Brian Laundrie’s family is opting to forgo a funeral, TMZ reports. The family’s attorney, Steve Bertolino is skipping a casket-style service and cremating what’s left of Laundrie’s remains. Laundrie’s ashes will be given to his parents, Chris and Roberta Laundrie, once local authorities have finished examining his remains.
One of the reason’s the family is reportedly skipping a traditional funeral service is due to nonstop protesters and media outlets swarming their home. Protestors and media outlets have been camped out of the house for weeks, creating memorials for Laundrie’s dead fiance, Gabby Petito. Laundrie returned from a cross-country road trip without Petito. Her remains were found weeks later, with authorities saying Petito was strangled to death. Police bodycam footage in the aftermath of a domestic dispute between Laundrie and Petito was released to the public of a distraught Petitio.
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The news of the family’s decision comes days after the family attorney spoke out about the last time they saw Brian alive. Bertolino told NBC News that the 23-year-old was “visibly upset” when he left his parents’ home in Florida home on Sept. 13.
“Brian was very upset when he left,” Bertolino said, per People Magazine. According to Bertolino, Laundrie’s father “conveyed to me several times that he wished he hadn’t let him go, but he couldn’t stop him.” The attorney shared similar sentiments to People Magazine. “Yes, Brian was upset when he left and he was not able to be persuaded not to leave the house.”
Though Laundrie was never charged with a crime, he was suspected to be a person of interest in Petito’s death. But the attorney disputed reports that Laundrie’s family assisted him in disappearing and becoming a fugitive. “Getting the news that your child is no longer with you is sad, under any circumstances,” Bertolino said. “The fact that the Laundries have been subjected to these people out in front of their house the last four weeks, and they continue out there today, makes it all the more difficult.”
