The saga of missing travel blogger Gabby Petito and her fiance Brian Laundrie may be over, but legal ramifications could still be at stake.
Petito went missing on a road trip with Laundrie in late August and her remains were found on September 19th in Wyoming and it was determined that she had been strangled to death. After a weeks-long search, Laundrie, who was the sole person of interest in her death, was found in a Florida environmental park near his parents house in Florida and it was found that he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Now, questions remain whether or not any files will be charged against Laundrie's parents, who were in contact with Brian when he returned home by himself on September 1st and until he reportedly went missing around September 13th.
After it was determined by an anthropologist that Laundrie had used a gun to end his own life, Laundrie's parents could run into some legal issues. The Laundrie family attorney revealed that when Brian's family first reported him missing, they turned over all of their guns, except one gun was missing.
Former FBI agent Jennifer Coffindaffer says that Brian's parents, Chris and Roberta, could face charges.
"I think the Laundries have possibly culpability under 18 U.S.C. 3, which is accessory after the fact, and possibly 18 U.S.C. 1519 which is obstruction in terms of, if they tampered with any evidence after that crime was committed," she says.
A forensic scientist, Larry Koblinsky, also thinks there could be legal trouble for the parents.
"I think they might be in trouble with respect to aiding and abetting Brian Laundrie evading detection, running away from police. Somebody may have been helping him, most likely the parents, or it could have been somebody else that we don't even know about. But again, the likelihood is that he didn't do this alone. He may have had assistance. And whoever did help his can be penalized, can suffer legal consequences for aiding and abetting his escape."
Source: WFLA.com