Brian Laundrie Died From Gunshot Wound To The Head, Manner Of Death Ruled A Suicide
Brian Laundrie reportedly died of gunshot wound to the head, with the former missing fugitive's manner of death being ruled a suicide.
NewsNation reporter Brian Entin announced that Laundrie family attorney Steven Bertolino confirmed the news in a statement on Tuesday, November 23.
"Chris and Roberta Laundrie have been informed the cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head and the manner of death was suicide," the statement read. "Chris and Roberta are still mourning the loss of their son and are hopeful that these findings bring closure to both families."
The 23-year-old — who was the sole person of interest in the murder of Gabby Petito — was found dead in the Carlton Reserve in Florida on October 20.
His remains — which were later revealed to have been skeletal bones — were reportedly found along with various personal items, including his backpack and a notebook.
After the coroners were unable to determine the manner of Laundrie's death, the remains were sent to a forensic pathologist for further examination.
Earlier this month, authorities claimed that Laundrie likely took his own life after disappearing into the reserve back in September.
"That guy went out there and by all accounts probably committed suicide and he was right out there where we thought he was," North Port Police Chief Todd Garrison said, per Daily Mail. "There was four feet of water out there at the time."
"By the time we became the lead agency, Brian had already left the house and presumably had already been deceased out in the Carlton Reserve," Garrison added.
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As OK! previously reported, Laundrie went missing on September 17, just days after the news of Petito's disappearance began making headlines across the nation.
The public information officer for the North Port Police, Joshua Taylor, previously told PEOPLE "there is a very good possibility" that Laundrie was dead two days after Petito's body was found.
Remains belonging to the late 22-year-old were found on September 19 in Grand Teton National Park, where the pair had been traveling just weeks prior.
Petito's death was later ruled as a homicide caused by strangulation, according to Teton County Coroner Dr. Brent Blue.
While Laundrie was never named as a suspect in Petito's murder, authorities had a warrant for his arrest for bank card fraud after allegedly using Petito's debit card without authorization.
The case also raised eyebrows after it was revealed that the pair had been pulled over by Moab Police while in Utah over an alleged domestic voilence dispute.
A 911 caller reported that he saw Laundrie allegedly "slapping" Petito, although when law enforcement officers arrived on the scene, they decided to separate the couple for the night before sending them off to continue their trip.
On September 1, Laundrie returned from the pair's road trip with out his fiancé. He was home in North Port, Fl., with his parents Chris and Roberta Luandrie for over a week before Petito was reported missing.
It is still unclear whether or not Laundrie was involved in Petito's death, or if the family will ever know what really happened to their daughter.
While some believe that the notebook found with Laundrie's remains could reveal details about both his and Petito's death, Joe Petito previously insisted that no new information could bring his daughter back.
