertolino said. “He was zigzagging in different areas. Law enforcement was doing the same thing. And Roberta Laundrie was walking down the trail. At some point, Chris locates what’s called a dry bag. The dry bag is a white bag, laying in the woods, say 20 feet or so off the trail.”
The dry bag was in some brambles, Bertolino said, and he didn’t want to move it because he wanted his law enforcement to see it. However, Chris Laundrie “couldn’t find the law enforcement” because they were out of sight and didn’t want to leave the bag there with a news reporter standing nearby, so he picked it up, Bertolino explained.
“He did meet up shortly with law enforcement, they looked at the contents of the bag,” he said. “At that time, law enforcement officers showed him a picture on the phone of a backpack that law enforcement had located also nearby and also some distance off the trail….At that point, the Laundries were notified there was also remains near the backpack, and they were asked to leave the preserve.”
The remains were found “about 2 to 3 miles inside the Carlton Reserve, or about a 45-minute walk” from the entrance at Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park, North Port police spokesperson Josh Taylor said.
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