BRIAN Laundrie’s cause of death has still not been confirmed, weeks after his bones were located at Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park on October 21.
Brian Laundrie’s remains have been given to a forensic anthropologist to be inspected, and his cause of death is expected to be determined by the end of November.
It’s unknown if authorities will release Laundrie’s cause of death to the public.
Jennifer Shen, forensics expert and former director of the San Diego Police Crime Lab, told The Sun that because Brian’s remains at such an advanced stage of decomposition, a cause of death may be incredibly difficult to determine.
“Anytime a body has been exposed to the elements, particularly ones as devastating as those found in swampy water, physical clues leading to cause of death, information about injuries, and sometimes the ability to identify a body can be very difficult to find,” Shen said.
In a criminal case, an anthropologist cleans the bones so they can be more closely examined and analyzes skeletal remains to establish the type and extent of injuries suffered.
The next day it was reported that initial autopsy results came back inconclusive and his bones would be sent to an anthologist in an attempt to determine a cause of death.
Gabby Petito was last seen on August 24, 2021, checking out of a hotel with Brian in Salt Lake City, Utah and she was reported missing on September 11 by her mother after Brian returned home without her on September 1.
On September 19, 2021, authorities in Wyoming announced a body was found in the area where the search for Gabby had been underway.
Read our Brian Laundrie live blog for the latest news and updates…
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LAUNDRIE FAMILY ATTORNEY DENIES PARENTS MADE IMMUNITY DEAL
The Laundrie family’s lawyer, Steve Bertolino, revealed that authorities were considering charging Brian’s parents.
However, the lawyer said he believes investigators will not move forward with charges, adding that the Laundries “have been cooperating with law enforcement, both locally and federally, since day one.”
He also claimed that no deal was made to grant the parents immunity in the case.
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HOW LONG WAS BRIAN MISSING?
Laundrie vanished from his parents’ home on September 13, the family’s lawyer confirmed. Gabby’s remains were discovered in rural Wyoming on September 19.
On Thursday, September 23, the FBI issued a warrant for Laundrie’s arrest, claiming he “used unauthorized debit cards after Gabby Petito’s death.”
His remains were found on October 20 and identified on October 21, almost one month after the warrant for his arrest was issued.
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GABBY PETITO’S FATHER NOT EXPECTING CLOSURE FROM NOTEBOOK
After Florida police said the notebook found near Brian Laundrie’s remains may be “salvagable,” Gabby Petito’s father, Joe Petito, said he instead wants to focus on helping other abused and missing women.
The grieving father reportedly told TMZ that nothing in Laundrie’s book can bring his daughter back or help with his grief.
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CONSPIRACY THEORISTS SUGGEST THAT BRIAN FAKED DEATH
Online sleuths are claiming that Brian Laundrie is in fact still alive and is now living as a cop, among other wild conspiracies pushed in the wake of his skeletal remains being found.
In one TikTok video, someone posted a blurry photo showing a police officer with a resemblance close to Laundrie.
The man, seen in the photo wearing a baseball cap and glasses, was seen walking next to Laundrie’s father Chris on October 7.
The user, posting under the name conspiracyteacrimetimeee, then captioned the TikTok: “Brian Laundrie’s father seen laughing with officer who looks exactly like his son while on their search in Carlton Reserve.”
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SHERIFF SAYS BRIAN LIKELY KILLED HIMSELF
A Florida sheriff revealed that Brian likely took his own life, as authorities were desperately searching for the fugitive’s fiancé, Gabby Petito.
The Herald Tribune reported that Sarasota County Kurt Hoffman said Laundrie went out to the preserve ‘and by all accounts probably committed suicide.’
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WHEN WAS BRIAN LAUNDRIE FOUND?
The search for Brian Laundrie ended when remains found at Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park were identified as his on October 21, 2021.
Along with the remains, a backpack and a notebook belonging to Laundrie were also located.
The search for Brian Laundrie began when he was reported missing on September 17, 2021.
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POLICE INSTALLED HIDDEN CAMERAS TO WATCH LAUNDRIE HOME
Police reportedly installed hidden cameras around the Laundrie family home.
It is not clear if any of them were installed before Brian vanished.
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BRIAN’S REMAINS MARKED ‘TOURIST ATTRACTION’ ON GOOGLE MAPS
Brian Laundrie’s remains were marked as a tourist attraction on Google Maps and given one-star reviews after his body was found in Florida.
TikTok user @emilybernay highlighted the location marked as “Brian Laundrie’s Body,” which has since been removed from Google Maps.
The TikTok video shows the location had two one-star reviews.
One review said: “Overpriced admission. Complete money-grab. The park rangers wanted $40 for the chance to poke it with a stick.
“Couldn’t even get a selfie without forking over cash.”
The other review added: “1/10 did not enjoy.”
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FORMER PROSECUTOR SAYS LAUNDRIES WERE LIKELY ‘COOPERATIVE’
Before the remains found in September were confirmed to be Brian Laundrie’s, former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani said that his parents, Chris and Roberta, will likely be vindicated – despite angry protesters and commentators claiming Brian’s parents have been obstructing justice.
“The fact they may have led investigators to their son’s possessions and possibly his remains – that all undercuts the argument that they were aiding and abetting his escape,” Rahmani said.
Rahmani added: “That leads me to believe they’ve been cooperative and not the other way around.”
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BRIAN’S BEST FRIEND ASKS ‘WHY?’
Laundrie’s best friend exasperatedly asked “why” he would do such a thing, adding they believe Laundrie is the person behind Gabby Petito’s death.
The friend told The Sun in an exclusive interview that Laundrie’s notebook could contain clues to solve Petito’s death, whom a medical coroner determined had died due to strangulation.
“I think this is the outcome we expected,” the friend, who asked to remain anonymous, said after Laundrie’s remains were found and subsequently identified.
“I don’t know if it’s the one we would ask for,” the friend said.
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EXPERT SAYS REMAINS CAN SKELETONIZE QUICKLY IN ENVIRONMENT
Brian Laundrie’s body would have decomposed to a skeleton in less than two weeks and was likely feasted on by animals, according to one expert.
Forensic anthropologist Dr Erin Kimmerle told The Sun: “Human remains exposed on the open ground surface, with free access by predators and the heat can decompose is as little as a week in Florida.”
Dr Kimmerle added: “While water will slow the process down a little, it is still common to see skeletonization in less than two weeks.”
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FACEBOOK USERS JOKE ABOUT VIN DIESEL STARRING IN MOVIE
Sleuths have been blasted for suggesting a movie be made starring Vin Diesel as both the fugitive and his mom.
The idea came after cops admitted they confused Laundrie with his mom Roberta after she was spotted wearing one of his baseball caps and driving his car.
Posting on a Facebook page dedicated to Gabby Petito’s disappearance, one sleuth wrote “so obviously a movie should be made about this great American tragedy and obviously Vin Diesel will be cast a Brian”.
Another added “the same actor will play Brian and Roberta” but that prompted the reply “that is sick”.
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TIK TOK USERS CLAIM TO FIND SLEEPING BAG, CALL SEARCH ‘SLOPPY’
A sleeping bag has been spotted where Brian Laundrie’s remains were found with sleuths still on the hunt for clues in his disappearance.
The TikTok video that shows the alleged discovery is captioned: “Local woman finds old sleeping bag near where Brian Laundre was found. We checked it out.”
“Right over there is the field where partial remains of Brian Laundrie was found. It was where law enforcement had the tent and the perimeter set up.”
The clip shows the sleeping bag hidden among leaves and dirt along the trail of the Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park.
As the video continues, a second person comments: “This is much, much older than something Brian may have used.”
A later clip shows a sleuth in the Big Slough canal, taking pictures.
The video is currently sitting at 3.5million views with over 1,300 comments.
One user wrote: “The sloppiness of this entire investigation is embarrassing. Gabby deserves so much better than this. SMH.”
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HOW WERE BRIAN LAUNDRIE’S REMAINS IDENTIFIED?
Laundrie’s remains were positively identified through his dental records – exactly a month after those of Gabby.
They were sent to an anthropologist for further tests as an autopsy came back inconclusive.
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RUMOR: BRIAN’S PARENTS MADE ‘IMMUNITY’ BARGAIN
Chris and Roberta Laundrie may have told cops where to find their son in exchange for immunity, Brian’s close friend has speculated.
Brian’s long-time pal told The Sun exclusively that they believe “Brian’s parents made a deal with the district attorney for immunity.”
The tipster, who wishes to remain anonymous, revealed the information came from someone who knows Laundrie’s family and is a close friend of the pair.
They said: “We believe his mom and dad struck some sort of secret deal of immunity between either the Florida DA or the FBI.
“Obviously, they want to save themselves and every little bit they have left.”
The friend said that the agreement most likely would require the parents to “provide the necessary evidence to close the case” and help investigators find their son in exchange for “immunity for all charges of harboring, assisting, or whatever it might be.”
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ANTHROPOLOGIST HOPES TO HAVE RESULTS BY THE END OF NOVEMBER
Laundrie family attorney Steve Bertolino said the results of a forensic anthropologist’s analysis of Brian Laundrie’s remains are expected by the end of this month.
Bertolino said he believes the results will reveal the time and cause of the fugitive’s death.
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UNSEEN PHONE RECORDS COULD BE KEY TO BRIAN’S DISAPPEARANCE
Paul Belli, of the International Homicide Investigations Association, told The Sun that the 23-year-old’s “digital footprint” may contain never-before-seen information, The Independent reports.
Belli said: “When you look at what an average download on a phone is, it’s thousands of pages when you actually put it into a PDF. While it’s fairly searchable by keywords, there’s a lot of sitting there minute-for-minute reading.”
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BERTOLINO SLAMS CLAIM THAT LAUNDRIES PLANTED ITEMS
The Laundrie family’s attorney, Steven Bertolino, spoke with News Nation Now to express his anger at the accusations that the Laundries planted their son’s remains.
“Do you really think the Laundries had skeletal remains of their son, you know, in a plastic bag and brought them to present to the [Carlton Reserve]?” he said.
“Do you realize how ludicrous that is, how aggravating, how maddening it is to even hear those things?”
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DID BRIAN TAKE OVER GABBY’S INSTAGRAM?
A number of commenters on a July 26 post on Gabby Petito’s Instagram account suggested that they believe Laundrie had taken over custody of her Instagram account from that point on.
They felt an alleged shift in tone and a heavier focus on Brian in later uploads was a nod to that conspiracy theory.
“I think we all think this was most likely her last post,” one said. “All the ones after this one don’t seem the same as all the ones before this one … you can tell the difference between the two of them after reading his posts on his account.”
“Freaky bald-headed creep,” added another.
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WOMAN CLAIMS TO BE BRIAN LAUNDRIE’S EX
A woman going by the name of “Gabriella Darling” on social media has been claiming to be Brian’s girlfriend before Gabby Petito.
In September, she posted claims that Brian was “narcissistic” and “controlling.”
However, once his body was identified, her tone changed to be that of a grief-stricken ex, who is still in love with Brian.
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BRIAN LAUNDRIE: THE TIMELINE OF THE MANHUNT
Brian Laundrie timeline
Brian Laundrie has not been seen since the morning of September 13. Here is a timeline of Laundrie’s latest whereabouts:
- July 2021: Brian Laundrie and his fiancé Gabby Petito leave for a grip across the country. The couple visit numerous national parks across the way.
- August 12: Police in Utah respond to an incident involving the couple. The bodycam footage is not released for another month but it shows a visibly upset Gabby talking to police after reports of a domestic violence incident outside a grocery store.
- August 24: Gabby is seen leaving a hotel in Salt Lake City, Utah, with Laundrie.
- September 1: Laundrie returns to his home in North Port, Florida without Gabby.
- September 6: Laundrie joins his family on a camping trip about 75 miles from their home in North Port.
- September 11: Gabby’s family reports her missing.
- September 13: Laundrie leaves home to go hiking in Carlton Reserve, Florida. His family had initially said he departed on September 14, but revised their timeline weeks later.
- September 15: Laundrie is named a person of interest in the case of Gabby.
- September 16: Bodycam footage is released regarding the incident between Gabby and Laundrie.
- September 19: The FBI announces a body found at a Wyoming national park is believed to be that of Gabby’s.
- September 23: The FBI issued a warrant for Laundrie’s arrest claiming he “used unauthorized debit cards after Gabby Petito’s death.”
- September 26: A funeral is held for Gabby in New York.
- September 27: Dog the Bounty Hunter announces he will lend a hand and help search for Laundrie.
- September 28: Gabby’s family held an emotional press conference as the search for Laundrie continued.
- October 5: Laundrie’s sister, Cassie, appeared on Good Morning America and urged her brother to come forward.
- October 7: Laundrie’s father, Chris Laundrie, assisted law enforcement in the search to find his son.
- October 12: Gabby’s autopsy results were made public. Teton County Coroner Dr Brent Blue confirmed Gabby died by strangulation.
- October 20: Laundrie’s personal items were found near the Myakkahatchee Creek Park trail in Florida. The medical examiner was called to the scene to investigate.
- October 21: Reports stated the human remains found in the Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park were bones.
- October 21: The FBI confirmed the remains found have been identified as Laundrie’s.
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SPECULATION AROUND BRIAN’S NOTEBOOK
Online sleuths speculated that Laundrie may have written a “confession note” in the notebook.
And web detectives, who claimed to have unearthed a series of “demonic artworks” on Laundrie’s social media profiles, claim the journal could contain chilling drawings.
One Facebook “detective” said: “I think it’s probably his art. They were both into drawing.”
An internet sleuth feared: “My theory is drawing of the events that led up to it and during her strangulation. It’s going to be dark (sic).”
It’s not known what, if anything, is inside the notebook that officers reportedly found.
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OFFICIALS ‘ILLEGALLY’ CHARGED $3,000 IN FEES FOR VIDEO
Officials in the Utah city where Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie had an explosive domestic dispute have been accused of illegally collecting nearly $3,000 in fees for the distressing police bodycam footage of the incident.
The Moab Police Department is planning to return the fees collected from multiple media organizations featuring footage of the officers pulling over Gabby and her ex-fiancé Brian outside of Arches National Park.
The August 12 recordings showed the 22-year-old Gabby holding her neck and explaining to both Moab and park officers that her fiance Brian had “scratched and grabbed” her, causing the bruises – nearly a month before the woman was reported missing and later found dead.
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‘LET’S NOT FORGET WHO THE VICTIM IS’
People continue to speak out about the Gabby Petito case on social media.
“BrianLaundrie’s father Chris told media to ‘Let me grieve,’” journalist Victoria Brownworth wrote on Twitter.
“It’s hard not to think about how he, his wife and son refused to reveal for weeks that #GabbyPetito had been murdered. Apparently her family’s weeks of anxiety and grief meant nothing.”
“Let’s not forget who the victim is.”
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WHAT WAS BRIAN’S CAUSE OF DEATH?
Brian’s cause of death is not yet known, and it may not be determined for some time.
A forensic anthropologist examining the remains of Brian Laundrie may take two to three weeks to determine how the fugitive died.
Brian’s remains were identified as his through dental records, and a DNA analysis has not yet been performed.
Due to the state of Brian’s remains, he may have been dead for a long time before officials found him.