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FBI Confirms Human Remains Found In Florida Belong To Brian Laundrie

The search for Brian Laundriehas apparently come to an end. According to the FBI, dental records confirmed the human remains found in a Florida nature reserve belong to Brian.

“On October 21, 2021, a comparison of dental records confirmed that the human remains found at T. Mabry Carlton, Jr. Memorial Reserve and Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park are those of Brian Laundrie,” the FBI press release stated.

As previously reported, Brian has been off the grid for nearly a month after his fiance Gabby Petito was reported missing by her family. His parents Chris and Roberta Laundrie told authorities on September 17 that they hadnt seen or heard from their son since September 14. According to their story, he told them he planned to go hiking at the Carlton Reserve.

Gabby’s body was found on September 19 in Wyomings Bridget-Teton National Forest. The cause of death was determined to be strangulation. Brian was named a primary suspect in the homicide.

Authorities located a backpack, notebook and the now-identified remains on Wednesday. Brians parents assisted with searching the Carlton Reserve in North Port, Florida and pointed police to an area Brian frequented. This area turned out to be where the backpack, book and human remains were found.

“They are human remains, no doubt there,” police spokesperson Josh Taylor reportedly told CNN. “I would say that the remains were consistent with one individual, you know skeletal remains.”

His parents were present when the items and remains were found. Despite floating conspiracy theories, police say the items found were at the reserve for some time. Investigators also found clothing with the remains that are believed to be what Brian was last seen wearing before his disappearance.

Police had previously searched this area for Brian, but the conditions of the area made it difficult. Prior to yesterday, the items and remains were submerged in water. Police say the notebook found has not been opened as it needs to be dried and processed.

This is a developing story.

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Cassandra Santiago

Cassandra Santiago is a multimedia journalist, editor, and editorial strategist with over a decade of experience shaping conversations across arts, entertainment, culture, and global news. A graduate of the University of Iowa, she has built a cross-platform career spanning newspapers, magazines, radio, and digital media. She joined The Shade Room five years ago and currently serves as a Senior Editor, where she leads editorial direction, oversees exclusive coverage, and trains and edits a team of writers. Cassandra has played a key role in developing high-impact content and editorial strategies for an audience of more than 30 million, contributing to platform growth, engagement, and monetization across multiple channels. In addition to her leadership role, she remains a daily contributor, with her articles generating more than 41 million views since 2023. Beyond The Shade Room, Cassandra offers freelance social media strategy services, speaks on the influence and impact of Black media at public panels, and owns Did It For You, an event design company in the DC, Maryland, and Virginia area. She is Poynter Institute–certified and was named to the DMV’s 35 Under 35 list in 2024.

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