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Brian Laundrie’s dad mows lawn —ignores Gabby Petito autopsy inquiries

Brian Laundrie’s father was spotted mowing his lawn in Florida Wednesday morning — less than 24 hours after Gabby Petito’s autopsy revealed she was strangled.

In video shot by Fox News, Chris Laundrie ignored questions from reporters as he mowed and trimmed the grass around a makeshift memorial set up for Petito outside his North Port home.

Chris refused to react when asked about Petito’s autopsy results, which showed she was manually strangled during her ill-fated cross-country road trip with his 23-year-old son.

He also wouldn’t comment on his fugitive son, who has been the subject of a weeks-long manhunt after being named a person of interest in Petito’s case.  

The Laundrie family’s attorney, Steven Bertolino, issued a statement Tuesday after the Wyoming coroner disclosed details of the autopsy, describing Petito’s death as “a tragedy.”

He added that the autopsy results didn’t change the fact that Laundrie is “only considered a person of interest” in the case.

Hours after the coroner released Gabby Petito’s cause of death, Brian Laundrie’s father, Chris Laundrie, was seen mowing his lawn. Kevin C. Downs
Chris Laundrie remained tight-lipped about the ongoing manhunt for his son, Brian Laundrie, as well as the autopsy results. Kevin C. Downs
Christopher Laundrie didn’t betray any emotions as he stepped outside on October 13, 2021, to mow his yard — less than 24 hours after Gabby Petito was revealed to have died from manual strangulation. Kevin C. Downs

Petito’s mother, Nichole Schmidt, slammed the lawyer’s statement, telling WFLA-TV on Tuesday that “his words are garbage.”

Teton County Coroner Brent Blue said Petito had been exposed to the elements and wildlife for three to four weeks in Bridger-Teton National Forest before her remains were found Sept. 19.

He could not pinpoint exactly when she died.

A Wyoming coroner revealed that Gabby Petito had been manually strangled but failed to give an exact time of death as her body had been exposed to the elements. Instagram
Christopher Laundrie had recently joined the FBI-led manhunt for his son despite police protesting his involvement. Kevin C. Downs

Blue had already declared Petito’s death a homicide but had not previously revealed a cause of death.

“I can’t make any comment about any suspects because we’re not involved in that part of the investigation,” Blue told reporters at a press conference. “Who committed the homicide is really to be determined by law enforcement.”

Petito was reported missing by her family more than a week after Laundrie returned to Florida alone on Sept. 1 from their road trip, lawyered up and refused to speak to authorities.

Brian Laundrie is wanted for questioning on Gabby Petito’s death, as well as a fraud charge for using her credit card. North Port/Florida Police/Handout via REUTERS
According to sources, this is the first time that Christopher Laundrie has mowed his lawn since Brian Laundrie’s disappearance. Kevin C. Downs

Laundrie vanished on Sept. 14, according to his parents, after going for a hike at the 25,000-acre Carlton Reserve near his home.

He is wanted on a federal fraud warrant out of Wyoming for allegedly using Petito’s bank card from Aug. 30 to Sept. 1. 

Additional reporting by Jorge Fitz-Gibbon and Jack Morphet