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Months after Brian Laundrie remains identified, Gabby Petito case closed

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Update (Jan. 21, 2022): About four months after the FBI identified the remains of Brian Laundrie, who is believed to be behind the death of his girlfriend Gabby Petito, the FBI announced Friday it will be closing its investigation into Petito’s death. According to the FBI’s Denver division, Petito’s family met with the FBI at the bureau’s Tampa field office Thursday.

“All logical investigative steps have been concluded in this case,” FBI Denver Division Special Agent in Charge Michael Schneider said in a statement. “The investigation did not identify any other individuals other than Brian Laundrie directly involved in the tragic death of Gabby Petito.”

Update: (Nov. 23, 2021): A month after the FBI identified the remains of Brian Laundrie, his lawyer announced Tuesday that Laundrie’s cause of death was suicide. Laundrie was a person of interest in the death of his girlfriend, Gabby Petito.

“Chris and Roberta Laundrie have been informed that the cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head,” attorney Steve Bertolino said in a statement, according to a tweet from WNBC reporter Pei-Sze Cheng. “Chris and Roberta are still mourning the loss of their son and are hopeful that these findings bring closure to both families.”

Original Story (Oct. 22, 2021): An attorney for the family of Brian Laundrie, a person of interest in the death of girlfriend Gabby Petito, said he expects more information to be released Friday after the FBI identified human remains discovered Wednesday as Brian’s. The FBI made the announcement Thursday. The video above shows some of Thursday’s search.

“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,” the FBI said in a press release, according to the FBI Denver Twitter account.

A statement from the FBI did not list a cause of death. The remains, as well as a notebook and backpack identified as belonging to Laundrie, were found in an area that had been underwater during previous searches. It was not clear how long the remains may have been submerged in water.

“We have no further comment at this time and we ask that you respect the Laundries’ privacy at this time,” the FBI statement said.

In the hours after the FBI announcement, Laundrie’s family members were hoping for more information, according to their attorney.

“I was informed by law enforcement yesterday that perhaps by mid-day today we’d have some more information,” Steve Bertolino said in an interview Friday morning.

The discovery of the remains concluded a massive search involving federal, state and local law enforcement. It began shortly after Laundrie disappeared Sept. 14.

The investigation into Petito’s slaying, however, is not over. Her body was found Sept. 19 at the edge of Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park. The couple had visited the park during a months-long road trip. The coroner in Wyoming concluded Petito died of strangulation and her body had been where it was found for three or four weeks.

Laundrie returned home alone Sept. 1 in the van the couple took on their trip, which was later impounded by authorities. He was reported missing after telling his parents he was going for a hike in the Carlton Reserve.