Brian Laundrie update – Autopsy reveals suicide as cause of death of Gabby Petito’s fiancé as family hopes for ‘closure’

BRIAN 'HAD WEEKS TO DISTURB EVIDENCE,' SAYS EXPERT

Paul Belli, of the International Homicide Investigations Association, told The Sun: “Here’s a person that had weeks to handle or do things to disturb scenes such as the van.

“I would be looking at the scenes. Cops may be looking at the actual scene of the crime. They may not have that. I don’t know.”

Belli said investigators will have carried out a lot of “forensic processing” on the young couple’s Ford transit van that they traveled in.

Belli fears that investigators may not fully know what happened in Gabby’s final moments.

The expert said: “I think they’ll get a lot of information and have a circumstantial idea of what actually occurred but there’s a good possibility that they may never know every detail.”

DOES THIS MARK THE END OF CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION?

Ex-federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani suggested that the outcome of Brian's autopsy marked the end of law enforcement's months-long investigation into Gabby's death.

"This is the end of the criminal investigation because all signs point to Laundrie and law enforcement can’t prosecute a deceased person," he said.

"The Petito family will never receive the criminal justice that Gabby deserved, but hopefully they will take comfort in the fact that her likely murderer is no longer alive.”

WAS THERE A WARRANT OUT FOR BRIAN'S ARREST?

Chief among the questions remaining after Brian's death is precisely what happened between Gabby and Brian on their ill-fated road trip touring the US national parks, and if Brian did indeed kill her.

Prior to his death, 23-year-old Laundrie was never named publicly as a suspect in her murder but was the sole person of interest in the case.

He also had an outstanding warrant for his arrest after allegedly illegally using Gabby's bank card, racking up charges of more than $1,000 in late August - days after she was strangled to death and left to decompose in the desert.

INVESTIGATORS WILL HAVE 'LOOSE ENDS' TO FOLLOW, SAYS EXPERT

Former veteran NYPD homicide detective Tom Joyce said that while Gabby's murder case will be closed, investigators still have a few "loose ends" to follow up on.

"Gabby's murder will be closed with what's known as an exceptional clearance, or where the suspect and culprit is known but cannot be arrested - in this case, because he's dead."

One such lead investigators may wish to tie up, Joyce says, is locating the firearm Laundrie used to end his own life.

The former cop said: "I think they have a good chance of locating weapons if they do a grid search and dig.

"However, that will be commensurate with the level of effort and necessity of finding it."

FORENSIC PATHOLOGIST SAYS BRIAN'S CASE IS 'DONE AND DUSTED'

Forensic pathologist Dr. Cyril Wecht, the former president of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, also believes Laundrie's suicide is an admission of guilt over Petito's murder.

He told The Sun: "I believe he killed her out there [in Wyoming], and he came to realize there was no way out.

"And rather than talk about it," he continued, "he took his own life.

"It makes all the sense in the world. That's it for the case - done and dusted."

EX-FEDERAL PROSECUTOR: 'ALL THE EVIDENCE TELLS THE SAME STORY'

Ex-federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani agreed with Joyce, adding: "All the evidence tells the same story: that Laundrie killed himself after killing Petito."

Rahmani added, "The only question is whether Laundrie left a suicide note and whether it is salvageable after being underwater, and whether the gun will ever be found."

FORMER NYPD DETECTIVE DOESN'T CONSIDER SUICIDE A 'CONFESSION'

Speaking exclusively to The Sun, former veteran NYPD homicide detective Tom Joyce said the corner's suicide ruling confirms "What we knew already about the case."

"I think we all know he was responsible," Joyce speculated. "He understood the gravity and low likelihood of getting away with it. He contemplated his options and felt this was the easiest way out.

"I don't consider it an absolute 'confession', though, which we should all wish he did before he took his life."

HOW DID BRIAN LAUNDRIE DIE?

The District 12 Medical Examiner's office finally reported its results on Tuesday afternoon, confirming that Brian Laundrie died by suicide from a single gunshot wound to the head.

"Chris and Roberta Laundrie have been informed that the cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head and the manner of death was suicide," Laundrie family attorney Steven Bertolino told The Sun.

"Chris and Roberta are still mourning the loss of their son and are hopeful that these findings bring closure to both families."

It's currently unclear where the gun Laundrie used to kill himself came from and whether or not investigators know where it is.

TWITTER REACTS TO DOG'S SHOCKING IMPLICATION

Twitter users quickly reacted to Dog's suggestion that Laundrie could be alive.

One comment said: "Even though news just broke that Brian Laundrie's autopsy results came back that he 'shot himself in the head' (however believable that sounds considering the supposed state of his remains) Dog the Bounty Hunter was claiming he may still be alive and Fox News cut the feed."

Another added: "Dog the bounty Hunter doesn’t believe the Feds. Guy is still alive."

Dog had joined the hunt for Laundrie but called off his investigation after the FBI found Brian's items, and subsequently, his remains.

DOG WEIGHS IN: I ONLY CHASE 'LIVE PEOPLE, NOT DEAD'

Dog The Bounty Hunter, real name Duane Chapman, has questioned the newly-revealed results of Brian Laundrie's autopsy, suggesting Gabby Petito's fiancé "may still be alive."

"If he's alive he's going to get arrested...but right now it looks like he committed suicide," Dog said during a Tuesday night appearance on Fox News.

"And it's a tragedy for both families."

Dog admitted, however, that the "professionals looked at [the remains]"; and he "only chases live people, not dead."

HOW DO FORENSIC EXPERTS RULE A DEATH AS SUICIDE?

"In order to prove a death is a suicide, there must be a combination of physical evidence from the body itself, and corroborating evidence from the scene, witnesses, electronic devices, etc.," Jennifer Shen, a forensics expert and former director of the San Diego Police Crime Lab, told The Sun.

"The combination of the wound to the head and the surrounding physical evidence will allow a medical investigator to determine cause of death.

"In this case, investigators will have been culling through all the evidence found at the recovery site to add insight to the medical examiner and forensic anthropologist's findings."

Asked if she is surprised by the outcome to his autopsy, she replied: "Absolutely not. It seemed apparent that Brian was not going to be found alive, and the likely cause of death would be suicide."

FORENSICS EXPERT SUSPECTS POLICE HAVE ALREADY RECOVERED GUN

Jennifer Shen, a forensics expert and former director of the San Diego Police Crime Lab, told The Sun she believes Brian's weapon may have already been found by police, and additional evidence led to the cause of death being announced.

"Because the cause of death released was suicide by gunshot wound to the head, it leaves one to believe there is additional evidence proving this," she said.

"Whether this is a weapon, traced to him, entries in his notebook, or information gleaned from his phone or laptop that would indicate his state of mind, information other than the damage to the skull would be required to conclude this was a suicide. 

"It is likely if a weapon could be recovered, it already has been."

ALL ABOUT THE GUN FOUND IN SEPTEMBER

A firearm was found at the same park Laundrie had visited with family in September, leading some to believe the weapon could be linked to the case.

Christopher Sacco, 35, dredged the black revolver out of water in Fort De Soto Park, Florida, which was wrapped in a bag and secured to a rock with red and white twine, according to the .

Sacco and his friend had been fishing near a playground area at the park which Laundrie stayed at with his family on September 6 and 7.

That weapon was handed to the Pinellas Country Sheriff's Office.

GUN THEORIES ABOUND ON SOCIAL MEDIA

In pictures from inside the home Brian shared with Gabby and his parents, a gun - painted to resemble the American flag - appears to hang on the wall.

Those photos circulated widely in September when Gabby and Brian were both first reported missing.

After that image was widely circulated sleuths then wildly claimed that Gabby may have been holding a gun in a separate photo posted to her TikTok account.

The image was uploaded in January this year as part of a montage of photos.

Gabby is posing with the object near her mouth where she appears to be kissing the tip.

It's not known if the object is a firearm and the date of the photograph remains unknown.

And in October sleuths speculated a gun found weighted down in water by a fisherman could be connected to Gabby's death.

FAMILY ATTORNEY 'NOT CERTAIN' WHICH FIREARM BRIAN USED

The Laundrie family's attorney, Steven Bertolino, did not reveal where the gun Laundrie used to kill himself came from or if it has been located.

And when asked about the weapon used by Laundrie, he told The Sun: "Not certain."

reports that when the Laundrie family handed over their firearms to the FBI in September one was missing.

It is not clear if this is believed to be the gun used in Brian's suicide.

LAUNDRIES REPORTEDLY 'DIDN'T RETURN' PETITO FAMILY'S TEXTS

It is unknown why the Laundries “didn’t return" Gabby's mom's texts as she desperately wanted to find her daughter.

Nichole Schmidt says she tried to communicate with Chris and Roberta Laundrie after she lost contact with Gabby in late August.

It’s not known if the Laundries’ deliberately ignored the texts and calls.

'IT'S MUCH MORE LIKELY' BRIAN WROTE ABOUT GABBY

Former assistant US Attorney Rahmani told The Sun: "Law enforcement found a backpack and notebook, that’s key evidence."

He added: "One of two things happened: He was either killed by an animal or a person or he killed himself. If he killed himself, it’s much more likely that he wrote something in the notebook about Gabby."

MYSTERY REMAINS: WHY DID THE LAUNDRIE FAMILY GO CAMPING?

It is unknown why the Laundrie family went on a camping trip shortly after Brian returned home without his fiance.

The Laundries apparently went camping when their son returned with the van and without Gabby - but their family attorney Steven Bertolino told News Nation Now's  he "didn't know" if Brian's sister Cassie was with her parents and brother on this trip.

Pinellas County records revealed that Laundrie's mom Roberta checked into a campsite at the park from September 6 to 8 – days before Gabby was reported missing by her family on the 11th.

"I talked to the police the second they called," Cassie told ABC. "I called them right back. We were in Orlando on vacation with my kids at Disney and we came back to this."

WERE DRUGS INVOLVED IN BRIAN LAUNDRIE'S DEATH?

Sleuths have speculated drugs may be involved in the Gabby Petito case after it emerged the couple sold merchandise emblazoned with the words "too high".

Sweaters and hats with the reference were listed on the tragic vlogger's depop site.

However, there is no indication that drugs contributed to Brian's death.

DID THE FBI CONFIRM THE IDENTIFICATION OF BRIAN'S REMAINS?

The  confirmed the identification of Laundrie's remains in a statement.

"On October 21, 2021, 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," it read.

"The FBI is grateful for the tremendous investigative support from our partners."

WILL ANYONE BESIDES BRIAN LAUNDRIE BE CHARGED?

After it was revealed that Brian Laundrie died by suicide, the Petito family was asked for comment and noted that they were "asked to wait for the United States Attorney's Office to make a determination on whether any additional individuals will be charged."

It is not clear that anyone else is a person of interest or suspect in the case involving Gabby Petito or Laundrie or if the family is just being cautious.

GABBY'S PARENTS COMMENT ON BRIAN'S SUICIDE, CONTINUED

"The family was also asked to wait for the United States Attorney's office to make a determination on whether any additional individuals will be charged."

"When that determination is made, we will have a statement."

GABBY'S PARENTS COMMENT ON BRIAN'S SUICIDE

Gabby's family has issued a statement on Brian Laundrie's autopsy results.

"The Schmidt and Petito family has been aware of the circumstances surrounding the suicide of the sole suspect in Gabby's murder," it said.

"Gabby's family will not be making a statement at this time due to the request of the United States Attorney's Office and the Teton County Prosecutor's Office."

"The family was asked not to make any comments and let the FBI continue their investigation"

NOTEBOOK MAY BRING 'UNDERSTANDING' TO FAMILY

Former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe told the journal could help to understand Laundrie's "motive" or his feelings about fiance Gabby Petito.

McCabe said a team of law enforcement experts can help to dry out their paper, "trying to recover the writing, the ink marks, and fingerprints."

He added: "In terms of understanding Laundrie’s motive, his feeling about Petito, maybe event any kind of notes or comments he may have made about the events—that notebook could shed a lot of light on those issues."

BRIAN'S FAMILY HOPES NEWS BRINGS 'CLOSURE TO BOTH FAMILIES'

Family attorney Steven Bertolino confirmed Brian's cause of death on Tuesday.

"Chris and Roberta Laundrie have been informed that the cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head and the manner of death was suicide," Laundrie family attorney Steven Bertolino told The Sun on Tuesday.

"Chris and Roberta are still mourning the loss of their son and are hopeful that these findings bring closure to both families," he added.