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Eerie Coincidence: Brian Laundrie's remains ID'd exactly a month after Gabby Petito's

On October 21, the FBI revealed that 'a comparison of dental records confirmed' that the remains were that of Laundrie

Call it a bizarre coincidence or a poetic end to a tragic love story, Brian Laundrie's remains were identified exactly a month after his girlfriend Gabby Petito's body was ID'd after being recovered from a Wyoming park. 

Laundrie, the boyfriend of 22-year-old vlogger Petito, had reportedly not been seen since September 14 and was confirmed 'missing' on September 17. This led police to search the nearby Carlton Reserve for Laundrie, who was named a person of interest in Petito's death case, whose remains were found at a Wyoming Park by the authorities. The case began drawing national interest after Brian returned home to Florida on September 1 without his girlfriend after a cross-country road trip. Human remains were discovered in a Florida swamp on Wednesday, October 20, and a day later, identified to be Laundrie's.  

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On Thursday, October 21, the FBI revealed, "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.” Tampa special agent Michael McPherson told reporters: “The FBI and the North Port Police Department, and our law enforcement partners have been searching the area of the Carlton Reserve for Brian Laundrie, a person of interest in the murder of Gabby Petito. Earlier today investigators found what appears to be human remains along with personal items, such as backpack and notebook, belonging to Brian Laundrie. These items were found in an area that up until recently had been underwater.”

This was the first time that the FBI agents used the word "murder" in the case, although Petito's cause of death had been declared a homicide after her autopsy results were revealed. 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." Following the identification of Laundrie's remains, the attorney for Gabby Petitio's family said: “Gabby’s family is not doing interviews or making a statement at this time. 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.”

Laundrie’s cause of death is yet to be determined. The identification of his remains eerily happened exactly a month after Petito's body was positively ID'd. On September 21, the Teton County Coroner Dr Brent Blue confirmed that the body found in the Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming on September 19, was that of Petito.

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. Similar to Petito, 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.