Brian Laundrie’s parents trying to get notebook still in FBI custody

NORTH PORT, Fla. (NewsNation Now) — The parents of Brian Laundrie, the boyfriend of Gabby Petito and person of interest in her death, are trying to get back items found near his body, including a notebook that is still in FBI custody, his family’s lawyer confirmed to NewsNation Tuesday.

Steven Bertolino told NewsNation’s Brian Entin that this was part of the formal proceedings to administer Laundrie’s estate and confirmed the notebook was part of the request.

“Nichole Schmidt filed to obtain Gabby’s belongings that are in the Laundrie home or in police custody,” Bertolino told Entin. “Rick Stafford (Petito’s family attorney) and I are trying to work this out cordially.”

NewsNation has reached out to Stafford but has not heard back.

Laundrie was at the center of a nationwide search after Petito vanished. The FBI never officially connected him to Petito’s death beyond calling him a person of interest.

Laundrie’s remains were found in October after more than a month of searching a 24,000-acre Florida nature reserve. Authorities confirmed that Laundrie died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head in November.

Other personal items believed to be Laundrie’s, including a backpack and a notebook, were also found in the reserve where his remains were located. The FBI has never released what is in the notebook.

The items and remains were found in a swampy area — home to alligators, snakes, coyotes and other wildlife — that had previously been underwater, according to Michael McPherson, chief of the Tampa FBI office.

Petito, 22, vanished while on a cross-country road trip with Laundrie in a converted camper van. The trip was well documented on social media until it abruptly ceased, allegedly somewhere in Wyoming.

Petito was reported missing Sept. 11 by her parents after she did not respond to calls and texts for several days. Petito’s body was found Sept. 19 just outside Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. A Teton County coroner said Petito died by strangulation three to four weeks before her body was found.

This story is developing. Refresh for updates.