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NORTH PORT, Fla. (WFLA) -- After more than a month of searching, the remains of Brian Laundrie were found in the Carlton Reserve on Wednesday, according to the FBI.
The FBI's Denver office confirmed Thursday that the remains found at the nature preserve this week were those of Laundrie. They used dental records to confirm the identity, according to a news release.
Steve Bertolino, the attorney representing the Laundrie family, confirmed the parents were notified of the identification Thursday.
"Chris and Roberta Laundrie have been informed that the remains found yesterday in the reserve are indeed Brian’s," he said. "We have no further comment at this time and we ask that you respect the Laundrie’s privacy at this time."
Laundrie was the lone person of interest in the disappearance of his fiancée Gabby Petito. The couple, who lived in North Port with Laundrie's parents, had been on a cross-country road trip together out west over the summer.
According to police, Laundrie returned home without Petito on Sept. 1. Petito was officially reported missing on Sept. 11. Her body was found in Wyoming on Sept. 19 and her death was ruled homicide by manual strangulation.
Rick Stafford, the attorney representing Petito's family, responded to the news of the remains on Thursday evening and said the family would not be making any statements at this time.
"They are grieving the loss of their beautiful daughter," the statement said. "Gabby’s family will make a statement at the appropriate time and when they are emotionally ready."
Soon after police launched their investigation into Petito's disappearance, Laundrie and his family released a statement via their attorney, stating that they would be “remaining in the background” and not commenting. Petito’s family responded and criticized the Laundries for not helping.
Laundrie himself was reported missing by his parents on Sept. 17, two days after he was named a person of interest. When Laundrie’s parents reported him missing, they told police they had last seen him leave home to go to the Carlton Reserve area for a hike on Tuesday, Sept. 14. The family’s attorney later said that, after further communication with the FBI, the Laundries believed their son left home to go hiking on Sept. 13.
A federal arrest warrant was issued for Laundrie last month for “use of unauthorized access devices” – a Capital One Bank debit card and a personal ID number for two Capital One Bank accounts – following Petito’s death.
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