Brian Laundrie admitted that he killed his girlfriend Gabby Petito in a notebook that was found next to his remains more than a month after he went missing before taking his own life, the FBI said on Friday. The notebook was found in October, in the same area as Laundrie's remains, in Florida's Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park, authorities said.
So long it was said that only a notebook and a backpack belonging to Laundrie was found but on Friday FBI stated that a revolver was also found nearby. Laundrie who died of a gunshot wound to his head probably used this revolved to kill himself.
Mystery Solved Finally
The FBI said on Friday in its final investigation update that Laundrie had admitted in a notebook entry to have killed Patitio. He also sent text messages between his and Petito's cellphone for days after strangling Petito to death last September in an attempt "to deceive law enforcement by giving the impression Ms. Petito was still alive," the FBI Denver said.
Days after that Laundrie went missing, with the police finally discovering his remains in the Cartlon Reserve swamp near his parents' home in North Port, Florida on October 20. The notebook was found next to him along with a revolver and backpack.
It is not known when Laundrie died. The FBI, however, did not share what specifically Laundrie wrote in the notebook claiming responsibility for Petito's murder but said that they were closing the investigation into Petito's death.
"The timing and content of these messages are indicative of Mr. Laundrie attempting to deceive law enforcement by giving the impression that Ms. Petito was still alive," FBI Denver Division Special Agent in Charge Michael Schneider said in a statement.
"The FBI's primary focus throughout the investigation was to bring justice to Gabby and her family," Scheider said. "The public's role in helping us in this endeavor was invaluable as the investigation was covered in the media around the world.
Laundrie Alone Responsible
The FBi confirmed that only Laundrie was responsible for Petito's murder and that they were not going to charge Laundrie's parents as her family attorney said there's "no doubt" the fiance killed the vlogger. Roberta and Chris Laundrie had been criticized by Gabby's family for failing to assist the FBI's investigation into her disappearance.
The FBI launched an investigation into Petito's disappearance after her mother reported that she had gone missing on September 12. At the time, she and Laundrie has been on a cross-country road trip in her white van. Later Laundried returned but without Petito.
Two days before Petito's body was found at the Spread Creek Dispersed Camping Area in the Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming, Laundrie disappeared. Police by that time had named Laundrie as a fugitive and the sole person of interest in Petito's disappearance and eventual murder.
A massive manhunt to track Laundrie ensued. In between, Petito's autopsy report showed that she died of blunt-force injuries to the head and neck and manual strangulation, according to the Teton County Coroner. She had been dead for three or four weeks before her body was discovered.
The search for Laundrie took more than a month, with a large group of police officials scouring the Carlton Reserve. Laundrie's remains were found on October 20 after water had receded from the search area and the park was reopened.
On that day, his parents, Chris and Roberta Laundrie, then informed law enforcement that they intended to return to the park to search for him. Images from Fox News show the Laundrie's at the reserve ahead of the search as well as the notebook found by law enforcement.
Now, after almost a three-month-long investigation, FBI has said that Laundrie had admitted to killing Petito in his notebook. Petito and Laundrie's families have reached an agreement on how the couple's belongings, including a notebook, will be distributed, Laundrie family attorney Steve Bertolino said Friday.
Bertolino told CNN, "Gabby and Brian are no longer with their families and this tragedy has caused enormous emotional pain and suffering to all who loved either or both of them. We can only hope that with today's closure of the case each family can begin to heal and move forward and find peace in and with the memories of their children. May Gabby and Brian both rest in peace."
