Dog the Bounty Hunter says Brian Laundrie would be alive if parents cooperated with cops
NORTH PORT, FLORIDA: American television personality, bounty hunter, and former bail bondsman Duane Lee Chapman, better known as Dog the Bounty Hunter, has been on the Gabby Petito-Brian Laundrie case for some time now. But with the aftermath of the human remains of Laundrie being discovered, he is of the opinion that the 23-year-old fiance of Petito would be alive if his parents cooperated with cops.
Partial human remains that belong to Brian Laundrie were found on Wednesday, October 20, in the Carlton Reserve and the adjoining Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park in Sarasota County. Steven Bertolino, the attorney representing Laundrie and his parents said that a parent learning their child has died is "sad under any circumstances." The attorney also said he had "no reason to believe" that Laundrie's parents would be charged with crimes.
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Bertolino denied discussing any deals between himself and the FBI, saying that charges were discussed but that there was no "threat, no coercion, and no deal was cut." Bertolino also said he told Laundrie’s parents not to speak with anyone. According to Bertolino, Laundrie's father said his son was very upset before he left the house, and that he wished he "hadn't let him go but he couldn't stop him." He also said the Laundries did not know their son was going to disappear when he left the house in September.
Chapman, hours after the identification of Landrie’s human remains, said in an interview, “If the Laundrie parents [Christopher and Roberta] had fully cooperated from the beginning, Brian Laundrie might still be alive.” He added, "The positive ID of Brian Laundrie’s remains gives some measure of closure to this case, if not to Gabby’s family, who will likely now never know what truly happened."
He further said, “We are praying for Gabby’s family. As a parent who has also lost a child, I know there’s no ending to this story that brings Gabby back. But now the family can begin the process of grieving. Our thoughts are with them.”
Earlier Bertolino said an autopsy on Laundrie's remains did not reveal a cause or manner of his death. “I can confirm that the remains were being sent to an anthropologist for further evaluation,” lawyer Steve Bertolino said. He added that they were hoping for more answers from law enforcement regarding the cause of death for Laundrie.
Bertolino said on Thursday night, October 22, that he did not know how Laundrie died. “I don't want to speculate,” he said. “I try not to do that. I would hope people would stop doing that as well, especially with respect to this case. And in respect to the cause or how Brian came to be dead, I don't know. We'll wait, if possible, for some kind of cause of death from the experts.”
Along with the remains, authorities also found some of Laundrie’s belongings, including a backpack, a notebook, a dry bag, and some clothing.