Following a long investigation, FBI Denver revealed that they have concluded Brian Laundrie was responsible for the murder of his fiancee Gabby Petito.
Although Laundrie was long-named the sole person of interest in the disappearance of the 22-year-old travel blogger on September 15th, he was never officially named as a suspect in her murder.
A notebook that was found alongside the remains of Laundrie that were discovered in a Florida park contained written statements by Laundrie that took responsibility for Petito's death, the FBI says.
All logical investigative steps have been concluded in this case. The investigation did not identify any other individuals other than Brian Laundrie directly involved in the tragic death of Gabby Petito. The FBI’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. On behalf of the FBI, I want to express my deepest appreciation to the public for the thousands of tips that were provided during the investigation, and to our local, state and federal law enforcement partners for their work throughout the investigation.
Laundrie and Petito spent the summer of 2021 traveling across the US in a white van. But on September 1st, Laundrie returned home to North Port, Florida quietly and without Petito. Ten days later, Petito was reported missing by her family. Laundrie then refused to cooperate with authorities and directed questioning to his attorney
On September 13th, Laundrie himself went missing. On September 19th, Petito's body was discovered in Wyoming and it was determined that she was strangled to death. Laundrie's remains were later found in the Florida nature park on October 20th.