NetflixYet another Brian Laundrie conspiracy theory has been debunked following the release of American Murder: Gabby Petito: the claim that his uncle identified his remains. Warning: some may find this content distressing.
The Netflix documentary series revisits the 2021 case, speaking with Gabby’s friends and family, as well as the detectives and FBI agents responsible with finding out what happened to the #VanLife vlogger.
What they discovered is that Brian had murdered Gabby during their cross-country trip, but before they could arrest him, he went on the run before dying by suicide. He left behind a notebook in which he confessed to the killing.
The case sparked a social media frenzy, with a conspiracy theory circulating that Brian had faked his own death with the help of his parents, Christopher and Roberta Laundrie. Not only is this false, but so too are the claims that his family were involved in the autopsy.
Brian Laundrie’s uncle had nothing to do with autopsy
NetflixNot only do the autopsy results prove that this rumor isn’t true, but David Winterhalter, director of operations for the District Twelve Medical Examiner’s Office, confirmed to Newsweek that the Laundrie family had nothing to do with identifying Brian’s remains.
Winterhalter told the outlet the same thing as the autopsy report: forensic odontologist Dr. Nancy Havens was the one who identified the remains, which she did by comparing postmortem dental radiographs to previous dental records.
“I can confirm that no one in our office and in law enforcement was related to Brian Laundrie,” he added.
District Twelve Medical Examiner’s Office is the Florida-based medical examiner responsible for carrying out the autopsy. As well as Havens’ analysis, DNA testing from a tooth and femur bone confirmed Brian’s identity.
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Gabby Petito’s mom Nichole Schmidt also put the rumors to bed on the Just In the Nick of Crime podcast, saying, “It’s very simple. He’s dead. There’s proof of it… his whole body was found.”
Why the conspiracy theory started
The theory that Brian Laundrie’s uncle identified Brian’s remains has reemerged amid the release of Netflix’s American Murder documentary. It makes up part of the larger conspiracy theory that Brian went on the run after killing Gabby and has been living in hiding ever since.
One TikTok user said, “I believe Brian Laundrie is alive. For legal purposes, everything I’m saying is alleged.
“So you’re telling me the cops went and didn’t find Brian Laundrie’s body up until his parents came, and all of a sudden his dad found his backpack an hour after searching?
“Also, his body was decomposed. They said it was just bones. And the way that they were able to identify him was through his teeth.
“Brian Laundrie’s mom worked at a dental office. Brian Laundrie’s uncle was allegedly the one who positively identified him using dental records… I believe he’s in Central or South America and his parents were 100% involved.”
Another said after watching American Murder: Gabby Petito, “There’s something that really, really, really bothered me, and I think you caught it as well.
“Did anyone catch that, when they found her body, they did not describe complete decomposition, but when they found him he was completely decomposed?
“And isn’t it suspicious that his parents are the ones that found him? And isn’t it even more suspicious that it was his uncle that identified the body? I think there’s more to this case that we’re not looking into.”
This speculation isn’t new. It all started when the case made headlines in 2021, one of the reasons being that followers felt suspicious of Christopher and Roberta Laundrie’s behavior.
When Brian’s remains were found, there was further suspicion due to the fact that his body had degraded and he was only identifiable by his dental records.
Brian Laundrie isn’t alive
NetflixHowever, it’s been confirmed time and again that the reason Brian’s remains were so degraded is due to the area he was in: Florida’s Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park.
The park had been flooded at the time, meaning Brian’s parents weren’t able to search until the flooding had died down. Additionally, his bones showed gnawing marks from local wildlife.
What’s more, the autopsy results show this was not just one or two teeth. The “vast majority of the skeleton” was recovered, including the entire lower jaw with 15 teeth still in place, as well as the upper jaw bone with nine teeth.
A lot of misinformation circulated as followers sought answers, including the live-stream boat video, which was later found to have nothing to do with Brian.
The same goes for the claim that Christopher and Roberta had a secret underground bunker in their backyard.
Although it’s understandable why spectators want answers, it’s important not to spread misinformation. If you want to learn more about why these theories aren’t true, read the full autopsy report.
For more on the case, take a look at what American Murder didn’t show, what Cassie Laundrie said to viewers on Instagram, and what the ‘burn after reading’ letter said. You can also check out the new documentaries coming to streaming this month.
