Just days after an autopsy report revealed Brian Laundrie had died by suicide, a lawyer for the family of his late girlfriend, Gabby Petito, intimated that “additional individuals” may soon be facing charges.
Petito went missing after embarking on a cross-country road trip with Laundrie and was later found dead in a national park in Wyoming after he returned home without her. Weeks later, Laundrie’s body was located in a Florida nature preserve.
Fox News reported on Oct. 11 that Teton County coroner Brent Blue had ruled Petito’s death a homicide by strangulation.
Investigation continues
An attorney for the Laundrie family said Tuesday that Brian had died by a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. “Chris and Robert are still mourning the loss of their son and are hopeful that these findings bring closure to both families,” lawyer Steven Bertolino said, according to Fox News.
While Laundrie may no longer be around to face accountability following the homicide, Richard Stafford, a lawyer for Petito’s relatives, suggested Tuesday that the case isn’t closed yet.
“The Schmidt and Petito family has been aware of the circumstances surrounding the suicide of the sole suspect in Gabby’s murder,” Stafford said, according to Fox.
“Gabby’s family will not be making a statement at this time due to the request of the United States Attorney’s Office and the Teton County Prosecutor’s Office,” he added.
“The family was asked to not comment and let the FBI continue their investigation and allow the United States Attorney’s Office make a determination on whether any additional individuals will be charged,” Stafford said.
Trouble for Laundrie family?
As for whether those “additional individuals” could include Laundrie’s parents, Neama Rahmani, a former federal prosecutor, tells Fox News that it could be in the cards. “Their son returned without his fiancée, and they didn’t report Gabby missing,” Rahmani noted.
“If they helped Brian escape law enforcement by giving him a head start, they can be charged with being accessories after the fact to murder,” the former prosecutor added.
Rahmani also suggested charges could also be forthcoming if evidence shows the couple lied to authorities about what they knew and when.
“Their eventually leading agents to Brian’s remains makes charges less likely, but what the Laundrie parents told law enforcement, and when, is key to any prosecution decision,” he said.
The post Petito family lawyer suggests ‘additional individuals’ may face charges in her death: Report first appeared on Conservative Institute.
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