Gabby Petito household reply as lawyer reveals suspect’s explanation for loss of life

The FBI is being slammed for “hiding” the fact that he was “armed and dangerous,” after it was revealed that Brian Laundrie had shot himself in the head.

Steven Bertolino, the attorney representing Laundrie’s parents — had earlier said one of the Laundries’ guns could not be found at the time their son went missing.

He was quoted as saying by the Daily Mail: “We didn’t want the public going into a frenzy on that. I don’t think they considered him dangerous to anybody he met on the street.”

The family had tried to keep it a secret.

The investigators are still looking for the gun.

Now people are furious with the FBI for hiding that Laundrie was “armed” and “dangerous.”

On social media, several observers asked “Why do we even have an FBI?” and others said: “What is FBI hiding.”

One user, who goes by the handle Tessarossa on Twitter said: “Wow. I saw the update on the news and this blatantly obvious question didn’t even occur to me. None of this makes sense. What is the FBI hiding?”

There was outrage over the fact that the FBI tried to hide the “vital information.” One social media user commented that the law enforcement and the FBI have a lot to answer for in the Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie case “knowing that he had a firearm when he went missing and not notifying the public of an armed and dangerous person.”

ICYMI: Steven Bertolino, the attorney representing the parents of Brian Laundrie, said he has “no reason” to believe that his clients will face charges in the death of Gabby Petito.

“I have no reason to believe any charges will be filed against Chris and Roberta Laundrie [Brian Laundrie’s parents] with respect to this case,” Mr Bertolino said in a statement to Insider.

The statement comes in the wake of Petito family attorney, Richard Stafford, claiming he has advised his clients to remain silent until the FBI investigation into the case has concluded, noting that prosecutors are considering whether or not to charge “additional individuals” with crimes connected to the woman’s death.

ICYMI: The FBI Denver office is maintaining its silence after a forensic anthropologist revealed that Brian Laundrie died by suicide from a self-inflicted gunshot to the head.

Richard Stafford, the lawyer representing the Petito family also noted today that prosecutors are considering bringing charges against additional individuals.

The federal agency offered no information to reporters who asked about the developments, instead directing them to the FBI Denver Twitter page and wishing them a happy Thanksgiving.

More than 3,400 people have signed a petition calling for a formal investigation into the North Port police department’s handling of the Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie investigation.

The change.org petition, addressed to Florida governor Ron DeSantis, urged him to start an “internal investigation into this case” but added that the “bigger picture is to bring about change”.

“Police deal with citizens on a daily basis and the actions of incompetence can have tremendous, life-altering effects on numerous people in their communities,” the petition said. “What happens when you have a department that’s full of incompetence? Well, Governor DeSantis, this case right here is what happens.”

The Independent’s Maroosha Muzaffar has more in the story below…

The months-long investigation by North Port police into the disappearances and deaths of Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie allegedly cost more than $100,000 (£74,000) in overtime pay.

A spokesperson for the North Port Police Department said on Monday that although it did not track how much it was spending on its investigations, the cost of paying overtime was over $100,000 (£74,000).

The Independent’s Gino Spocchia has more on the massive overtime pay in the story below…

A bench memorialising Gabby Petito has been installed outside North Port, Florida’s, city hall.

The bench was installed in the sport where a large, makeshift memorial filled with flowers, signs, and stuffed animals stood in the weeks after Ms Petito was reported missing.

The original memorial was removed to protect it from the elements, and the items were given to the Petito family.

Petito family lawyer Richard Stafford revealed that prosecutors may be considering bringing charges against other individuals involved with the Gabby Petito case.

“The Schmidt and Petito family has been aware of the circumstances surrounding the suicide of the sole suspect in Gabby’s murder,” Mr Stafford said. “The family was asked to not comment and let the FBI continue their investigation and allow the United States Attorney’s Office to make a determination on whether any additional individuals will be charged.”

It is unclear who else prosecutors might consider charging or what charges they will bring.

Brian Laundrie died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, family attorney Steven Bertolino has revealed. The Independent has more.

Gabby Petito, 22, was an aspiring social media star who went missing in late August during a cross-country road trip from New York to Oregon with her fiancé. Her body was later found in Wyoming, where the couple had been travelling.