Authorities have admitted that they mistook Brian Laundrie’s mother for the young, male fugitive, leading North Port Police Chief Todd Garrison to erroneously claim he knew where he was located during a press conference in September.
Meanwhile, Steven Bertolino, the lawyer for Chris and Roberta Laundrie, hit back at the police department, saying they never should have lost track of Mr Laundrie in the first place.
He also said Mr Laundrie will be cremated without a funeral. His parents acknowledged the death of their son in a short and unemotional statement, released through their lawyer, and asked for privacy.
The Petito-Schmidt family attorney, Rick Stafford, have said they would not make any statements on the identification of Gabby Petito’s former fiance until they’re “emotionally ready”.
The FBI confirmed Mr Laundrie’s remains through dental records, suggesting he had been dead for a significant period of time before his remains were found. His belongings, which include a notebook and a backpack, were described as “salvageable” and may yet provide further clues.
