Gabby Petito Murder Case 'Still Open'?! What's Going On??

Is something going on with this case we’re not aware of?

As far as we understood it, the Gabby Petito murder case was over. As the search for the young YouTuber turned into a search for her suspected killer, the investigation held the world’s attention with a vise grip.

However, the FBI revealed its findings last month, declaring they were satisfied the late Brian Laundrie — whose own remains were found almost exactly a month after his fiancée’s — had indeed been her murderer, as so many had come to believe.

Besides all the overtly suspicious behavior on Brian and his parents’ part throughout the case, the Bureau revealed a piece of evidence that was hard to controvert. In the soaked notebook found near Laundrie’s body was a confession written in his hand. We mean, what else do you need, right?

So… why is the investigation still open? The FBI confirmed to The Sun late last week that “the case is still open pending administrative actions prior to closing.” What does that mean? Well, it’s not as simple as releasing the report and throwing everything in a box, even if the presumed killer is dead. Retired FBI agent and John Jay College of Criminal Justice lecturer David Shapiro told the outlet:

“After this young woman went missing, they conducted an investigation and talked to people and whatever else was done. All that was documented, and that becomes the investigative file. The investigative file is then stored electronically and in a paper file… It’s essentially dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s, but it’s an essential process to protect the integrity of the investigation.”

Why is that still important? Well, things can change. Shapiro explained:

“Just because the case is closed, the issue is not dead. Newly discovered evidence in the future can change things.”

The evidence in this case is especially important to keep straight as the theories surrounding the murder and manhunt were myriad and increasingly mad. For instance, there was the fact the father of one half of a newlywed couple who had been murdered was openly asking if Brian had something to do with it. That killing had little to do with the Petito case apart from the fact it happened in Moab, Utah right around the time Brian and Gabby drove through town — and had a violent altercation that caught the attention of police.

It was crucial the feds keep all their info on Brian Laundrie straight so they could definitively clear him for those murders — allowing law enforcement to seek out the real culprits. Shapiro told the outlet the process of completely closing out a case often takes three months — sometimes much longer! Until then, how likely is it we’ll get new information? For instance, will we get to see exactly what’s written in the notebook? Shapiro said he didn’t think so as the notebook “is probably going to be under lock and key because it’s a vital piece of the case.”

In fact, the FBI rejected The Sun‘s Freedom of Information Act request for the recovered pages, reiterating the case still being open:

“The records responsive to your request are law enforcement records… There is a pending or prospective law enforcement proceeding relevant to these responsive records, and release of the information could reasonably be expected to interfere with enforcement proceedings.”

What could it possibly interfere with to release it to the public now though? Really? Unless of course there are still angles to pursue? Like charges for anyone else… like say, accessories after the fact? What do YOU think, Perezcious detectives??

[Image via Gabby Petito/Instagram.]