Gabby Petito last known to be in Tetons

Long shot, but if anyone has information on this missing person, please contact LE. 

Gabby Petito, 22, is missing under suspicious circumstances. She was on a "van life journey" with her boyfriend, Brian Laundrie, who has since returned to their home in Florida without her. He has lawyered up and is not cooperating with investigators. Gabby's family last heard from her 8/25, when she told her mother they were in Grand Teton National Park. They had plans to go to Yellowstone, as well. Her family reported her missing on 9/11. 

Gabby has long blond hair, blue eyes, and is 5'5 with a slim build. She has a tattoo with the phrase/lyric "let it be" on her right forearm and a triangle with flowers on her left arm. If you saw her, or her boyfriend for that matter, please reach out to Suffolk County PD at 1-800-220-8477. FBI has created a website where people can submit any media they have that shows Gabby, Brian, or the van. Tips without media can be submitted to tips.fbi.gov.

You can check out her insta to see pictures of Gabby, her bf, the van, and places she visited. She also has a YT channel here.

Caroline Rwrote:

 

Gabby Petito, 22,

You can check out her insta to see pictures of Gabby, her bf, the van, and places she visited. She also has a YT channel here.

I wonder how long they have known each other.

 A young female friend of mine just met a guy online who lives over 1000 miles away. He flies in and off they go. Modern day version of hitchhiking 'cept no thumb on the side of the road, just on the internet. Could be the next Ted Bundy, or Fred Beckey.

One day, some climber posting here looking for a partner may get more than they bargained for.

Teton Climberwrote:

I wonder how long they have known each other.

Family says they've been dating at least two years and first met in high school before getting together as adults. They approved of him and the trip before this all happened.

...

Thanks for the research. 

Ted Bundy was a charming, charismatic, and good looking law student. How many parents would approve? Only 30 women raped or murdered...? 

Anyways, Gabby's boyfriend won't talk. Killed on purpose or by mistake; or she has run off with the circus with a new boyfriend. He is hiding something and knows the truth. Creepy.

Agreed. That's why I think it's wise to see if people remember seeing him, too. I'm a realist and as such, am assuming the timeline of his whereabouts are likely to be of imminent interest to LE. If she was ok last time he saw her, he would have said so - even if through his attorney. That poor family.

Sounds like a spoiled rich kid, aka sociopath, aka no consequence life style. Who can afford to just "lawyer up"? This is fk'd.

the boyfriend explaining precisely how he ended up separating from her and returning home........that remains forthcoming, apparently.

Wow, the Mp speculations got dark quicker than normal.

Gumby Kingwrote:

Wow, the Mp speculations got dark quicker than normal.

Something is dark alright.

The Special Agents of the National Park Service Investigative Services Branch, the FBI, and local LE are on the case in Wyoming according to GTNP's latest Media Release email.

I doubt anyone has a clue, yet, if she actually arrived here.

UPDATE 9-15: 

Real Couples of #VanLife. Behind the scenes:

MOAB, Utah — Officials with the Moab City Police Department have released a report that details an incident they responded to between missing 22-year-old Gabrielle Petito and her boyfriend, Brian Laundrie.

According to the report that was released Wednesday, officers responded to calls about a domestic problem that had taken place near the Moonflower Co-op at 39 E. 100 North in Moab around 4:30 p.m. on Aug. 12. Police said Petito and Laundrie got into some kind of argument and Laundrie tried to “create distance” and he told Petito “to go take a walk to calm down.”

Witnesses told a responding officer that Petito said she didn’t want to be separated from Laundrie and she began slapping him and climbed “through the window as if (Laundrie) had locked her out and she was trying to find a way in.” According to the report, Laundrie grabbed Petito’s face “and pushed her back as she pressed upon him and the van,” but she was able to force her way into the van before it took off. Laundrie said he tried to calm them both down when he tried to drive away during the initial argument. Laundrie claimed Petito went into a manic state and thought he was going to leave her in Moab without a ride when she went to slap him. “As (Petito) started to swing, (Laundrie) pushed her away to avoid the slap,” police said. Officers said Laundrie had some visible, minor scratches on his face. During the investigation, both Petito and Laundrie told officers they were “in love and engaged to be married and desperately didn’t wish to see anyone charged with a crime.” One officer reported the incident would be more accurately described as a “mental/emotional health ‘break’ than domestic assault.”

Another officer located the van near the turnoff from U.S. Highway 128 to Arches National Park and initiated a traffic stop after he said he observed the van going 45 mph in a 15 mph zone. He said the van crossed the double yellow diving line, merged into the right lane and abruptly swerved into the curb on the right-hand side. According to the report, Petito was “crying uncontrollably,” and the officer asked her to step out of the van and talk with him. Police said Petito said she “was struggling with her mental health” due to her preexisting conditions, which were redacted from the report, and due to the arguments the couple had been having which led to the initial domestic incident. She also told the officer the van swerved when she hit Laundrie in the arm to get his attention, but she did not intend to hurt him. The officer said Petito could not “stop crying, breathing heavily, or compose a sentence without needing to wipe away tears, wipe her nose, or rub her knees with her hands.”

Laundrie said both he and Petito suffer from serious anxiety and don’t take medication for it, and issues had been building for days. The report said the couple had been together on the road for four or five months at this point, Petito agreed to police suggesting they separate for the night. Officers assessed the situation and didn’t think there was a case of domestic abuse against Petito. Laundrie was assed to be at low risk of danger or harm. 

According to the report, police obtained lodging for Laundrie and Petito remained in possession of the van. The couple originally insisted on remaining together, but the report said one officer required the break “in lieu of making a case against (Petito) for domestic assault.” One officer told the couple to “take advantage of this time apart to relax their emotions and regain control of their anxiety.” He also asked them to avoid contacting each other until the following morning, but both had their own cell phone in case of an emergency.

            ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~                          

The Laundrie family:

"This is an extremely difficult time for both the Petito family and the Laundrie family. I understand that a search has been organized for Miss Petito in or near Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. On behalf of the Laundrie family, it is our hope that the search for Miss Petito is successful and that Miss Petito is re-united with her family. On the advice of counsel, the Laundrie family is remaining in the background at this juncture and will have no further comment.” 

            ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~                          

And the plot thickens...

I don't really understand the Laundrie game plan here. Do they think this is all just going to blow over if he refuses to talk about it? Seems like a dumb strategy, but IANAL, so what do I know...

Thicker. 

https://www.mountainproject.com/forum/topic/121311332/double-homicide-in-moab-ut

Her final IG post was apparently in front of the Monarch Art Studio in Ogden, Utah. Everything I've read about the FaceTime call was that it was as they left Salt Lake City.

The van was apparently spotted at some point up near the Tetons, but I think it ended up in Florida? The guy was reportedly back in Florida by Sept 1 (and already lawyered up as far as I can tell).

Unless there is some specific evidence indicating she was actually in the Teton area (witness, camera, etc. saw her and not just the vehicle), the search area may unfortunately be as wide as Ogden to the Tetons (and there are several ways to get from O to T that all take about the same travel time). This means Northern Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming are all potential areas.

The likely dates that whatever happened occurred would be between Aug 25-29.

A lot could have happened during that time period that could affect the when and where. I doubt anyone will find much unless the dude talks or someone gets "lucky" to find something to narrow the search area.

From NPR: https://www.npr.org/2021/09/16/1037829371/gabby-petito-missing-brian-laundrie

The boyfriend, Brian Laundrie, returned to their Florida home in her 2012 white Ford Transit van on Sept. 1

If as reported the van was her's, by that registered in her name only I wonder if that gives the police any grounds for arresting him for auto theft? The issue of course is at this time she is not able to say that he was or not given her permission to drive the van back to FL without her.

Sadly though I do not think that the outcome is going be positive. And at this point she could be anywhere from Wyoming to Floriduh.

Brandon Danielwrote:

Her final IG post was apparently in front of the Monarch Art Studio in Ogden, Utah. Everything I've read about the FaceTime call was that it was as they left Salt Lake City.

.....the search area may unfortunately be as wide as Ogden to the Tetons

Yep. Could be anywhere including in the middle of nowhere in Wyoming.

The law enforcement teams in Teton County are not engaged in a major search effort in the Tetons. A family member did arrive in Jackson to 'assist' investigators but it looks like that is just a family member wanting to be near the last reported destination (unless they are holding back information).

The park service has the ability to pull up images of every car entering and leaving the park, and Jackson Hole has an extensive network of security cameras and webcams (thousands). If they were here, they were on someone's camera. LE will be looking at the cameras if they want to confirm her arrival. Cell tower pings and credit card transactions help narrow that search. I doubt anyone is on foot looking for her.

Gabby seems to be the type of person that people would remember if they ran into her. A young couple in a van are usually socializing with others to some degree. None has publicly claimed to have seen them in Teton County. Media coverage has been extensive nationwide.

As an aside, we still have a local hiker who went missing in the park this summer and has not been found. Easy to disappear.

First, I think that the discussion should stop at: Be on the look-out for Gabby in the greater Utah/Wyoming/Idaho/Colorado area.

However, I have just been thinking if the gender roles were reversed, if the majority would think that the female would be doing the right thing (remember, roles reversed)? If there was a documented altercation by police that a male narrowly escaped domestic violence charges being filed and subsequently the female fled with the male's vehicle and lawyered up, would the discussion be centered on why the female is not providing statements to media or for that matter, the police? The potential crime of stealing a vehicle/possessions  and abandoning someone (motive: to escape domestic violence) being a good reason to lawyer up and follow legal counsel advice.

I think it is best to not speculate on a situation we really know very little about. Jumping to now a double/triple murder being laid at the boyfriends feet when he is following legal counsel advice after a documented altercation where he was the apparent victim seems a bit sexist and speculative. 

Be on the look-out for Gabby, hope that the murderer in Moab is found, and wish the best for all parties involved until further FACTS come to light.

jnowiswrote:

Jumping to now a double/triple murder being laid at the boyfriends feet when he is following legal counsel advice after a documented altercation where he was the apparent victim seems a bit sexist and speculative. 

He need only tell the truth to end any speculation.  I would say speculation is exactly what everyone involved is very busy doing and it is not inappropriate, especially if someone’s wild theory gets chased down and turns out to be correct and Petito is located.  The BF and familiy are the only “victims” of such speculation - rightfully, nobody cares.  

James Wwrote:

He need only tell the truth to end any speculation.  I would say speculation is exactly what everyone involved is very busy doing and it is not inappropriate, especially if someone’s wild theory gets chased down and turns out to be correct and Petito is located.  The BF and familiy are the only “victims” of such speculation - rightfully, nobody cares.  

That's just not true. Talking to the police is never, ever a good idea.

FWIW, he does look suspicious from our position as observers with limited information.

Alexander Blumwrote:

That's just not true. Talking to the police is never, ever a good idea.

FWIW, he does look suspicious from our position as observers with limited information.

Talking to the police to help find his girlfriend is not a good idea? Good grief.

 Not a good idea if you have something to hide.

Alexander Blumwrote:

That's just not true. Talking to the police is never, ever a good idea.

FWIW, he does look suspicious from our position as observers with limited information.

The 5th states not required to witness against oneself. 

If you've got nothing to hide by talking to authorities you are a witness for yourself. Big difference.

Anyone who has spent any time in LE can tell you not saying anything speaks volumes.

Cops in Florida know nothing according to them.

I love this: 

“Brian left Gabby in the wilderness with grizzly bears and wolves while he sits in the comfort of his home,”  said a statement from attorney Richard Stafford, who represents the family of Gabrielle Petito

As if grizzly bears and wolves are a real concern.

As pointed out in my previous post, SHE escaped assault charges in the Moab encounter. It is interesting to see how the Moab cops handled the encounter. I wondered if a less "attractive/sympathetic" couple might fair the same, seemed likely.

James Wwrote:

  The BF and familiy are the only “victims” of such speculation - rightfully, nobody cares.  

To clarify, when I said apparent victim, I was specifically referring to the traffic stop when police asked if charges should be filed against Gabby for the suspected domestic assault. In this case, Brian was the apparent victim. 

James W wrote:

I would say speculation is exactly what everyone involved is very busy doing and it is not inappropriate, especially if someone’s wild theory gets chased down and turns out to be correct and Petito is located.  

I disagree. There is so little information. Assuming that Brian is innocent of any crime, speculation only makes his situation worse. Why speculate when we have so little to go on? Law enforcement has more information than internet speculators, and they also use scientific methods to collect evidence and establish motives. Family, friends, and good journalism are responsible for keeping law enforcement accountable. So what good is internet speculation doing? 

I think the only reason I am engaging in this conversation is that curiosity got the better of me with her disappearance and coincidence with a double murder combined with my frustration with bad journalism and people thinking they know more than experts.

Alexander Blum wrote:

FWIW, he does look suspicious from our position as observers with limited information.

Agreed. He is a person of interest with law enforcement. He has legal counsel and should follow their advice. Maybe he should also consider hiring a PR manager...

Lastly...

Be on the look-out for Gabby, hope that the murderer in Moab is found, and wish the best for all parties involved until further FACTS come to light.