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The final autopsy results were released for Brian Laundrie.
The cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head and the manner of death was suicide.
Laundrie was the only suspect in the death of his girlfriend Gabby Petito, whose remains were discovered in a Wyoming campground on Sept. 19.
The couple took a cross-country trip, but Laundrie returned home in her van without her on Sept. 1. Petito’s mother reported her daughter missing.
Petito’s death was ruled a homicide by manual strangulation.
A massive FBI-led manhunt was on the search for Laundrie.
Family attorney Steve Bertolino explained, “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.”
“Chris and Roberta are still mourning the loss of their son and are hopeful that these findings bring closure to both families.”
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A forensic anthropologist determined the manner of death to be suicide. Neither Betolino nor the bureau had previously mentioned a gun being involved.
Laundrie’s parents, Chris and Roberta Laundrie, had been missing a pistol ever since he took off, their lawyer claimed.
“While law enforcement was at the Laundrie home on Sept. 17 to complete the missing person report for Brian, we volunteered to surrender all guns in the home to avoid any possible issue going forward,” attorney Bertolino said.
“While retrieving and taking inventory of the guns, it was realized one pistol was missing,” he said.
The District Twelve Medical Examiner in Sarasota initially said they identified Laundrie through dental records, but said in a release Tuesday that they also used “DNA analysis” to make the determination.
In a statement Tuesday, Petito family lawyer Richard Stafford said his clients are aware of the suicide determination, but said they have been asked by federal prosecutors to refrain from issuing a statement.
“The family was asked to not make any comments and let the FBI continue the investigation,” Stafford wrote. “The family was also asked to wait for the United States Attorney’s Office to make a determination on whether any additional individuals will be charged.”
