Gaby Petito news – latest: Family shares holiday tribute, saying ‘Live with love, laughter and gratitude’

Follow the latest developments

Brian Laundrie shot himself in head, family attorney confirms

The family of Gabby Petito have shared a number of Thanksgiving messages that pay tribute to the 22-year-old, more than two months after her remains were found in rural Wyoming by FBI investigators.

Her father, Joseph Petito, posted a moving Thanksgiving Day message to his daughter in which he said he missed his daughter, who “should be with us but now all we have are the pictures.”

Nichole Schmidt, her mother, also wrote: “Gabby will forever remind me to be grateful for every moment, every breath, and every memory. I will cherish what I’ve had, and have in the present, always. Live with love, laughter and gratitude”.

Both parents, as well as Ms Petito’s mother and stepfather, are founders of the non-profit Gabby Petito Foundation to help raise awareness and reunite families with their missing loved ones.

The touching Thanksgiving messages follow reports on Thursday that the whereabouts of the gun used in Brian Laundrie’s death remains unknown, days after a lawyer for the family revealed the results of an autopsy on the 23-year-old’s remains.

Mr Laundrie, who was the focus of a manhunt for more than a month as investigators searched for clues in the death of Ms Petito during their cross-country van trip together, was found to have shot himself in the head.

Key Points

• Brian Laundrie shot himself in the head, family attorney says
• Gabby Petito family waiting to see if others will be charged as Brian Laundrie lawyer reveals cause of death
• Brian Laundrie: Parents say they hope cause of death verdict ‘brings closure to both families’
• Florida police who lost Brian Laundrie charged 100k in overtime on the case

[23 November 2021 16:02 · Graeme Massie]

Brian Laundrie: The dark themes that permeate his digital footprint

ICYMI: A recently uncovered social media account belonging to Brian Laundrie is being pored over by an army of internet sleuths seeking clues to his state of mind prior to his death.

The Pinterest page suspected of being Mr Laundrie’s is also offering new clues into his state of mind in the weeks before his girlfriend Gabby Petito went missing on or about 25 August.

Bevan Hurley has more.

[23 November 2021 17:46 · Graeme Massie]

Brian Laundrie: Autopsy results update expected ‘today or tomorrow’, says Attorney

The results of an autopsy on Brian Laundrie’s body will be announced in the following 48 hours, a lawyer for his family has said.

Steve Bertolino, an attorney for the Laundrie family, told News 4 New York of the news on Tuesday.

Gino Spocchia has more.

[23 November 2021 18:31 · Graeme Massie]

Gabby Petito: Everything we know about YouTuber’s murder on ‘dream’ road trip

ICYMI: Gabby Petito, 22, an aspiring social media star who went missing in late August during a “dream” cross-country road trip from New York to Oregon with her fiancé, was strangled to death, and her body found in a Wyoming national park.

More than a month later, skeletal human remains found inside the Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park in Florida were confirmed to be those of her fiancé Brian Laundrie. There had been no trace of him throughout a weeks-long hunt.

[23 November 2021 18:35 · Graeme Massie]

Brian Laundrie shot himself in head, family lawyer says

Gabby Petito’s fiance Brian Laundrie shot himself in the head, autopsy results show.

“Chris and Roberta Laundrie have been informed that the cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head and the manner of death was suicide,” the family’s attorney, Steven Bertolino said.

“Chris and Roberta are still mourning the loss of their son and are hopeful that these findings bring closure to both families.”

[23 November 2021 19:44 · Graeme Massie]

Police hold gun found where Dog the Bounty Hunter searched for Brian Laundrie ‘in evidence’

ICYMI: Police are holding a gun found in the area where Dog the Bounty Hunter searched for Brian Laundrie in evidence.

Christopher Sacco reeled in the weapon in a plastic bag as he fished in the waters off Fort De Soto Park about a week ago.

Mr Sacco called the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office to report the gun and officers came to take possession of the weapon and placed it in property and evidence, a spokesperson for the Sheriff’s Office said.

Authorities have not said there is any connection between the weapon and the Laundrie case at this stage.

[23 November 2021 19:51 · Graeme Massie]

Utah city accused of violating state law to return $3,000 in fees collected for Gabby Petito police body camera video

ICYMI: The city of Moab, Utah is returning almost $3,000 in fees it charged several media organisations for the release of body camera footage depicting a police encounter with Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie.

In the footage, Moab police officers respond to a domestic violence call claiming Mr Laundrie had hit Ms Petito, and that Ms Petito had scratched Mr Laundrie. The officers talk to the couple about the fight before suggesting they separate for the night to cool down. The footage was captured on 12 August, and nearly a month later Ms Petito was reported missing.

Graig Graziosi has more.

[23 November 2021 20:01 · Graeme Massie]

Medical Examiner releases official Brian Laundrie report

Earlier, the family lawyer had confirmed Laundrie died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.

[23 November 2021 20:25 · Graeme Massie]

Brian Laundrie: Parents say they hope cause of death verdict ‘brings closure to both families’

Brian Laundrie’s parents say they hope that the result of an examination into his cause of death brings closure to both their family and that of Gabby Petito, his fiancé who was murdered in August.

Family attorney Steven Bertolino announced that Mr Laundrie has died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.

Oliver O’Connell has the story.

[23 November 2021 20:41 · Graeme Massie]

Did Brian Laundrie leave a suicide note? Damaged notebook may provide last chance of learning how Gabby Petito died

A notebook recovered close to the skeletal remains of Gabby Petito’s boyfriend Brian Laundrie may represent the last hope authorities have for finding answers about her death.

Laundrie, whose death was confirmed to be gunshot wounds by suicide on Tuesday, was found in the Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park on 20 October, along with personal items including a notebook that had been sealed inside a dry bag.

Bevan Hurley has the story.

[23 November 2021 21:31 · Graeme Massie]

Nearly 5,000 people sign petition for police department investigation

A total of 4,790 people have signed the change.org petition, calling for a probe into North Port Police Department’s handling of the Brian Laundrie investigation.

“The North Port Police Department has been incompetent in their handling of both Gabby Petito’s missing persons case as well as the Brian Laundrie’s missing person case,” the petition reads.

“Millions of taxpayers money was spent on this investigation over a month’s time with little to no results. Within a day of the search area being opened back up to the public, the person of interest’s parents were the one’s to discover belongings of that of their son.”