The human remains found in a Florida nature preserve Wednesday belong to Brian Laundrie, the FBI confirmed Thursday.
Law enforcement identified the remains by “a comparison of dental records.”
Earlier Thursday, local police confirmed that the remains found were skeletal, consistent with one individual, and consistent with what Laundrie was thought to be wearing. Steven Bertolino, a lawyer for Laundrie and his parents, acknowledged to reporters before Thursday’s confirmation that “the probability is pretty high” that the remains belonged to his client.
Authorities searching for Laundrie — who was the sole person of interest in the homicide of his fiancée, Gabby Petito — found those remains in the Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park, a wilderness area near where Laundrie’s parents said their son had left to go hiking over a month ago but then never returned home to the house he shared with them in North Port, Florida.
The remains were not immediately identified as belonging to Laundrie, 23, but authorities shared that some of his personal items were found nearby.
Confirmation of Laundrie’s death complicates the search for answers as to what happened to Petito, 22, who’d been on an extended, multi-state road trip with Laundrie leading up to her disappearance. Weeks before Petito’s body was found strangled to death in Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park ― one of the spots on their trip ― Laundrie had returned home to Florida without her, and neither he nor his parents would cooperate with police on the investigation into her disappearance.
An attorney for the Petito family said they would respond to news of Laundrie’s death at a later date.
“Gabby’s family is not doing interviews or making a statement at this time,” their attorney said in a statement. “They are grieving the loss of their beautiful daughter. Gabby’s family will make a statement at the appropriate time and when they are emotionally ready.”
Throughout the ordeal, Petito’s family has publicly begged the Laundrie family to help them find answers and repeatedly said they believed he and his parents were keeping information about her death and disappearance from them.
Bertolino declined to comment Thursday on whether Laundrie’s parents believe their son was involved in Petito’s death.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
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