Brian Laundrie confessed to killing his girlfriend Gabby Petito in a notebook found near his remains, according to the FBI.
In a statement released Friday, FBI Denver said Laundrie claimed responsibility for Petito’s death and that they were closing the investigation.
Videos by VICE
“A review of the notebook revealed written statements by Mr. Laundrie claiming responsibility for Ms. Petito’s death,” the statement said.
“The investigation did not identify any other individuals other than Brian Laundrie directly involved in the tragic death of Gabby Petito,” said FBI Denver Division Special Agent in Charge Michael Schneider in the statement.
In a statement issued through the Petitos’ lawyer, the family thanked the FBI for its help, CNN reported.
“We truly appreciate the FBI’s diligent and painstaking efforts in this extremely complicated case. The quality and quantity of the facts and information collected by the FBI leave no doubt (that) Brian Laundrie murdered Gabby,” they said.
Laundrie, 23, was found dead in a Florida park in October due to a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Laundrie and Petito, 22, had been vlogging their way across the U.S. in a van last summer when Petito was reported missing by her family in September. Her remains were found at the Spread Creek Dispersed Camping Area in Wyoming near where the couple had been seen together. According to a coroner’s report, she died of “blunt-force injuries to the head and neck, with manual strangulation.”
The couple was pulled over by Utah police officers while on their road trip in response to a report of domestic violence. But the officers ultimately let the pair go after questioning them for more than an hour.
An independent investigation released last week found police made several missteps during that encounter and should have arrested Petito because she’d admitted to hitting Laundrie.
Petito’s disappearance sparked international attention, and raised questions about the lack of media attention on Black, Indigenous, and people of color who go missing.
Follow Manisha Krishnan on Twitter.
