Did Brian Laundrie leave a suicide note? Damaged notebook may provide last chance of learning how Gabby Petito died

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A notebook recovered close to the skeletal remains of Gabby Petito’s boyfriend Brian Laundrie may represent the last hope authorities have for finding answers about her death.

Laundrie, whose death was confirmed to be gunshot wounds by suicide on Tuesday, was found in the Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park on 20 October, along with personal items including a notebook that had been sealed inside a dry bag.

The area had been underwater for nearly a month, and the notebook sustained water damage, but North Port Police spokesman Josh Taylor said last month it may be “salvageabale”.

The notebook was turned over to the FBI, the lead agency in the investigation, who have been undergoing the painstaking drying process and attempting to inspect the pages for legible handwriting or imprints.

There was intense speculation at the time it was discovered that the notebook could contain a suicide note, or explain how and why Ms Petito, whose remains were found in Wyoming on 19 September, was killed.

When asked about the possibility of the notebook containing answers about his daughter’s death, Joseph Petito said said it wouldn’t bring him closure and definitely wouldn’t bring Gabby back.

Laundrie, 23, was confirmed to have died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head by lawyer Steven Bertolino on Tuesday.

Laundrie family attorney Mr Bertolino told The Independent he didn’t know whether the notebook had yielded any new information or when it might be publicly released.