Now that the remains of Brian Laundrie have been found and confirmed to be the missing fugitives, his family attorney is speaking on the mental state Laurie was in the last time his parents saw him alive. Steven Bertolino told NBC News that the 23-year-old was “visibly upset” when he left his family’s Florida home on Sept. 13.
“Brian was very upset when he left,” Bertolino said, per People Magazine. Bertolino says that Laundrie’s father “conveyed to me several times that he wished he hadn’t let him go, but he couldn’t stop him.”
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Bertolino shared similar sentiments to PEOPLE in a separate interview, “Yes, Brian was upset when he left and he was not able to be persuaded not to leave the house.”
Laundrie disappeared six days before the remains of his missing fiancée, Gabby Petito, were found in Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park, the last place the two were seen together before Petito went missing. Lingerie returned from a cross-country road trip without Petito, leading to a massive man search. The couple had been fighting before Peitio went missing. Bodycam footage showed a distraught Peittio following an argument after police stopped them on their trip.
Laundrie was never charged with a crime but was suspected to be a person of interest. Petito, 22, died of strangulation. “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.”
Laundrie was not cooperating with the police. But the family’s attorney says he informed them to be wary of speaking to police or media. Bertolino denied rumors Laudrie’s parents helped their son while he was on the run. But according to Bertolino, Laundrie’s parents were unaware of where their son was going.
“I’m a little bit angry that people are even speculating this way,” Bertolino said. Laundrie’s remains were found in the Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park next to his backpack and a notebook. Petito’s family believes Laundrie is responsible for their daughter’s death.
