Brian Laundrie's autopsy indicates he committed suicide, lawyer tells CNN 2:19
(CNN) --
The cause of death of Brian Laundrie, the fiancé of Gabby Petito, whose disappearance sparked a storm late last summer, was officially revealed Monday.
The autopsy report by the Sarasota, Florida Medical Examiner indicates that Laundrie died of a gunshot to the head.
Brian Laundrie claimed responsibility for Gabby Petito's death before taking his own life, the FBI said.
Laundrie's skeletal remains were found in a heavily wooded area on Sarasota County's Carlton Reservation in October, according to the medical examiner's report, and had been under "up to three feet and possibly more" of water for an extended period of time. before being located.
Officials said only Laundrie's skeleton remained due to "extensive carnivore activity," referring to scavenging by coyotes, rodents and raccoons.
The 47-page report also detailed items recovered from the site where Laundrie's remains were found, including a backpack containing a tent and flares, a piece of paper and a red hat bearing the "Moab Coffee Roasters" logo, and a box wooden box containing a small notebook and photos, according to the report.
In the notebook found with her remains, Laundrie wrote that she was responsible for Gabby Petito's death, according to the FBI.
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A notebook found near Brian Laundrie's remains could answer some key questions, experts say
Laundrie had been the subject of a weeks-long search when her body was found.
His family was informed that he had shot himself in the head, and his death was ruled a suicide, Laundrie family attorney Steve Bertolino said in November.
Laundrie and Petito embarked on a cross-country road trip in June 2021. Two months later, in August, they had a run-in with police in Moab, Utah.
Laundrie returned to Florida alone in September, and Petito's family reported him missing.
His body was found that same month in Wyoming.
In the midst of the search for Petito, Laundrie invoked his Fifth Amendment right, which means that a person cannot be coerced into making statements that he believes may be negative or used against him.
At the time, the police publicly asked Laundrie and her parents to share what they knew with them.
Laundrie disappeared and her remains were found in October.
-- CNN's Randi Kaye contributed to this report.
Brian Laundrie Gabby Petito
