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Brian Laundrie found dead: Human remains in Florida park ID'd as Gabby Petito's fiance

The only 'person of interest' in Gabby Petito's murder, Brian Laundrie had been missing since September 17, 2021 and has now been found dead

CARLTON RESERVE, FLORIDA: The Gabby Petito mysterious disappearance and murder case appears to have come to a tragic but inevitable end as her fiance Brian Laundrie has been confirmed to be dead. Following a month-long search, his remains were discovered at the Carlton wildlife reserve in his home state Florida itself. The only 'person of interest' and an unofficial suspect in Gabby Petito's murder, Brian Laundrie had been missing since September 17, 2021. He also had an arrest warrant out in his name for using Petito's debit card to make unauthorized withdrawals of more than $1,000. 

On Wednesday, October 20, human skeletal remains were found in the 24,000-acre Carlton Reserve in Florida, sparking speculations that it might be Laundrie's body. The discovery of Laundrie's notebook and backpack near the body strengthened the speculations. Now, his family lawyer and the FBI have confirmed Laundrie's death. Laundrie family attorney Steve Bertolino said, "Chris and Roberta Laundrie have been informed that the remains found yesterday in the reserve are indeed Brian’s. We have no further comment at this time and we ask that you respect the Laundrie’s privacy at this time." 

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The FBI in their release mentioned the body was identified via his dental records. The body and belongings were found when Brian Laundrie's parents Christopher and Roberta Laundrie joined the police to search for their son. In a recent statement, the North Port Police shared, "What I can say is that NPPD met the family at the park yesterday. We did not want them out there without our view. So we followed them around. Together at some times and within a few hundred feet at others. We are 100% confident the family did not bring any items, which were found yesterday, with them. We’ve been saying “odd” from the beginning, so nothing new there. The family did not locate or see the remains. The remains and items had clearly been there for some time."

According to Tampa FBI Chief Michael McPherson, the items and human remains found in the Florida reserve had been underwater for a while. Expert anatomist Dr Priya Banerjee shared her insights into Brian's possible death, saying, "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."

Laundrie's 22-year-old fiancee Gabby Petito's remains were found in the Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming on September 19, 2021. Autopsy results later revealed that she was strangled to death in a manner of homicide and her body had been out in the open for around 3-4 weeks, thereby allowing decomposition to set it. Now, skeletal remains of Laundrie have also been found in a wildlife-infested area. The discovery of the remains brought to an end a massive search involving federal, state and local law enforcement that began shortly after he disappeared on Sept 14, two weeks after he returned alone to his parents' home in North Port, Florida.