The mysterious disappearance of Gabby Petito captured the attention of the nation, as citizens across America questioned what happened to this poor girl. While some of the details are still unknown, a few questions have been answered. In this article, we will take a look at all the known events that transpired, and how these led to Gabby’s mysterious and tragic death. 

Background

Gabby Petito was a social media “van life” vlogger. In July 2021, she set out with her fiancé, Brian Laundrie, for a cross-country road trip to visit State and National Parks across the western United States. On August 12, 2021, the couple was pulled over in Moab, Utah for an apparent domestic dispute. The caller told the police that they saw a man, supposedly Brian Laundrie, hit a girl, Gabby Petito, before they both re-entered their car. After this, Brian and Gabby said that they did not want anyone to be prosecuted with criminal charges, as they were still very much in love. However, the couple did separate that night per an officer’s recommendation. On August 19th, Gabby and Brian posted a video on Youtube in which they talked about their van life and were seen laughing and acting jovial. Eight days later, a vacationing Louisiana couple in Jackson, Wyoming claimed that the two were involved in a “commotion.” Other witnesses agreed, stating that Laundrie was visibly angry and Petito was in tears. That same week, the family received their last text from Petito that read, “no service in Yosemite.” The family believes that this text did not come from her.  

The Search for Gabby

Laundrie returned home on September 1st without Gabby and, after only five days, left for a camping trip with his parents. The Petito family anxiously waited to hear back from Gabby, but found nothing; as a result, they officially reported Gabby missing on September 11th. Officials went to the Laundrie house but only received information from their attorney. Soon after, Laundrie left for a camping trip in the Carlton Reserve and was named a person of interest without cooperating. The Petito family pleaded for information on their missing daughter from the Laundries, but the family refused to help. A letter written by the Petito family stated, “we haven’t been able to sleep or eat, and our lives are falling apart.” Following this urgent message, the FBI began the search for both Brian and Gabby. On September 19th, they found human remains in Teton County which were later confirmed to be Gabby’s remains. Almost over a month later on October 12th, the final cause of death, strangulation, was released by coroners. Though one mystery has been solved, and the world now knows that Gabby is not alive, there are still many questions surrounding this mysterious death, the most pressing being: was Brian involved?

The Search for Brian

The search for Brian had been persisting for a month. During this search, he was charged with the use of unauthorized devices, including the use of Gabby’s debit card, after her death. The FBI looked across the entire state of Florida and eventually, on October 20th, 2021, human remains were found in the Carlton Reserve, along with personal items including a notebook and backpack. A day later, these remains were confirmed to be Brian’s. 

Unanswered Questions and Conclusion

There are still countless unanswered questions in this case. What caused Gabby’s death? How did Brian die? Were the Laundries involved in covering up Gabby’s death? Did Brian kill Gabby? The never-ending list of unsettled questions shrouds this case in mystery. However, the FBI is working diligently and more details may be revealed in the coming months. For now, the case remains open.