Gabby Petito lawyer says ‘no doubt Brian Laundrie murdered vlogger’ after FBI investigation as family await final update
GABBY Petito’s lawyer has said that there is “no doubt” that Brian Laundrie murdered the vlogger.
The comments come as the families of the deceased couple are waiting for a final statement to be released from the FBI.
In a statement, Gabby’s family attorney said: “We truly appreciate the FBI’s diligent and painstaking efforts in this extremely complicated case.
“The quality and quantity of the facts and information collected by the FBI leave no doubt that Brian Laundrie murdered Gabby.”
It comes after the families of both Brian and Gabby reached an agreement regarding the couple’s belongings.
The assets, which are currently in possession of the FBI, include the notebook found by Laundrie’s body at the Carlton Reserve on October 20, 2021.
“An agreement in principal with respect to the distribution of property between the families has been reached,” Chris and Roberta Laundrie’s attorney Steven Bertolino told WFLA.
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According to News Nation’s Brian Entin, Gabby’s parents, Joe and Nichole, met with the FBI in Tampa on Thursday; however, the reason for the meeting remains unknown.
On December 8, Chris and Roberta Laundrie filed a petition in Sarasota County court to be granted access to their son’s belongings, which includes two bank accounts containing $20,000, according to the filing.
However, Bertolino said the Laundries would not be given the notebook.
“The petition is simply to administer his estate, which is primarily the bank account,” Bertolino told Fox News.
“The return of property by law enforcement is separate.”
BRIAN’S NOTEBOOKS
The public hopes the notebook could shed some light on the final weeks before Laundrie, 23, died by suicide in Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Reserve, Florida.
Laundrie was pictured with notebooks while traveling with Gabby.
In one photo, Brian was tucked under some blankets next to a stream and appeared to be relaxing in a hammock while they explored the Appalachian Trail in Georgia.
A green spiraled notebook was seen stacked on top of a paperback edition of Lullaby by Chuck Palahniuk with a handful of fine point ink pens.
And, during their ill-fated cross-country road trip, an orange notebook can be seen inside a tent while the young couple was camping at Zion National Park, Utah.
Other notebooks appear to be shelved inside Gabby’s immaculately decorated 2012 Ford Transit Connect van’s interior.
In November 2021, Laundrie’s best friend exclusively The US Sun that the 23-year-old’s notebook could contain clues to solve Gabby’s death.
“Hopefully his notebook can detail what it is we all want to know,” the friend, who wished to remain anonymous, said.
Gabby’s remains were found in a campsite near Wyoming’s Grand Teton Nation Park on September 19.
An autopsy found that she had been strangled to death by a “human force” between three and four weeks earlier.
Laundrie’s skeletal remains were found in Florida’s Carlton Reserve on October 20.
His death was ruled a suicide via a self-inflicted gunshot to the head.
Gabby Petito timeline
Gabby Petito, 22, was last seen on August 24, leaving a hotel in Utah. Here is a timeline of Gabby Petito's disappearance:
- June 2021 – Gabby Petito and her fiancé Brian Laundrie set off on a cross-country trip across the US.
- July 4 – Gabby posts photos of herself barefoot in Gove County, Kansas.
- July 8 – Gabby posts photos of herself at the Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado.
- July 18 – Gabby and Brian post photos of themselves at Utah’s Zion National Park.
- August 12 – Body camera footage was released in September showing an encounter Brian and Gabby had with police in Utah. Police confirmed that no significant injuries were reported.
- August 19 – Gabby and Brian post a video on their YouTube channel chronicling their trip.
- August 24 – Gabby is spotted leaving a hotel in Salt Lake City, Utah.
- August 25 – Gabby Facetimes her mom, Nichole Schmidt, for the final time. In a later police report, Schmidt said her conversations with her daughter revealed “more and more tension” between her and Brian.
- August 25 – Gabby also posts her last Instagram. No location is given.
- August 27 – Gabby is seen for what’s believed to be the final time. Witnesses claim they saw Brian in an explosive argument with staff at a restaurant in Jackson Hole, leaving Gabby in tears.
- August 27 – Four hours later, travel bloggers driving through Grand Teton National Park drive past the couple’s van “abandoned” on a dirt road.
- September 1 – Brian returns home to Florida without Gabby.
- September 11 – Gabby’s parents report her missing to Suffolk County police.
- September 14 – Brian’s family issues a statement saying he has retained an attorney and will not be cooperating with investigators.
- September 14 – Brian is allegedly last seen by his family. He reportedly told them he was going hiking in Cartlon Reserve but failed to return.
- September 15 – Florida’s North Port police announce Brian is a person of interest in the case. He is not charged with any crime.
- September 16 – Utah police release body camera footage of the police encounter with Brian and Gabby.
- September 17 – Brian’s parents say they have not seen their son in a couple of days and report him missing.
- September 18 – Police announce they were searching Carlton Reserve in Florida for Brian. Police announce they have not found anything.
- September 19 – Authorities in Wyoming say they found a body in Grand Teton National Park. The FBI announces the body was believed to be Gabby’s but a full forensic identification needs to be completed first to confirm.
- September 20 – Police execute a search warrant on Laundrie’s home, seizing his silver Mustang and a hard drive that may contain “evidence relevant to proving that a felony has been committed.”
- September 21 – Officials announce they will be conducting an autopsy on the remains found in Wyoming to confirm whether or not they belong to Gabby. Police also resumed their search for Laundrie, this time on the Venice side of Carlton Reserve.
- September 21 – The FBI announced the body found in Wyoming was identified as Gabby’s. The cause of death was not yet revealed.
- September 21 – The Teton County Coroner’s office said Gabby’s official cause of death was still pending but the initial manner of death is homicide.
- September 22 – Police continue to scour Carlton Reserve for a trace of Laundrie but yield no leads. A specialist dive team is called in to assist with the hunt.
- September 23 – Officials announced a federal arrest warrant for Brian was issued.
- September 26 – Gabby’s funeral was held on Long Island, New York.
- 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 at the Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park. A medical examiner was called to the scene.
- October 21: The FBI confirmed the remains found have been identified as Laundrie’s.
- November 23: Laundrie’s autopsy reveals he died from a gunshot wound to the head