The Laundries' lawyer said in a Friday morning interview that his parents "wished they could have stopped" their son when he left home last month. Speculation continues about the 23-year-old fugitive's cause of death.
Brian Laundrie was “grieving” and “extremely upset” when he left his house on Sept. 13, his parents’ lawyer said Friday morning in an interview.
“Brian had been extremely upset. Chris and Roberta were very concerned about him. They expressed that to me that when he walked out the door that evening, they wished they could have stopped him, they wish they could have prevented from going out, but he was intent on leaving. And Chris said to me, ‘In hindsight, I know I couldn’t stop him, I just wish I could have,’” Steve Bertolino told “Good Morning America” anchor George Stephanopoulos.
Laundrie’s remains were found Wednesday morning in the Florida nature park where authorities had been searching for weeks for the 23-year-old fugitive.
When asked by Stephanopoulous if Brian’s parents think he committed suicide, Bertolino said that he had talked about the possibility with Chris and Roberta, but “we just do not know.”
“Of course, knowing his mental state when he walked out the door, it was always a concern,” Bertolino added.
Bertolino refused to say if Brian told his parents what happened to Gabby Petito.
“That's not something I can comment on right now. I'd like to just leave it at that,” Bertolino said.
Reportedly, only Brian’s skeletal remains were found, which is leading to speculation about his cause of death.
Some locals believe he was devoured by wild pigs. One resident was quoted as saying, “They’re evil animals and will eat anything.”
Meanwhile, questions remain about what’s next in the case, including if Laundrie's parents could face charges.
“If they lied in any way to protect their son, if they encouraged or aided and abetted him in wrongdoing, they can and will be prosecuted,” said Nancy Grace, who is hosting a special report on the case this Sunday on Fox News.
But defense attorney Alan Dershowitz believes prosecution is unlikely.
“The mob with pitchforks doesn't establish justice in America. Just because people want you to be guilty, doesn't make you guilty. The criminal justice system is not designed to placate the public,” Dershowitz told Inside Edition.
The nature preserve where Brian's body was found has been reopened to the public.
