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Brian Laundrie's last moments saw him 'grieving' for Gabby Petito BEFORE her body was found

Brian told his parents that he wanted 'fresh air' and was going for a hike at a nearby nature reserve

Brian Laundrie's family lawyer has revealed the 23-year-old's last known moments before he went missing and ultimately ended up dead at a Florida reserve. The revelation comes after the FBI confirmed that human remains found at the T Mabry Carlton Jr Memorial Reserve and Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park belonged to Laundrie, and that he had been there for some time. 

Steven Bertolino, who has known the Laundrie family for 25 years, revealed that Chris and Roberta Laundrie did not know their son would disappear. Brian was reportedly 'upset' when he left the family home on September 13 and his father pleaded with him to stay but could not stop him from leaving. Brian told his parents that he wanted "fresh air," and was going for a hike at a nearby nature reserve.

"What I can tell you is that Brian was very upset when he left," he told NBC News Now. "And Chris conveyed to me several times that he wished he didn't let him go but he couldn't stop him. This has been a painful saga for them since September 13. It's been a long haul. But Brian was a grown man, a young man, 22 years old; he wanted to walk out the door, he walked out the door."

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Also, speaking to WABC Channel 7 presenter Kristin Thorne in a separate interview, Bertolino said that Brian was "grieving" when he left his family home on September 13, following Petito's disappearance. Bertolino was asked whether Brian's parents feared he would hurt himself when he left their Florida home. "Chris and Roberta knew that their son Brian was grieving... was so upset, and, you know, they just couldn't control that he was leaving and he left. He walked out the door." He added: "Chris said to me 'I wish I could have stopped him, but I couldn't.'"

'It makes no sense to how they messed up the dates'

Brian's family had reported him missing on September 17. They had initially told officers that they had last seen him on September 14 and later backtracked to confirm that he actually left home on September 13. However, Gabby's body wasn't found until the 19th of the same month - a detail which was picked out by eagle-eyed internet sleuths who picked apart Bertolino's interview. "Att: @FBIDenver Bertolino confesses in this clip that the Laundries knew ‘…Brian was grieving…' but couldn’t stop him. So what had he told them?!" one of them commented, while another one noted, "Attorney Steve Bertolino just admitted, 'Chris & Roberta knew that their son Brian was grieving, they knew he was SO upset… and they just couldn’t control that he was leaving and he left…'. I can’t buy they didn’t learn WHY! #GabbyPetitoCase #BrianLaundrie." 

A third wrote, "I can see it now. Bertolino’s gonna say he meant, 'Brian was grieving', because 'Gabby was reported missing' on the 11th. When in fact, Brian came home without her, in her van, after using her debit cards, after murdering her." A commenter tweeted, "Bertolino says the Laundrie’s were out searching trails for Brian without LE on the 14th and 15th because he left 'very upset and grieving.' Add that to the timeline and it makes no sense to how they messed up the dates." A person reacted with, "Well... Mr Bertolino, how would the parents KNOW Brian was grieving on Sept 13th, six days before Gabby was even found? So are you admitting the parents KNEW? Toss the book at all of them!!!" Another remarked, "Steve Bertolino, talking about Brian Laundrie leaving his house on September 13 - 'Chris & Roberta knew that their son was grieving, he was so upset.' Was Brian Laundrie upset about going to jail, or was he really sad about killing Gabby Petito?"