48°
The 24-year-old Laundrie was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound on Wednesday, Oct. 20 in a nature reserve near his home in North Port, Florida.
"Investigators found human remains later confirmed to be Mr. Laundrie, along with a backpack, notebook, and a revolver," the FBI said in a statement. "A review of the notebook revealed written statements by Mr. Laundrie claiming responsibility for Ms. Petito’s death."
On Thursday, Jan. 20, the Petito/Schmidt families met with the FBI at the Tampa, Florida, Field Office as the investigation will be closed in the near future.
“All logical investigative steps have been concluded in this case,” said FBI Denver Division Special Agent in Charge Michael Schneider. “The investigation did not identify any other individuals other than Brian Laundrie directly involved in the tragic death of Gabby Petito."
Following the meeting, the Petito/Schmidt families officially thanked the FBI through their attorney's office saying: "We truly appreciate the FBI's diligent and painstaking efforts in this extremely complicated case, they said. "the quality and quantity of the facts and information collected by this FBI leave no doubt that Brian Laundrie murdered Gabby."
Schneider said the agency's primary focus throughout the investigation was to bring justice to Gabby and her family.
"The public’s role in helping us in this endeavor was invaluable as the investigation was covered in the media around the world," he added.
The FBI opened its investigation into the disappearance of Petito on Sunday, Sept. 12, upon receiving reports from Gabby’s family that she was missing.
The FBI, working with federal, state, and local officials, organized a search of a remote area within the Grand Teton National Park and the Bridger-Teton National Forest.
On Sunday, Sept. 19, the search team located the remains of Petito at the Spread Creek Dispersed Camping Area near where she and Laundrie had been seen together. Petito was found approximately three weeks after her last known communication.
The Teton County Coroner’s Office concluded Petito died of “blunt-force injuries to the head and neck, with manual strangulation,” the FBI said.
"While law enforcement investigated all logical leads, the investigation quickly focused on the last person believed to see her alive—Mr. Laundrie," Schneider said.
Laundrie and Petito grew up less than two miles away from each other in Blue Point, in Suffolk County.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Shelton and receive free news updates.
