Lingering questions Brian Laundrie’s parents must answer about Gabby Petito

Their son is dead but for many avid followers of the Gabby Petito case, Brian Laundrie's parents still have lingering questions to answer.

So many questions, so few answers.

With the search for Brian Laundrie reaching a conclusion, the focus has turned back to his parents — who have said nothing publicly since their son became a person of interest in Gabby Petito’s disappearance last month.

Christopher, 62, and Roberta Laundrie, 55, were seen on Thursday at the Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park, pointing out to authorities “a trail that Brian frequented,” the family’s lawyer, Steven Bertolino, told The New York Post.

The FBI later reported that a backpack and notebook belonging to Brian were found along with human remains at the Carlton Reserve — and later positively identified the remains as Brian’s.

The remains were found “in an area where (Laundrie’s parents) had initially advised law enforcement that Brian may be,” Bertolino said.

The latest discovery continues to fuel speculation that the parents could have been in on their son’s actions.

Here are the lingering questions they must answer.

Did they get along with Gabby Petito?

Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie.

Gabby and Brian met while attending Bayport-Blue Point High School, and later reunited and became romantically involved, according to Gabby’s mother, Nichole Schmidt.

The young couple got engaged last year while living in North Port.Internet sleuths have speculated that Roberta Laundrie was not fond of her future daughter-in-law, saying Brian’s mom preferred co-worker Brittany Coleman for her son.

However, the Laundries and Coleman have not addressed the question.

What do the Laundries know about Gabby’s death?

Unclear. The Laundries have only released information through Bertolino, who has insisted his clients have helped authorities.

Brian returned home alone in Gabby’s van on September 1, and the family — including Brian’s sister, Cassie — went camping at the Fort De Soto Park campground on September 6 and 7.

Yet Cassie Laundrie told protesters outside her home on October 4 that the subject of Gabby did not come up during the family camping trip, the last time she said she saw her brother.

The Laundries said Brian then left for a hike at the 25,000-acre Carlton Reserve on September 13 and never returned — and reported him missing to police on September 17.

The FBI raided the Laundrie home last month and made several other visits there, but it is unclear what evidence may have been pulled from the house.

The Laundries have not been officially implicated in Brian’s flight.

Did they help Brian evade the FBI?

The FBI announced human remains and personal items belonging to Brian Laundrie have been found at the Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park. Picture: WXTL

Also unclear. Protesters have camped outside the Laundrie home for more than a month, harassing the family and demanding that they come clean about Brian’s getaway.

Law enforcement experts have also cited the “oddness” of the case.

They point to the family’s two-week silence after Brian’s return to Florida, and the four-day gap between his alleged disappearance on Sept. 13 and his missing person report Sept. 17 as possibly giving their son a head start.

Bertolino also confirmed that Brian flew from Salt Lake City and returned to the family home from Aug. 17 to Aug. 23 before rejoining Petito out west.

Petito was last seen alive four days later in a Wyoming restaurant.

On Thursday, critics even accused the Laundries of planting his personal items next to the human remains to throw off the FBI.

“It’s nonsense,” Bertolino shot back in a text message. “People with nothing else to do are afraid this case will go away and they will have to go back to following celebrities and others in the fake world of the Internet.”

He told Fox News that the Laundries notified the feds they would be at the park in advance and were there only in the presence of law enforcement. In addition, there has been no proof or official allegations that they aided their fugitive son after he went missing.

Can they be charged?

Brian Laundrie and Gabby Petito.

Chris and Roberta Laundrie were on the scene to assist. Picture: Supplied

Unlikely, one former federal prosecutor says.

Neama Rahmani, now president of the West Coast Trial Lawyers, told the Sun that Chris and Roberta Laundrie may have dodged potential charges by helping the feds find Brian’s backpack and the nearby remains — whether or not they turn out to be his.

“The fact they may have led investigators to their son’s possessions and possibly his remains — that all undercuts the argument that they were aiding and abetting his escape,” Rahmani said. “That leads me to believe they were cooperative and not the other way around.”

The remains were found near a bridge connecting the Carlton Reserve with the Myakkahatchee Environmental Park early Wednesday.

Chris Laundrie travelled to the area days earlier and told authorities that it was among the spots where his son liked to hike.

“I’m sure Gabby Petito’s family wants some closure, but ... this is as good as it’s going to get,” Rahmani added.

— New York Post