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Brian Laundrie cause of death: Partial skull, lack of soft tissue may affect autopsy

The fact that the human remains were discovered in 'skeletal' state suggests that Laundrie had been dead for some time before his body was discovered

The partial human remains found in a Florida reserve were identified to belong to Brian Laundrie, the missing boyfriend of deceased vlogger Gabby Petito, the FBI confirmed in a statement on Thursday, October 21. 

“On October 21, 2021, 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,” the statement read. Apart from the remains, personal items, including a backpack and a notebook, believed to belong to Laundrie were also found nearby. Law enforcement sources told NewsNation that the remains found were skeletal remains or “bones.” 

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The remains were found in the Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park, a 160-acre park that is connected to the 24,000-acre Carlton Reserve, a heavily wooded area near an interstate freeway. The place where the items and remains were found in a swampy area is known to house alligators, snakes, coyotes, and other wildlife. Laundrie's personal belongings were not previously discovered as they had been underwater, according to Michael McPherson, chief of the Tampa FBI office.

“Knowing that the body’s not going to be in what I would call a normal condition, you know, decomposition, environmental effects, all of that has to have really damaged the remains,” said Dr Priya Banerjee on 'Morning in America.' Former FBI agent Jennifer Coffindaffer added, “Partial remains is generally used to describe a body that is not fully intact."

Laundrie’s cause of death has not been revealed. Since very few details were disclosed by the FBI on Thursday, October 21, it is not clear whether there were any self-inflicted wounds. The remains, discovered on Wednesday in Carlton Reserve next to a notebook and backpack were described as  “skeletal” by a North Port police spokesman. The contents of the notebook were not immediately revealed. 

Laundrie's remains included "portion of a human skull"

According to experts, with Laundrie confirmed dead, the investigative focus might likely shift to the items he left behind. Law enforcement sources told NBC that the remains “included a portion of a human skull." Other sources told Fox News that the remains were only “bones.” Reports suggested that cadaver dogs might be will be brought in to help find other parts of Laundrie's remains. 

The fact that the human remains were discovered in a “skeletal” state suggests that Laundrie had been dead for some time before his body was discovered. A human body will “skeletonize” between three weeks and one month after death. However, the presence of water can complicate that timeline. Wildlife in the Carlton Reserve could also speed the decomposition process, survival experts have noted. Moreover, the absence of soft tissue could complicate the determination of a cause of death. The scene where Laundrie's body was recovered is still being investigated by forensic experts. However, it's possible that Laundrie's exact manner of death will remain unclear, experts say.