According to the FBI, the then boyfriend of Gabby Petito, who was missing in the USA for weeks and was later found dead, claimed responsibility for killing the young woman before he committed suicide. The investigation did not identify any other people besides Brian L. who were involved in the death of the 22-year-old, said FBI agent Michael Schneider on Friday. L. confessed to the crime in a notebook that was secured after his suicide. The investigation would therefore be terminated shortly. "All logical steps of the investigation have been completed in this case," said Schneider.
Petito had not returned from a trip across the United States with her 23-year-old boyfriend last summer. The case attracted attention both in the United States and internationally – not least because the Florida couple had shared numerous pictures and videos from their trip on social networks. Petito's body was found in September in the state of Wyoming after an intensive search. According to the coroner, the young woman was strangled. Her boyfriend had driven away in his car shortly after Petito was reported missing.
At the end of October, body parts of the 23-year-old were discovered in a nature reserve in the state of Florida.
According to the forensic medicine, L. died as a result of a shot that he had inflicted on himself.
Even after Petito's body was found, he was not explicitly considered a suspect, but the police classified him as a person relevant to the investigation.