Did Brian Laundrie fake his death? Why the conspiracy theory doesn’t add up

With so many unanswered questions surrounding the murder of Gabby Petito, conspiracy theorists have tried to fill in the blanks. But the idea that Brian Laundrie faked his own death simply doesn’t add up. Warning: some may find this content distressing.

All eyes are on the case after Netflix dropped American Murder: Gabby Petito, a new three-part documentary series that unpacks the 2021 murder of Gabby. 

Interviews with family, friends, and law enforcement shed new light on the controlling and manipulative behavior Brian exhibited throughout their relationship. It also places Brian’s parents, Roberta and Christopher Laundrie, under the spotlight after they sought legal protection for their son mere hours after Gabby was killed. 

Before investigators could understand what happened that day, Brian went on the run and died by suicide. Brian’s parents were the ones who found him, and only partial remains were uncovered, leading to speculation that he’d faked his death to escape prosecution. 

Brian Laundrie didn’t fake his own death

Netflix

Although it sounds obvious, Brian’s remains were found. Although only his bones were uncovered by the authorities, the area of the Florida park he died in had recently been underwater due to flooding. 

A detailed, 47-page autopsy report conducted by the District 12 Medical Examiner’s Office also revealed that his bones had been chewed on by animals. Neither of these details are unusual. 

The Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park where he was found floods almost every year, and it’s home to wildlife including alligators and snakes. Additionally, the forensic odontologist was able to identify Brian due to dental records. 

There were also handwritten notes from Brian, in which he confessed to murdering Gabby but made it sound as if it was a “mercy” killing, despite her autopsy showing she died from blunt force trauma and strangulation. 

Netflix

Although netizens questioned how the notes could be recovered if he was submerged underwater, the authorities would have used advanced forensic techniques to translate what they said – and even then some of the words are noted as “illegible”.

There’s another reason the conspiracy theory doesn’t add up: Brian would have been spotted by now. When the authorities put out a call asking for information from the public after he went missing, the FBI alone received more than 4,000 tips. 

There were photos, videos, and descriptions from thousands of people, with the case hitting headlines across the globe. Even if Brian had somehow faked his own death with the help of his family, it’s highly unlikely he’d be able to hide from the public for this long. 

Why did the conspiracy theory start?

Netflix

With any true crime case that has major information gaps, conspiracy theories will always circulate. In the case of Brian Laundrie, spectators felt suspicious of his family and the fact that they were able to find his remains within an hour after law enforcement had failed to. 

As is explored in American Murder: Gabby Petito, the FBI collaborated with state and local partners and volunteer agencies to search the 25,000-acre area. Over the course of several weeks, they deployed drones, horses, and sniffer dogs trying to find any activity.

Finally, on October 22, 2021, when the park was opened to the public again after the flooding subsided, Brian’s family decided to search. Within one hour, they had found Brian’s waterproof bag, and 45 minutes later, his remains were uncovered – just a mile from where his car had been parked. 

This raised suspicion surrounding this death. As said by one Redditor two years ago, “Is Brian Laundrie still alive? After watching the new documentary about Gabby Petito, I have some new points that I think are suspicious and need to be addressed.”

The first related to the gun Brian used to shoot himself with. The firearm remained a mystery for months, but in January 2022, the FBI stated that “a revolver” was found in the area. 

The Redditor asked, “Why wasn’t there a gun found near Brian Laundrie? If the cause of death was suicide, the gun should be within arms reach of the remains. It can’t just get up and walk away or be tied to a rock to sink.”

They also questioned why the body was cremated, how the body could be so decomposed after a month, and why the authorities didn’t find him sooner. 

As for the dental records, they speculated, “He could have removed a tooth, given it to his parents, and they dropped it where they ‘allegedly’ found his backpack and notebook and bones. Weird.”

“I believe that there is reasonable amounts of suspicion and evidence to believe that Brian Laundrie is still alive, being hidden while we have completely forgotten about this over time,” they finished. 

In a separate thread, one Redditor commented, “Does no one else find it odd they never found a trace of evidence in that park, dogs never got a trace of a smell, anything until coincidentally the day his parents showed up to look? 

“The dogs would have caught some sort of smell or something of him somewhere. And the remains were so bad off dental records were the only way of identifying? After only a month? Something here is fishy.”

These are just a couple of examples that have circulated, with many speculating at the time that Laundrie had fled the country with help from his parents to cover it up. 

However, for the most part, followers of the case know the truth. Many even grew frustrated with the conspiracy theories. 

Three years back, one Redditor asked, “Anyone else sick of people thinking Brian isn’t dead?”

“At work today my co-workers think they know better than the FBI, police, and many other reporters and can’t stop speculating Brian is not dead or that his parents had something to do with all of this. 

“I don’t know why people think this man had the financial means and know-how to be an international criminal but he doesn’t… All these people with their conspiracies are mentally draining me with this case.”

American Murder: Gabby Petito solves questions surrounding death

Netflix

Just as netizens countered the reasons given by conspiracy theorists, the Netflix documentary series highlights all of the details surrounding Brian’s suicide, demonstrating why the theory doesn’t hold water. 

Firstly, regarding the sniffer dogs, FBI agent Kyle explains that their K-9s kept getting attacked by alligators so they had to retreat. This also shows why Brian’s remains had been chewed on and split apart. 

Another point of contention was the fact that Brian managed to escape from his home when he was a person of interest in Gabby’s murder. 

However, even though there was surveillance on their house – cameras were set up to face their backyard and down the street – there were swarms of protestors and press obstructing the view.

Additionally, investigators admitted to mistaking Brian for his mother Roberta, something that she joked about in text messages with the Laundrie family. 

Detectives also confirm in the Netflix doc that the area had been flooded during their search, causing his belongings to be separated and his body to degrade faster. 

American Murder: Gabby Petito is streaming on Netflix now. Read about why the doc is facing backlash for using AI, the Gabby Petito doc to watch next, and find more true crime releases out this month.