The Brian Laundrie Manhunt Was Eerily Similar To Another Case
By JEAN MENDOZA
History - Science
GABBY PETITO's MISSING
After her fiance, Brian Laundrie, returned to Florida from a road trip without Gabby Petito, her family reported her missing on September 11, 2021. While the authorities named Laundrie a person of interest and stated that he was not cooperative in the investigation, Petito's father asked for help from the public and even pleaded with Laundrie to cooperate.
BRIAN LAUNDRIE's MISSING
On September 17, Laundrie's family reported him missing as well and a few days later, Petito's body was found near a national park in Wyoming leading to Laundrie's arrest warrant. Many people who were following the case shared their opinions about Laundrie's disappearance, and one name that kept popping up in comparison was Eric Rudolph.
OLYMPIC PARK BOMBER
Rudolph, also known as the Olympic Park Bomber, bombed Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, two abortion clinics in Atlanta and Alabama, and then a bar in Atlanta in 1996. Rudolph went into hiding in the wilderness, and was eventually caught in 2003, while rummaging through the garbage behind a grocery store.
LAUNDRIE FOUND DEAD
Although Laundrie and Rudolph both went to the wilderness to hide, their cases ended differently. On October 20, 2021, investigators found Laundrie’s remains in the wilderness, who had died by suicide, and a notebook found next to Laundrie held statements claiming that he was responsible for his fiancée's death.
LAUNDRIE'S CONFESSION
Laundrie claimed Petito had been injured and was in excruciating pain, which pushed him to decide to end her life — euthanasia, the act of ending someone's life to prevent further suffering, is illegal in the U.S. — but he later realized that he made a mistake. Laundrie also explained his suicide by writing that he could no longer live without Petito.