Brian Laundrie (left) and Gabby Petito
(Picture: via REUTERS)Brian Laundrie took his own life by shooting himself in the head, police have revealed.
Laundrie, 23, was the subject of a hunt for more than a month as police investigated the death of Gabby Petito, 22, during a cross-country trip they took together.
Authorities have now revealed that Laundrie’s body was “scavenged” and eaten by wild animals following his death.
A autopsy report also confirmed he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head which caused extensive skull fractures.
However, police managed to recover “the vast majority of [his] skeleton”, which was “scattered in plain sight”.
But his remains showed “moderately extensive carnivore activity evidenced by multiple gouging and gnawing marks”.
“These areas are consistent with carnivores and/or omnivores including canines such as feral dogs and coyotes along with rodents and raccoons,” the 47-page document adds.
Laundrie’s remains are believed to have been submerged in water at the swamp “for an extended period of time” and were only recovered when it receded, according to medical examiners.
The high-profile case made headlines across the world for weeks.
The parents of Petito reported her missing on September 11 and her remains were discovered on September 19 on the edge of the Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. She had been dead for about a month, a coroner said.
The couple had visited the site during their trip, which they had documented on social media. A post-mortem concluded Petito had been strangled.
