According to the FBI, before taking his own life, Brian Laundry wrote in a notebook that he was responsible for Gabby Pettito's death.
"A review of the notebook revealed that Mr. Laundry had claimed responsibility for Ms. Petito's death," the FBI's Denver field office said in a statement Friday.
Officials said the notebook was discovered in October in the same area as laundry remains at Mykahatchy Creek Environmental Park in Florida. The FBI said a revolver was found nearby.
Petito and Laundry's family have reached an agreement on how the couple's belongings, including a notebook, will be distributed, Laundry family attorney Steve Bertolino said Friday, nearly four months after Petito's remains were found in Wyoming. Afterwards.
The laundry had been the subject of a week-long search when his body was found. His family was informed that he had shot himself in the head, and his death had been ruled a suicide, Bertolino said in November.
Bertolino would not say which family would receive the notebook. The Petito family met with the FBI in Tampa, Florida this week and before the release of an FBI statement they said an agreement was reached on distributing them and laundry items.
According to a statement from the family's attorney, Petitos thanked the FBI for its support.
"We truly appreciate the FBI's diligent and painstaking efforts in this extremely complex case. The quality and quantity of facts and information collected by the FBI leaves no doubt (that) Brian Laundry murdered Gabby," it said. said.
The FBI said Friday that its investigation into the death "will be closed in the near future."
"All reasonable investigative steps have been taken in this case," said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Michael Schneider. "The investigation did not identify anyone directly involved in the tragic death of Gabby Petito other than Brian Laundry."
Two police officers who pulled over Petito's van in Moab, Utah on August 12 by an independent investigator, are to be placed on probation for "multiple unintentional mistakes" during a traffic stop.
The officers agreed not to charge Petito, who had previously admitted to striking laundry, as long as he and Laundry had spent the night separately. The independent investigator found that the officers neglected their duty by not leveling the charges.
Laundry, 23, and Petito, 22, who were engaged, went on a road trip in June in Petito's converted Ford Transit van and documented their journey on social media. Laundry returned alone on September 1 driving the van to his parents' Florida home.
In mid-September, as police searched for Petito, the laundry went missing. Petito's remains were found a few days later in Wyoming's Bridger-Teton National Forest. His death was ruled murder by strangulation by hand.
The specific evening leading up to Pettito's death remains a mystery. The FBI described Laundry as a "person of interest" in his murder, but was not charged with his murder, although he faced charges of allegedly using Petito's debit card without authorization. .
Their remains were found on October 20 in an area that was under water during previous searches of the 25,000-acre reserve in the northern harbor.
Laundry's father, who was searching with officers when his son's remains were found, discovered the notebook near Laundry's body. Experts said that at that time the notebook could be important in answering. The notebook was wet, and officials did not immediately say whether they had gained any information from it.
Bertolino told CNN, "Gabby and Brian are no longer with their families and this tragedy has caused enormous emotional pain and suffering to all who loved either or both. We can only hope that." Wishing that with today's case closing every family can begin to heal and move on and find peace with the memories of their children. May Gabby and Brian both rest in peace."