FBI says remains found in Florida belong to Brian Laundrie

Tallahassee, Oct 22: The FBI confirmed on Thursday that the human remains found in a Florida wilderness park were those of Brain Laundrie, the boyfriend of murdered travel blogger Gabrielle Petito.

The FBI's Denver office said in a news release that Dental records conducted on the remains have identified them as belonging to Laundrie.

The remains in a swamp were found a day earlier at the Carlton Reserve wilderness park near Laundrie's parents' home, along with some of his personal items.

Death by strangulation

The case, which has gripped the United States, involved the couple who embarked on a cross-country road trip.

Laundrie returned home to Florida with the van in September, and later in the month, Petito's remains were found in Wyoming.

The coroner there said she had died of strangulation.

Reluctance to cooperate

Laundrie was a person of interest in Petito's death but was never criminally charged.

He had been reported missing by his family since mid-September, after he refused to cooperate with the investigation.

Family informed

A lawyer for his parents confirmed that they had been informed the remains belonged to their son.

"We have no further comment at this time, and we ask that you respect the Laundrie's privacy at this time," the lawyer said in a statement.

Investigators did not list a cause of death, and neither was it clear how long the remains had been submerged in water.

Source: DW