Brian Laundrie's Remains Showed "Extensive Animal Predation," A Medical Examiner Found

Brian Laundrie killed himself after claiming responsibility for the death of his fiancé Gabby Petito, whose disappearance sparked national headlines and a social media uproar.

Investigators found only skeletal remains for Brian Laundrie, who killed himself as officials were searching for him as a person of interest in the disappearance and death of his fiancé Gabby Petito, according to an autopsy report released Monday.

The 47-page report, released by the District 12 Medical Examiner Office in Sarasota, Florida, included new details about where Laundrie's remains were found, their condition, and the other items located at the scene.

According to the report, Laundrie's remains showed signs of "moderate to extensive animal predation" by carnivores, such as feral dogs, coyotes, rodents, and raccoons.

"Most of the distal long bones have moderately extensive carnivore activity evidenced by multiple gouging and gnawing marks," the report states.

The 23-year-old killed himself last fall after claiming responsibility for the death of Petito, whose disappearance sparked national headlines and a massive uproar on social media.

The couple had chronicled their cross-country road trips on social media and amassed hundreds of thousands of followers, but questions arose when Laundrie returned to his home in North Port Florida on Sept. 1 without Petito. Laundrie was driving the white van the couple had used in their "Van Life" YouTube channel, but Petito's whereabouts were unknown. Petito's family reported her missing 10 days later.

North Port police would later name Laundrie as a person of interest in the case, noting that he'd made no contact with authorities about Petito's disappearance and that he, and his attorney, had repeatedly refused to answer questions about her.

His remains were found Oct. 20 in the Carlton Reserve just north of the Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park in Florida in a section of the park that officials said had been previously covered in water. According to the autopsy report, the area was overgrown with trees and vegetation and a winding trail for pedestrians and vehicles cut through it.

Near Laundrie's remains officials located a backpack and notebook that belonged to him along with several other personal items, including a red hat with the logo "MOAB Coffee Roasters," a pair of green shorts, slip-on shoes, a white metal ring, and a revolver. The FBI said last month in its final investigative update that the notebook contained statements that Laundrie was responsible for Petito's death.

The items and his remains were "in plain sight" and "scattered" on the dirt, the report said.

Toxicology screenings of Laundrie's remains did not detect the presence of any drugs, according to the document. Images of his remains were redacted from the public version of the report due to state laws prohibiting the release of autopsy photos.

DNA analyses of the remains and comparisons with Laundrie's dental records confirmed his identity.

The US National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. The Trevor Project, which provides help and suicide-prevention resources for LGBTQ youth, is 1-866-488-7386. Find other international suicide helplines at Befrienders Worldwide (befrienders.org).

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