Story at a glance
- The partial human remains of Brian Laundrie were located in a park in Florida on Oct. 20.
- Brian Laundrie died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, the Laundrie family attorney announced on Tuesday.
- The final results of his official autopsy are pending and expected to be released later Tuesday.
Brian Laundrie died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, the Laundrie family attorney announced on Tuesday.
This Aug. 12, 2021 file photo from video provided by The Moab Police Department shows Brian Laundrie talking to a police officer. (The Moab Police Department via Associated Press, File)
“Chris and Roberta Laundrie have been informed the cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head and the manner of death was suicide,” attorney Steven Bertolino told journalist Brian Entin in a statement. “Chris and Roberta are still mourning the loss of their son and are hopeful that these findings bring closure to both families.”
The final results of his official autopsy are pending and expected to be released later Tuesday.
The FBI announced Oct. 20 that human remains had been located in the Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park in North Port, Fla., near items that belonged to Laundrie. The remains were later confirmed to have been Laundrie’s.
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The initial autopsy of Laundrie’s remains was deemed “inconclusive” and they were sent to anthropologists to undergo further examination.
Laundrie was a person of interest in the homicide of his fiance, Gabby Petito, who disappeared while on a cross country trip with Laundrie in August. Petito’s remains were located in September, and her cause and manner of death were determined to have been homicide by strangulation.
A federal arrest warrant was issued for Laundrie on Sept. 23 on charges of bank fraud for allegedly using a Capital One Bank debit card and personal identification numbers for two accounts without authorization for more than $1,000-worth of goods following Petito’s death.
Teton County Coroner Brent Blue said authorities were able to collect outside DNA samples from Petito’s body, though it is unclear whether or not the DNA has been tested against that of Laundrie’s at this time.
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