It’s been eight months since Brian Laundrie’s remains were found in the Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park, and his family’s attorney is just now releasing the notebook found with the body.
Laundrie, 23, is believed to have committed suicide after he went missing following the murder of his fiancée Gabby Petito, whom Laundrie admitted to killing, according to the FBI. The existence of the notebook and Laundrie’s confession within was known back in October, but the exact contents have not been released until now.
“I ended her life,” Laundrie wrote, according to a copy of the notebook exclusively provided to Fox News. “I thought it was merciful, that it is what she wanted, but I see now all the mistakes I made. I panicked. I was in shock.”
Laundrie went on to claim that Petito, who was 22 when Laundrie allegedly strangled her to death, had injured herself in a fall while they were visiting Wyoming, and that he killed her to take “away her pain.”
“Rushing back to our car trying to cross the streams of spread creek before it got too dark to see, to cold. I hear a splash and a scream,” Laundrie wrote, adding that he carried her as far as he could but had to stop to make a fire to keep them warm when he couldn’t make it back to the couple’s van.
He claimed Petito “had a small bump on her forehead that eventually got larger” and that she “continually made sounds of pain, laying next to her she said little lapsing between violent shakes, gasping in pain, begging for an end to her pain.”
Laundrie also referred to Petito’s death as his “mistake,” and insisted that he was not ending his life “because of a fear of punishment but rather because I cant stand to live another day without her.”
Petito and Laundrie were driving across the country visiting national parks when Petito went missing. She was last seen alive in late August before her family reported her missing in early September, after Laundrie returned to his parents’ home in Florida without her. Laundrie’s family then reported him missing on September 17.
Petito’s body was found in Grand Teto National Park in Wyoming on September 19, 2021. Laundrie’s remains were found on October 20.
Patrick Reilly, an attorney for Petito’s family, told People that Laundrie’s claims about killing Petito out of mercy due to an accident were “nonsense.”
“He is writing a letter as though he wants people to feel sorry for him,” Reilly told the outlet.
He also said that Laundrie’s confession wouldn’t do much to comfort Petito’s family. “I don’t think there is anything that can make them feel better about it.” He said.
Petito’s parents are suing Laundrie’s family, alleging the Laundries knew their son had killed the Petito’s daughter and tried to help him evade capture.
Laundrie’s family has said they have “no regrets” for the way they acted following Petito’s disappearance.
“What I knew, or what Chris and Roberta knew, we did not have to disclose, to any third party, and specifically to law enforcement, or the Petito family,” Laundrie family attorney Steven Bertolino said on Wednesday. “I did everything the right way. We have no regrets. The parents did everything the right way, and they have no regrets.”
“I can tell you what I knew … perhaps, one day what Brian knew, but none of that’s gonna happen tonight on this show,” Bertolino added.