A body discovered in a national park in Wyoming was found to be “consistent with the description” of Gabby Petito, a Florida vlogger reported missing earlier this month, officials say.
The update came on Sunday during a press conference held by the FBI and U.S. National Park Services.
“Earlier today human remains were discovered consistent with Gabrielle Petito,” said Charles Jones of FBI Denver.
“The vicinity around Spread Creek campsite will remain closed to the public until further notice.”
Jones said that the body was still awaiting a full forensic identification, but that Petito’s family has been notified. The cause of death has not yet been determined.
He added that they were still continuing to look for more information from anyone near the campsite in Grand Teton National Park between Aug. 27 and Aug. 30.
Petito, 22, has not been seen since her boyfriend, 23-year-old Brian Laundrie, returned home to Florida from a cross-country trip without her.
Her last appearance was on Aug. 24, after video footage showed the both of them checking out of a hotel in Salt Lake City, Utah, authorities said.
Laundrie initially refused to co-operate with or speak to authorities on Petito’s disappearance except through statements from his lawyer, and he has since been named a “person of interest” in the investigation.
On Friday, Laundrie’s family said he too had gone missing after North Port Police went to his home. Following their visit, police said in a statement that the family claimed he was not seen since Tuesday and that the Laundries’ lawyer had talked to them “about the disappearance of their son.”
“We understand the community’s frustration, we are frustrated too,” read the police’s statement.
“For six days, the North Port Police Department and the FBI have been pleading with the family to contact investigators regarding Brian’s fiancé Gabby Petito. Friday is the first time they have spoken with investigators in detail.”
Officials have stressed that Laundrie is not a suspect in Petito’s disappearance — only a person of interest. There have been no charges filed.
The couple had first set out together in July on a summer-long tour of national parks across the U.S. — a journey Petito and Laundrie documented on their blog, Nomadic Statik. The two had also posted snippets of their trip on social media.
Petito’s last post on Instagram showed her posing with a knitted pumpkin alongside the caption “Happy Halloween.”
Her family said that they first became worried about her in late August after she had stopped appearing for FaceTime calls with her mom, which they held three times a week. Their last call was on either Aug. 23 or 24.
Laundrie would later show up with their van at their shared home in Florida on Sept. 1 with Petito absent.
Petito’s family reported her missing on Sept. 11. Despite pleading with Laundrie and his family to provide more information to help locate their daughter, the Laundries refused to comply until Friday.
On Thursday, police in Moab, Utah released bodycam video that showed officers responding with a visibly distressed Petito on the side of the road after a fight with Laundrie. Charges were not filed after the encounter, which happened days before she was last heard from.
Petito’s mother said she received a text message from her daughter on Aug. 30, though she’s not convinced her daughter wrote the message.
Police have since confiscated the couple’s van.
— With files from Reuters and Global’s Sean Boynton and Josh Elliott
Comments