Foregone conclusion. Clear as day. Open and shut. Case closed. Those are all terms that likely relate to the deadly Gabby Petito case.
Current Events
Gabby Petito of Long Island, NY, and her fiance’, Brian Laundrie, began driving across country in Petito’s white van in June of 2021. The couple intended to document their trip on YouTube and Instagram as travel influencers. However, on September 1st, Laundrie returned to his parent’s home in Florida with the white van but without Gabby Petito. Soon thereafter, she was officially declared a “missing person.”
Here’s a timeline of what we know so far:
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June, 2021
Petito and her fiance’ left Laundrie’s family home in North Port, Florida, where they had been living together for more than a year. The couple intended to visit state and national parks and document their travels on social media.
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August 12, 2021
An unidentified man in Moab, Utah called 911 to report that he saw Brian Laundrie “slapping” Gabby Petito and chasing her up and down a sidewalk while hitting her.
“We drove by and the gentleman was slapping the girl,” the caller told a 911 dispatcher. “And then we stopped. They ran up and down the sidewalk. He proceeded to hit her, hopped in the car, and drove off.”
A Moab police officer later spotted the couple driving and pulled them over. The officer’s bodycam captured Gabby Petito admitting that the couple had been arguing and was involved in a “domestic dispute.”
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August 24, 2021
Petito was spotted checking out of a hotel in Salt Lake City, Utah, in what police say was the last time she was reportedly seen alive.
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August 29, 2021
Brian Laundrie met Miranda Baker and her boyfriend inside the Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming and offered them $200 to give him a ride. He told the couple he had been camping alone for days inside the park and was in a hurry. His van was later spotted inside the park.
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September 1, 2021
Laundrie returned by himself to his home in Florida. When questioned by police regarding the whereabouts of Gabby Petito, Laundrie refused to cooperate or answer any questions.
“Two people went on a trip, one person returned, and that person isn’t cooperating,” North Port Police Chief Todd Garrison said during a press conference.
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September 11, 2021
Gabby Petito was officially reported missing by her family to the Suffolk County Police Department in New York.
“Every day the search for Gabby continues, the Schmidt and Petito family becomes more desperate,” an attorney for the family said in a statement. “They are frantically searching for answers and information in their daughter’s disappearance while Brian sits in the comfort of his home.”
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September 14, 2021
Laundrie and his family released a statement announcing his intention to remain silent under the advice of his counsel.
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September 15, 2021
The North Port Police named Laundrie a “person of interest” in Petito’s disappearance.
“As of now, Brian has not made himself available to be interviewed by investigators or has provided any helpful details,” the police report stated.
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September 17, 2021
Brian Laundrie disappeared and has not been seen by anyone since.
“All of Gabby’s family want the world to know that Brian is not missing — he is hiding. Gabby is missing,” the Petito family’s lawyer said in a statement.
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September 19, 2021
The Teton County coroner announced that a body was found inside the Bridger-Teton National Park in Wyoming and that it was “consistent with the description” of Petito.
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September 21, 2021
The Teton County Coroner’s Office confirmed that the body found was indeed that of Gabby Petito and that her death was a homicide.
To recap, Petito and Laundrie set out on a cross-country trip inside her white van. Soon thereafter, a stranger called 911 to report seeing Laundrie slapping Petito while physically chasing her down the street. That same day, police pulled Laundrie over and discovered Petito inside the vehicle crying hysterically. She confirmed on police bodycam that the couple had been involved in a domestic dispute. A few weeks later, Laundrie returned to his parent’s home in Florida without Petito — and refused to tell police or anyone what happened or where his fiance could be. Petito was then considered a missing person and a search for her commenced. During the search, Brian Laundrie refused to assist in locating the woman he intended to marry, but instead disappeared and supposedly went into hiding. Days later, Gabby Petito was found dead inside a park just east of where Laundrie asked a couple to give him a ride in late August.
So, who killed Gabby Petito? With evidence this clear cut, should this case ever make it to a court of law?
A tragic story indeed. And I appreciate you covering it DJ because there’s quite a lot to consider in this case. And since he hasn’t been found yet, and the investigation is quite active, I’m going to wait and see where the evidence leads because frankly – despite what APPEARS to have happened – I’m not so sure it’s “as clear as day” as to who is really responsible for her death.
Now mind you – I’m not saying that he didn’t kill her. I’m simply saying, for me, more concrete evidence is needed proving that he did.
Btw DJ- great job on detailing the summary timeline!