Prosecutors consider charging 'additional individuals' in Gabby Petito case: family attorney

Prosecutors are considering charging "additional individuals" in the disappearance and killing of Gabby Petito, according to the family's attorney.

The family's lawyer issued a statement Tuesday hours after a Florida medical examiner determined Petito's fiancé, 23-year-old Brian Laundrie, died by suicide.

"The Schmidt [Petito's mother's surname] and Petito family has been aware of the circumstances surrounding the suicide of the sole suspect in Gabby's murder," attorney Richard B. Stafford said. "The family was asked to not comment and let the FBI continue their investigation and allow the United States Attorney's Office to make a determination on whether any additional individuals will be charged."

Stafford noted that Petito's family will not be making a statement at the time due to the request of the United States Attorney's Office and the Teton County Prosecutor's Office. The family was also asked to wait for the former to "make a determination on whether any additional individuals" will be charged. "When that determination is made, we will have a statement," Stafford wrote.

Petito went missing in August while she was on a cross country road trip with Laundrie. Petito's body was discovered on Sept. 19, almost three weeks after Laundrie returned home to Florida without Petito, who was nowhere to be found.

On Oct. 12, a Wyoming coroner revealed Petito's autopsy results, reporting that she died of manual strangulation. While not pinpointing when she died, Teton County Coroner Brent Blue said that Petito's body was exposed to the elements and wildlife for three to four weeks in Bridger-Teton National Forest.

Laundrie was the sole person of interest in the Petito case, although he was never charged with harming or killing the 22-year-old. Laundrie's remains were later discovered on Oct. 20 at Florida's Carlton Reserve after an extensive manhunt.

Florida's District 12 Medical Examiner's Office ruled the cause of death a gunshot wound to the head. Laundrie family Steven Bertolino told Business Insider that Laundrie's parents were informed of the medical examiner's findings.

Bertolino said that after Chris and Roberta Laundrie reported Brian Laundrie missing on Sept. 17, the parents also surrendered five or six guns that were stored in the family home, but one remained missing. However, it's unclear whether the missing gun is the weapon Laundrie used to kill himself. It's also unclear whether there was a firearm among Laundrie's belongings next to where he was found.

Laundrie's family reported that he had gone missing as well, but Petito's family contradicted the claims, alleging he is "not missing" and that he's "hiding."