A week after Gabby Petito’s family filed a missing person’s report, authorities confirmed a body was found in Teton National Park Sunday. This is the last place officials believe Petito was seen. They were conducting a search in a very remote part of the park when the body was discovered.
While there is no official confirmation that the remains found are of the missing 22-year-old woman, officials at the scene said it’s likely to be her.
Fox News reports that “Teton County Coroner Brent Blue has arrived in the Bridger-Teton National Forest. A body has been found in the same area officials have been searching for Gabby Petito.”
The FBI released a press release following this news.
“Earlier today, human remains were discovered consistent with the description of Gabrielle ‘Gabby’ Petito,” Charles Jones of the Denver FBI said.
The statement went on to offer condolences to Gabby’s family amid the horrific circumstances surrounding her death.
While it’s not uncommon for hikers to go missing, there’s more to Gabby’s story than meets the eye.
Gabby’s Strange Disappearance
The case captivated the nation when Petito went missing after she and her boyfriend, 23-year-old Brian Laundrie, decided to road trip through several national parks across the country in a converted travel van. They were on their way to California when Gabby disappeared.
Further, Laundrie showed up at his parents’ house in Florida without Gabby and refused to speak with law enforcement about her disappearance, instead, securing a lawyer. Even more bizarre, in the days since Gabby went missing, Laundrie’s whereabouts are now unknown. Authorities continue to search for him after he left his parents’ home in Florida.
The young woman often posted on her social media page and wanted to create a travel blog. Photos on her account show a vibrant, smiling Petito surrounded by some of the nation’s most beautiful scenery. Her last post was on Aug. 25 – and she sent very few messages to her family after that.
Missing Person’s Report Filed
After not hearing from Gabby for two weeks, her family in New York filed a missing person’s report Sept. 11. Additionally, Gabby’s mom said her daughter always texted daily and updated her on the couple’s travels. On Aug. 29, Gabby’s mother received a text saying, “no service in Yosemite,” from Gabby’s phone, though officials aren’t sure the message came from her.
Further, while the couple were traveling together since July. They were in Gabby’s van when a police officer stopped them. The incident happened in Utah on Aug. 12 – after Brian broke the speed limit and hit the curb. When police approached their car, they saw a hysterical Gabby in the passenger seat. Upon question, police learned the two got into an argument which turned physical when Gabby scratched Brian’s face. Utah law enforcement released the footage in its entirety.
Authorities said the investigation is ongoing as they grapple with all the details surrounding Gabby’s disappearance.
