Investigators closed the missing person’s case when Brian Laundrie wrote his responsibility for the death of her girlfriend Gabby Petito.
Gabby Petito’s disappearance last year has launched a massive search from Utah to Florida.
And the FBI has formally closed the book on Petito’s whereabouts after the social media influencer’s body was found on September 19, 2021, in Bridger-Teton National Forest in Wyoming. While Brian Laundrie, 23, Petito’s fiancé’s body was found in Florida on October 20, 2021.
Micheal Schneider, FBI Denver Special Agent in charge said: “All logical investigative steps have been concluded in this case.”
The couple had spent the summer traveling across the country in a white van together, documenting all their adventures on YouTube along the way but on September 1, Laundrie quietly returned to his parent’s home in North Port, Florida, without Petito.
Ten days later, Petito’s family reported her missing. Police said that for the first week of Petito’s missing person investigation, the Laundrie family refused to cooperate with them and directed all questions to their attorney.
A week after the Petito case began, the Laundrie family spoke to the FBI for the first time but not to talk about Petito, but instead, Laundrie’s parents wanted to alert investigators that Brian their son, had gone missing too.
They claimed he was last seen on September 13 after leaving their home “visibly upset” to hike in the nearby Carlton Reserve. After that, the FBI and local Florida authorities rapidly launched a search for Brian in the 25,000-acre nature preserve, wading waist-deep through the snake and alligator-infested swamps in some areas.
While the authorities were trying to locate Laundrie in Florida, separate police search teams continued looking for Petito in Wyoming, her last known location before the incident happened on September 19, when Petito’s body was found in Grand Teton National Park.
Her death was declared as homicide by the county coroner shortly after. Days after Petito’s body was found, the U.S. District Court of Wyoming issued a warrant for Laundrie’s arrest concerning activities that occurred after Petito’s death, not for her death itself.
FBI Agent Schneider wrote in a statement on September 23 saying: “While this warrant allows law enforcement to arrest Mr. Laundrie, the FBI and its partners across the country continue to investigate the facts and circumstances of Ms. Petito’s homicide.”
Laundrie was never arrested on the Wyoming charges, or charged with the disappearance and murder of Petito. On October 20, his remains were discovered in a Florida nature park alongside his backpack and notebook. Authorities failed to declare him a suspect in her murder before his death.
FBI Agent Schneider said: “The investigation did not identify any other individuals other than Brian Laundrie directly involved in the tragic death of Gabby Petito. The FBI’s primary focus throughout the investigation was to bring justice to Gabby and her family. A review of the notebook revealed written statements by Mr. Laundrie claiming responsibility for Ms. Petito’s death.”
A Florida medical examiner ruled that Laundrie died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. A Wyoming coroner said that Petito died by manual strangulation at least three weeks before her remains were found.
Writings by Laundrie shows there can be no doubt how she died. Steven Bertolino, an attorney representing the Laundrie family, released a statement Friday expressing condolences for both families.
Bertolino said: “We can only hope that with today’s closure of the case each family can begin to heal and move forward and find peace in and with the memories of their children.”
The statement released from Petito’s family through their lawyer Richard Stafford says: “We truly appreciate the FBI’s diligent and painstaking efforts in this extremely complicated case. The quality and quantity of the facts and information collected by the FBI leave no doubt that Brian Laundrie murdered Gabby.”
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