Criminal investigators claim to have exposed the 'lies' in Brian Laundrie's confession notebook.
Eight pages of Laundrie's confession notebook were released by Laundrie's family attorney on Friday (24 June).
The notebook was found near his remains in Florida last year and contained his confession to killing his girlfriend Gabby Petito.
In his confession he described the strangulation as an 'unexpected tragedy', claiming he killed her in an act of mercy because she was 'violently shaking' and 'freezing cold' with apparent injuries.
However, experts are now claiming the notebook has a number of lies which take apart his original story.
Criminal profiler and psychotherapist John Kelly told Fox News: "He tiptoed around the confession. He wanted to serve it up as a mercy killing. That’s the thing that is bugging me more than anything.
"He found her breathing heavily and gasping for breath, so he decided to choke her out?
"She's hurt, and you will not go and get help for her. And not only will you not go the extra mile, you will not even report her missing."
Meanwhile, private investigator Jason Jensen, who studied the eight pages, told The Sun: "I've seen and heard many confessions, including dying confessions, they are always guaranteed to be filled with half-truths and blame shifts.
"Laundrie's is no exception He writes this farcical tale about her falling down and getting injured while crossing Spread Creek, and describes how he couldn't leave her behind."
The private investigator also noted that Laundrie stated he ended Petito's life, but did not admit he killed her, stating that he believes Laundrie wanted to rewrite history with his confession by convincing people he was a hero 'instead of the infamous villain'.
Jensen added: "He tells us these lies. They are clearly lies because the Teton County Coroner never mentioned in the autopsy, that Gabby suffered a head injury.
"The reality is he was hoping that by leaving her corpse along Spread Creek that animals would destroy the evidence, and it could leave room for the head injury to stand as a possibility.
"He wanted us all to believe he was being merciful as if Gabby asked for him to kill her."
Laundrie's journal was recovered by the FBI at Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park on in October 2021, along with his remains. The notebook was released by Laundrie's family attorney Steven Bertolino.
Bertolino told Fox News: "Today the Petito family attorney, Patrick Reilly, and myself met with the FBI in Tampa to sort through and take possession of the personal items that belonged to Gabby and Brian."
The eight page notebook contained Laundrie's confession where he explained why he killed Petito. He wrote: "I ended her life. I thought it was merciful, that it is what she wanted, but I see now all the mistakes I made. I panicked. I was in shock. But from the moment I decided I took away her pain, I knew I couldn't go on without her.”
Laundrie died by suicide after writing in his confession note that he 'couldn't go on' without his girlfriend.
He wrote: “From the moment I decided, took away her pain, I knew I couldn’t go on without her.”
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence contact Cruse Bereavement Care via their national helpline on 0808 808 1677