NORTH PORT, FL. — The FBI said in a press release Thursday that the human remains found the day before in a nature reserve were those of Brian Laundrie.
They said late Thursday that "a comparison of dental records" had confirmed the identity of the remains found in the T. Mabry Carlton, Jr Memorial Reserve and Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park.
Little additional information was released, beyond the positive ID.
The FBI said they are grateful for the "tremendous investigative support" they have received from other law enforcement agencies during their search for Laundrie.
Steven Bertolino, an attorney for the Laundrie family, released a statement, saying Brian’s parents, Chris and Roberta, went to the Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park in North Port to search for their son Wednesday morning.
The lawyer says the FBI and the North Port Police Department were informed of Laundrie’s parents’ intentions and the agencies met them at the park. After a brief search off of a trail that Laundrie reportedly frequented, the attorney says, “Some articles belonging to Brian were found.”
The FBI confirmed that "items of interest" were located at the Carlton Reserve in connection with the search for Brian Laundrie. The agency added that it has an evidence response team processing the scene and that portions of the reserve are closed to the public.
Petito, 22, was reported missing on Sept. 11 after she didn’t return from a cross-country road trip that she went on with Laundrie, visiting national parks in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming.
The woman’s remains were later recovered near the Spread Creek Dispersed Camping Area in Wyoming on Sept. 19. Her death was ruled a homicide and the Teton County coroner has said she died by strangulation.
