Brian Laundrie Case: Just How Many Guns Do His Parents Actually Own?
After reports surfaced that parents of Brian Laundrie turned over all their firearms to authorities, many have wondered how many guns do they actually own.
According to Laundrie family attorney Steven Bertolino, the elder Laundries have "five or six guns" stored in their Florida home.
Bertolino told Insider on Tuesday that Chris and Roberta Laundrie had surrendered these firearms to authorities, except for the one missing, on September 17 - the same day that their son was reported missing.
On Friday, the lawyer told CNN that Laundrie's parents only noticed that one of their guns was missing when they voluntarily surrendered their firearms to authorities. Bertolino said the elder Laundries discovered that one handgun was not in its case.
He noted that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the North Port police were present at the time of the discovery. When asked why this information about the missing gun was not disclosed to the public, the lawyer said he and law enforcement agreed it was for "the best," believing it might cause panic.
"Imagine, with the frenzied atmosphere at the time, if the public thought Brian had a gun... I cannot speak to why (law enforcement) did not reveal the info but we spoke about it at the time and I believe they felt as I did," Bertolino told CNN.
At present, it is still unclear whether Gabby Petito's fiance took the missing firearm or it was the one he used to kill himself.
Brian Laundrie's Parents 'Uncertain' of Missing Gun's Model
According to The Daily Mail, Brian Laundrie's parents were "uncertain" of the missing gun's make and model. But Bertolino told the outlet that it was "definitely a pistol."
Peter Massey, a program coordinator of the Forensic Studies and Justice program at the University of South Florida, told WESH 2 that the lack of information about the missing firearm was troubling.
'If they are saying gunshot wound to the head and suicide, and we don't have a firearm at that scene, we have a big issue... We have to account for this firearm," Massey said.
But forensic expert and former director of San Diego Police Crime Lab, Jennifer Shen, told The Sun that she believes the police may have already found the gun used by Laundrie.
"Because the cause of death released was suicide by a gunshot wound to the head, it leaves one to believe there is additional evidence proving this... It is likely if a weapon could be recovered, it already has been," Shen noted.
Brian Laundrie's Autopsy Results
The medical examiner's announced the details on Brian Laundrie's autopsy report on Tuesday. According to the autopsy report, Laundrie died of a gunshot wound to the head, and the manner of death was suicide.
According to a WPBF report, former FBI Agent Stuart Kaplan said the fact that the autopsy report did not publicize any other information aside from Laundrie committing suicide by shooting himself in the head may indicate that the investigation is still ongoing.
Kaplan added that he believes the investigators may be investigating whether someone helped Laundrie escape the surveillance of the police and stay hidden. That's why the time and date of his death have not been released.
Palm Beach County State Attorney Dave Aronberg echoed what Kaplan said, noting that if investigators figured out that someone lied to them, they could be charged with a felony offense.
Aside from Laundrie's death, both experts from Florida said investigators may also be looking into Gabby Petito's murder since nobody has been charged yet.
"They're going to try to figure out more details about what happened and if anyone else was involved... The last thing they want is for some accomplice to go free," Aronberg noted.
Neither of the two local experts found it suspicious that the gun used by Laundrie to commit suicide was not found along with his remains.
Kaplan and Aronberg said given that the area where Laundrie's remains were found had been underwater for some time, it's completely possible the gun just floated away.
The partial skeletal remains of Laundrie were discovered in a swampy area of the Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park on October 20. The remains were confirmed to belong to him after a review of dental records.
Brian Laundrie was named a person of interest by the North Port police after returning home on September 1 or 10 days before Gabby Petito was reported missing by her family.
Petito disappeared on a cross-country road trip with Laundrie. The couple was traveling to Oregon when the YouTuber stopped communicating with her family in Wyoming in late August.
Petito's body was found at the Spread Creek Dispersed Campground near Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming on September 19. A Teton County, Wyoming coroner said she was strangled to death by a "human being," and the manner of death was homicide.
Brian Laundrie was never charged in connection with Gabby Petito's murder. But an arrest warrant was issued for him for allegedly fraudulently using his fiancee's debit card after her death.
This article is owned by Latin Post.
Written by: Joshua Summers
WATCH: USF Forensics Experts Weighs in on Laundrie Autopsy, if Gun was Recovered - From WFLA News Channel 8
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