In the wake of Brian Laundrie’s remains being discovered this week, his family is coming out with more details about the last time they saw the 23-year-old fugitive.
In an interview with NBC News on Thursday, their attorney Steven Bertolino shared that Chris and Roberta Laundrie last saw their son on September 13 looking “very upset” before taking off to the Carlton Reserve area for good. Chris allegedly tried to stop him from leaving their North Port, Florida home, with the lawyer saying the father “conveyed to me several times that he wished he hadn’t let him go, but he couldn’t stop him.”
It’s still unclear why the police weren’t keeping an eye on him, considering he was a person of interest in what was, at the time, a missing persons case.
Bertolino also told NBC News he hasn’t talked to the FBI since Brian’s remains were found but recognized certain conversations with the authorities must happen about potential criminal charges and the Laundries. Obviously, he says he doesn’t believe Chris and Roberta will face any criminal charges. We’ll see…
The lawyer has claimed he was the one who convinced the Laundrie family not to talk to the police during the early stages of the investigation into Gabby Petito’s disappearance and later murder. As you know, many people have been suspicious of the parents’ involvement in the situation with Brian since the beginning. That feeling only increased when, after a weeks-long unsuccessful manhunt for the person of interest, Chris and Roberta joined the search and conveniently located a backpack and notebook belonging to their son. And then they found partial remains in the same area, that were later identified as Brian.
The swiftness at how the family had tracked the belongings and remains after officers searched for Brian’s whereabouts for so long has raised eyebrows, leading many to believe they helped him escape and only helped out to avoid obstruction charges. However, Bertolino slammed the rumors, saying they had no clue he planned on vanishing without a trace when he left or where he went afterward. He said while mentioning that investigators were with the Laundries during the search Wednesday:
“I’m a little bit angry that people are even speculating this way.”
Ummm yeah… He can’t exactly blame people when Chris and Roberta have been acting extremely suspicious since day one. He can say it was his idea all he wants, but come on! What kind of parent refuses to help with everything they know when a girl who lived in their home for two years goes missing? Why would anyone have to consult with their lawyer about it at all??
Bertolino noted that the area Brian was found was turned over weeks ago, but it had been “under water” at the time:
“People with first-hand knowledge of the conditions of that park say this area was under two to three feet of water, and yet, still, John Q. Public can’t get it in their head that these areas were unaccessible, and the items that were located [Wednesday] perhaps couldn’t be seen.”
Noting that his clients and longtime friends also “suffered a grave loss,” he declined to comment on Gabby’s death at this time:
“Today is not the day to discuss the Gabby Petito case. At some point in the future, there may be conversations to be had, there may be information to discuss — tonight is not that time. This case is not over. There are certain things that need to be done — I should say wrapped up — before we can have further conversations about what may or may not have been done differently.”
Wow. You can take a look at the full interview with Bertolino (below):
On Friday, Bertolino further shared to People that his clients have struggling to grieve due to the public attention surrounding the case:
“Getting the news that your child is no longer with you is sad, under any circumstances. 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.”
Reactions to what the family attorney had to say, Perezcious readers? Let us know in the comments (below).
[Image via NBC News/YouTube, Brian Laundrie/Instagram]
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