Brian Laundrie's confession was unraveled by lengthy forensic work, say experts
An expert has claimed that forensic techniques were likely used to recover Brian Laundrie's written confession from his notebook after it was found submerged in Carlton Reserve, and that helped authorities confirm he was Gabby Petito's killer.
Last week, the FBI confirmed in a statement that Laundrie, 23, had admitted to ending his girlfriend's life in a suicide note, before shooting himself in the head as the police searched his whereabouts. Laundrie's journal was discovered next to his remains at the Sarasota County nature reserve on October 20 last year.
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The FBI announced in its statement that "a review of the notebook revealed written statements by Mr Laundrie claiming responsibility for Ms Petito’s death." Speaking to The Sun, forensics expert Jennifer Shen — a retired San Diego Police Department Crime Laboratory Director — said it was no surprise that the families had to wait weeks for answers, as there was "no room for error" in recovering contents of the document.
"When the evidence containing Brian's phone, gun, and notebook were found, it seemed inevitable we would finally have answers in this case," Shen told the newspaper. "All evidence found had significant forensic value. Cell phones/laptops etc., are often excellent investigative tools, as people tend to communicate through these devices. If there was going to be proof Brian attempted to cover up his crime, his electronic devices were going to tell that tale. The notebook was an incredible recovery, and did, in fact, give investigators the conclusive information they needed to close this case."
Shen continued, "Most evidence that has been subjected to extreme weather conditions is harder to analyze. The notebook certainly would fall into this category. However, any protection afforded the notebook from packaging to the pages sticking together and protecting the writings can be exploited by forensic techniques." She added, "These techniques can enhance faint or indented writing, making this evidence very powerful. It is often frustrating for those following a case to wait for answers. Testing of this nature can be very time-consuming, sometimes taking weeks to months, with no room for error."
MEAWW previously reported how there were several messages exchanged between Petito and Brian's phones even after the 22-year-old Long Island native died. "The timing and content of these messages are indicative of Mr Laundrie attempting to deceive law enforcement by giving the impression that Ms Petito was still alive," the FBI said in a statement. It also emerged that Laundrie's parents would not be charged over Petito's death as her family attorney acknowledged there was "no doubt" her fiance was the killer. The FBI probe "did not identify any other individuals other than Brian Laundrie directly involved in the tragic death of Gabby Petito," per the agency's statement.
In December, Chris and Roberta Laundrie filed a petition in Sarasota County to gain access to their deceased son's belongings, including two bank accounts holding $20,000, according to court filings. Meanwhile, online sleuths have pushed for the notebook to be released along with other evidence after the case dominated national as well as international headlines. "The petition is simply to administer his estate, which is primarily the bank account," Bertolino told Fox News. "The return of property by law enforcement is separate," he added.