A final autopsy of 23-year-old Brian Laundrie revealed a gunshot wound to the head; an apparent suicide.
Laundrie was the only suspect in the homicide of his girlfriend Gabby Petito, 22.
“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,” said Laundrie family lawyer Steve Bertolino.
“Chris and Roberta are still mourning the loss of their son and are hopeful that these findings bring closure to both families,” he added.
“A forensic anthropologist determined the cause of death to be suicide,” the New York Post reported.
Back in September, Laundrie was named a person of interest in the homicide of Petito. A month later, his remains were found in the area of Florida’s Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park, The Daily Wire reported:
“Human remains were found in the same area where personal belongings were found of Brian Laundrie, Gabby Petito’s fiancé who’s been missing for over a month, officials said Wednesday,” per NBC News. “A senior law enforcement official says what appears to be partial human remains have been found in the Carlton Reserve in a location that was previously underwater. There is no confirmation the remains belong to Laundrie.”
“The remains were found near a backpack, according to this source, which may be consistent with the type of items Laundrie may have had in his possession,” the outlet added.
Before Laundrie’s remains were found, and the search for Petito intensified, Laundrie was reported missing.
The 23-year-old was named a “person of interest” in the case, and his family home was raided by the FBI and reportedly declared a “crime scene.” An arrest warrant was issued for Laundrie on September 23, not for Petito’s death but for allegedly using stolen bank cards.
It’s unclear when Petito was last seen, but a couple came forward in late September claiming they witnessed Petito and Laundrie having a “full-blown incident” at a Jackson Hole, Wyoming, restaurant. The Daily Wire reported:
Nina Celie Angelo and boyfriend Matthew England said they saw an “agitated” Laundrie arguing with a waitress at Tex-Mex restaurant Merry Piglets between 1 and 2 p.m. Petito and Laundrie were eventually “kicked out of the restaurant,” Angelo said via social media.
Merry Piglets confirmed on Instagram that the pair were indeed at the spot on August 27. “Yes, we can confirm Gabby and Brian were in Merry Piglets…We have already notified the FBI and they are aware. We are letting them do their jobs and we are respecting Gabby’s family and have nothing further to comment,” the restaurant said.
… Angelo believes Laundrie was arguing over the bill or money more generally. “She described his body language as ‘aggressive’ and said he left and returned about four times,” the report noted, adding, “Petito came inside and apologized for Laundrie’s behavior” at one point and “looked visibly upset.”