The boyfriend of the murdered young American traveler Gabby Petito confessed to being the author of the murder in a notebook before committing suicide, federal police announced on Friday, bringing a conclusion to the drama which held the United States in suspense for several month.
“The investigation has not identified any individuals other than Brian Laundrie directly involved in the tragic death of Gabby Petito,” the FBI said in a statement announcing the upcoming closure of the investigation. The body of 22-year-old Gabby Petito, whose disappearance had caused great emotion in the country, was found on September 19 near Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming.
A trip that turned into a tragedy
The young woman died following “injuries caused by a blunt object to the head and neck with manual strangulation”, according to the medical examiner who supervised her autopsy, reports the FBI. Brian Laundrie and Gabby Petito had left New York in July 2021 for a trip in a converted van supposed to last four months and whose stages, in the grandiose scenery of the national parks of the American West, were regularly shared on Instagram and YouTube, at through photos and videos.
The police investigation quickly focused on Mr. Laundrie, who returned earlier than expected from the trip – and alone – on September 1, and who refused to answer investigators’ questions before disappearing. The remains of the body of the 23-year-old young man, who shot himself to death, as well as personal effects including a notebook were found on October 20 in a nature reserve in Florida.
confession
In this notebook, the FBI found written statements by Mr. Laundrie claiming responsibility for the murder of Ms. Petito. “The quality and quantity of the facts and information collected by the FBI leave no doubt that Brian Laundrie murdered Gabby,” acknowledged the young woman’s family in a statement released Friday. The extraordinary media coverage given to the disappearance of the young woman had fueled the debate on the attention given to the disappearances of white women, considered disproportionate to cases concerning people from ethnic minorities.
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