Gabby Petito ‘smoking gun’ would be if killer’s DNA was found under her nails showing ‘struggle’, lawyer claims
THE 'smoking gun' in the Gabby Petito case would be if the killer's DNA was found under her fingernails - showing a struggle before she died, it has been claimed.
As reported, the 22-year-old's body was found in woodland near Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming in September, and an autopsy revealed she died by strangulation.
But her devastated family are no closer to getting justice as the only person of interest in the case, her fiance Brian Laundrie, has been confirmed dead.
His skeletal remains were found on October 20, by police after his parents Chris and Roberta, discovered his belongings near the entrance to the Carlton Reserve in North Port, Florida.
Criminal defense lawyer Matthew Barhoma told The Sun in an exclusive interview there may still be "plenty of circumstantial evidence" following Laundrie's death, which should be sufficient to close the case.
He said: "They found her body and the proof of strangulation. That's common among lovers or people who know each other.
"Additionally, if they found evidence on her body, say under her fingernails, and they found his DNA, that tends to show a mutual struggle against each other.
"That is as close to a smoking gun as we will get, unless there is more that we do not know."
LA-based Barhoma feels Laundrie, 23, has possibly committed suicide, but his autopsy proved inconclusive this week, due to the state of the remains found in an area previously underwater.
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"Brian has possibly committed suicide," he said. "He's highly wanted and has been extensively covered in the media. People know his name and face.
"And people are emotionally invested in this case as it hits so close to home. She was a young, relatable girl."
Barhoma said the family did the right thing cooperating with authorities - as they accompanied the FBI on Wednesday to an area they first told cops about a month ago but they were unable to access.
"They do not have an affirmative duty to cooperate, but if they had involvement in aiding his getaway, they would have likely faced criminal charges," he said.
"And these charges could have culminated in them being imprisoned and possibly even forced to testify against their son. As such, at minimum, they needed to have absolutely no involvement with Brian.
"It is coincidental that within 24 hours from when his parents start to search for his body that they indeed find his materials, notes, and body.
"If I was the parents, I would lay low. I would avoid giving additional statements."
Barhoma said as a defense lawyer he feels Brian did the right thing never commenting on the case, although it may now mean Gabby's heartbroken family are forever left without answers.
AUTOPSY INCONCLUSIVE
"I am curious to see if he wrote down additional information about what happened to Gabby," he went on.
"Additionally, the investigation will likely persist in attaining information for the victim and the victim's family."
Asked if he thinks Brian's family will ever now how he died, he added: "We likely lost a lot of data by virtue of him being underwater.
"However, he may have written a suicide note, it's what individuals who commit homicide/suicide do.
"As such, there may be additional clues that can shed light on what he may have done.";
Cops were able to positive identity skeletal remains found in Carlton Reserve using the fugitive's dental records.
Laundrie's family attorney, Steve Bertolino, confirmed that a cause of death had not yet been determined in a statement to on Friday.
"No manner or cause of death was determined, and the remains were sent to an anthropologist for further evaluation," Bertolino said.
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Laundrie vanished just days after Gabby's family reported her missing on September 11.
He had returned alone from a cross-country road trip the couple had been on together on September 1 and provided no information about where his missing fiancée could be.
Gabby Petito timeline
Gabby Petito, 22, was last seen on August 24, leaving a hotel in Utah. Here is a timeline of Gabby Petito's disappearance:
- June 2021 - Gabby Petito and her fiancé Brian Laundrie set off on a cross-country trip across the US.
- July 4 - Gabby posts photos of herself barefoot in Gove County, Kansas.
- July 8 - Gabby posts photos of herself at the Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado.
- July 18 - Gabby and Brian post photos of themselves at Utah's Zion National Park.
- August 12 - Body camera footage was released in September showing an encounter Brian and Gabby had with police in Utah. Police confirmed that no significant injuries were reported.
- August 19 - Gabby and Brian post a video on their YouTube channel chronicling their trip.
- August 24 - Gabby is spotted leaving a hotel in Salt Lake City, Utah.
- August 25 - Gabby Facetimes her mom, Nichole Schmidt, for the final time. In a later police report, Schmidt said her conversations with her daughter revealed "more and more tension" between her and Brian.
- August 25 - Gabby also posts her last Instagram. No location is given.
- August 27 - Gabby is seen for what's believed to be the final time. Witnesses claim they saw Brian in an explosive argument with staff at a restaurant in Jackson Hole, leaving Gabby in tears.
- August 27 - Four hours later, travel bloggers driving through Grand Teton National Park drive past the couple's van "abandoned" on a dirt road.
- September 1 - Brian returns home to Florida without Gabby.
- September 11 - Gabby's parents report her missing to Suffolk County police.
- September 14 - Brian's family issues a statement saying he has retained an attorney and will not be cooperating with investigators.
- September 14 - Brian is allegedly last seen by his family. He reportedly told them he was going hiking in Cartlon Reserve but failed to return.
- September 15 - Florida's North Port police announce Brian is a person of interest in the case. He is not charged with any crime.
- September 16 - Utah police release body camera footage of the police encounter with Brian and Gabby.
- September 17 - Brian's parents say they have not seen their son in a couple of days and report him missing.
- September 18 - Police announce they were searching Carlton Reserve in Florida for Brian. Police announce they have not found anything.
- September 19 - Authorities in Wyoming say they found a body in Grand Teton National Park. The FBI announces the body was believed to be Gabby's but a full forensic identification needs to be completed first to confirm.
- September 20 - Police execute a search warrant on Laundrie's home, seizing his silver Mustang and a hard drive that may contain "evidence relevant to proving that a felony has been committed."
- September 21 - Officials announce they will be conducting an autopsy on the remains found in Wyoming to confirm whether or not they belong to Gabby. Police also resumed their search for Laundrie, this time on the Venice side of Carlton Reserve.
- September 21 - The FBI announced the body found in Wyoming was identified as Gabby's. The cause of death was not yet revealed.
- September 21 - The Teton County Coroner's office said Gabby's official cause of death was still pending but the initial manner of death is homicide.
- September 22 - Police continue to scour Carlton Reserve for a trace of Laundrie but yield no leads. A specialist dive team is called in to assist with the hunt.
- September 23 - Officials announced a federal arrest warrant for Brian was issued.
- September 26 - Gabby's funeral was held on Long Island, New York.
- October 12: Gabby's autopsy results were made public. Teton County Coroner Dr Brent Blue confirmed Gabby died by strangulation.
- October 20: Laundrie's personal items were found at the Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park. A medical examiner was called to the scene.
- October 21: The FBI confirmed the remains found have been identified as Laundrie's.
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