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15th Feb 2022

Brian Laundrie’s body ‘scavenged’ by wild animals after he killed himself

Charlie Herbert

Police say they also found a note from Laundrie in a ‘drybag’

An autopsy report on Brian Laundrie’s body has revealed that it was “scavenged” and eaten by wild animals after he killed himself in a Florida swamp.

Laundrie’s body was found on October 20 last year following a six-week manhunt for the 23-year-old who had murdered his fiancée Gabby Petito.

When he was discovered at Carlton Reserve, all that remained were “skeletal human remains.”

The report reads: “On October 20, 2021 at approximately 0820 hours, search groups found a backpack and shoes that were identified as belonging to Brian Laundrie.”

Released by the Sarasota Medical Examiner’s office, the report reveals that investigators found Laundrie’s personal belongings surrounded by “apparent skeletal remains that were scattered on top of the dirt ground in plain sight.”

The report says the bones had “multiple gouging and gnawing marks,” which are “consistent with carnivores and/or omnivores including canines, such as feral dogs and coyotes, along with rodents and raccoons.”

Amongst the personal belongings was a “drybag” that contained a journal. The FBI had already revealed that Laundrie confessed to Petito’s killing in a notebook but this journal is thought to be a separate belonging. There were also several photos in the drybag.

Laundrie died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head and was identified using dental records.

On September 1 last year, Laundrie returned to his family home alone, having been on a cross country trip with Petito.  She had last been heard from at the end of August and was reported missing by her family on September 11.

Six days later, Laundrie’s family reported him missing, with police announcing that they were searching for him in relation to Petito’s disappearance.

Petito’s body was found near a Wyoming national park on September 21, with a coroner confirming her death was a homicide. It was later concluded that she died by strangulation.

After more than a month of searching from police, Laundrie’s remains were found on October 20.

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