Brian Laundrie is still missing, over three weeks after his parents' notified the authorities. As the manhunt continues, Petito's family's lawyer called Laundrie's actions "dastardly" following the homicide of his fiance.
The statement came after federal authorities in Wyoming issued an arrest warrant for Laundrie.
Here is a breakdown of a case that caught the attention of the whole nation and even the world.
Picture Perfect Life Of Gabby Petito
Her family reported her missing after not being able to contact her since the last days of August.
Brian Laundrie, 23, and Gabby were last spotted in Wyoming.
Laundrie came back to his Florida home on September 1. but Gabby was not with him.
The couple was living #vanlife, as they planed to explore the US while traveling in a van.
Before she was reported missing, Gabby hadn't posted on Instagram for three weeks, which was unusual.
North Port police chief, Todd Garrison, issued a statement regarding the young woman's disappearance.
At the time, he said:
"We are pleading with anyone, including Brian, to share information with us on her whereabouts in the past few weeks. The lack of information from Brian is hindering this investigation. The answers will eventually come out."
Petito's family and the rest of the nation were in shock by Laundrie's behavior.
The Family Demanding Answers
Before realizing that Gabby is not merely missing, her family stated:
"Brian is also refusing to explain why he left Gabby all alone and drove her van to Florida. These are critical questions that require immediate answers."
Laundrie's sister, Cassie Laundrie, is the only one who spoke to the media, saying she hopes for Gabby's safe return.
She said:
"She's like a sister and my children love her, and all I want is for her to come home safe and found and this to be just a big misunderstanding."
On September 19, remains were discovered, and though it was not confirmed it was Gabby, the authorities said that the body matched the description.
Gabby's remains were found at the Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. The FBI Denver based agent Charles Jones stated:
"Earlier today, human remains were discovered, consistent with the description of Gabrielle 'Gabby' Petito."
"Full forensic identification has not been completed to confirm 100% that we found Gabby, but her family has been notified of this discovery."
The power of the Internet this time was used for good. Youtubers Jenn and Kyle Bethune of Red White & Bethune spotted Petito's van while editing their traveling videos.
They contacted the authorities, and their video led the police to discover the body.
Youtube Couple Speaks Up
The footage presented came from August 27. Bethune later uploaded the video, writing:
"We were editing our Sunday video, tonight and we were looking at footage from on August 27th, 2021 around 6:00 pm to 6:30 pm in Spread Creek Dispersed Camping. We had passed by a white van with Florida Plates. We noticed it because we are originally from Florida and wanted to stop and say hi. When we passed the van, all the lights were off and it didn't look like anyone was there. We ended up leaving because we couldn't find a spot."
The couple explained that the camera was left on accidentally.
Many people expressed their condolences to Petito's family through social media. Some were following Gabby's posts, while others simply sympathized with every parents' nightmare.
Police Under Investigation
While Brian Laundrie is a person of interest, it is no longer a secret that the couple had a volatile relationship.
The police did not interrogate Laundrie before he went missing, but that was not the only thing they did wrong.
Many former detectives and police officers claimed that Launrdie should have been under surveillance. Ed Gavin, an expert in missing person cases and former acting chief of the New York City Administration for Children's Services, stated:
"They should've immediately placed him under surveillance. Immediately."
"They should've been all over him. The fact that they let him out of their sight, that's a no-no. Time is of the essence with these investigations."
But, soon, the police was called out again, and this time, we saw the other side of Laundrie's relationship to late Gabby Petito.
The Infamous Bodycam Footage
On August 12, in Moab, Utah, a 911 caller stated that a man was hitting a woman, describing Gabby's white van.
The police stopped the couple, and several bodycams showed Petito in utter distress.
Petito can be heard saying:
"I have really bad OCD. I was apologizing to him saying I'm sorry I'm so mean."
"We've been fighting all morning. He wouldn't let me in the car before... He told me I needed to calm down."
Laundrie said:
"She just gets worked up sometimes, I try to distance myself from her. I locked the car.
"I said, 'Let's just take a breather.' She had her phone. I was trying to push her away to say, 'Let's just take a step back.'"
He added that Gabby hit him with her phone.
The police concluded that Gabby initiated the violence, despite what the 911 caller said and her visible distress.
Gabby's Final Message
The last message sent from Gabby Petito's phone was to her mother, but her mom is not sure it came from her daughter.
Nicole Schmidt, Gabby's mom, claims she received a message that did not sound like her child but refused to make assumptions.
Finally, the last post on Gabby's Instagram left many online detectives confused, as it doesn't appear to be geotagged and appears to be an older photo of Gabby.
The Message That Deepened The Confusion
In a message Gabby allegedly sent to her mom, it said:
"Can you help Stan, I just keep getting his voicemails and missed calls."
This message led to a warrant against Brian Laundrie, as the family lawyer explained:
"The reference to 'Stan,' was regarding her grandfather, but per the mother, she never calls him 'Stan.' The mother was concerned that something was wrong with her daughter."
Dog The Bounty Hunter Joins The Search For Brian
Duane Chapman, also known as Dog the Bounty Hunter, joined the search for America's most wanted man right now.
While on his honeymoon, he heard about the case, and on September 25, he went straight to Brian's family home. He tried to talk to his family, but they did not respond.
He soon revealed that the family went twice to Fort De Soto Park before Brian's disappearance.
Chapman said:
"They were registered, went through the gate. They're on camera. They were here. We think at least if he's not here right now, we are sure he was caught on camera as he went in the gate — that he was here for sure. Not over in the swamp."
"Allegedly, what we're hearing, is two people left on the 8th. Three people came in on the 6th, and 2 people left on the 8th. I think he's been here for sure."
Brian's Lawyer Speaks Up, As His Sister Changes The Story
Lawyer Steven Bertolino confirmed Laundrie family went on a trip.
He stated that everyone came home, but Laundrie's sister spoke up again and said she only saw Brian on September 1.
Cassie told GMA:
"I haven't been able to talk to him. I wish I could talk to him."
She continued:
"I've cooperated in every way that I can. I wish I had information, or I would give more."
Bertolino further stated that law enforcement was well aware of all the dates regarding Brian Launrie's movements before he went missing.
Landrie Did Use Gabby's Credit Card
Gabby Petito's lawyer has confirmed that Laundrie used Petito's bank card after she was last seen alive.
Richard Stafford appeared on Dr. Phil alongside her family, where he revealed that Laundrie "stole her credit card."
Stafford stated:
"You can look at his state of mind by his actions. He ran, he stole her credit card, he used her credit card to get home and then ran from the police. That's going to show a lot what he was thinking back then."
This comes after the authorities released a warrant for the arrest of Brian Laundrie for the unauthorized use of a debit card.
Allegedly, he used this card between August 30. and September 1., and took over 1000 dollars.
Though the authorities did not name Gabby as the victim of fraud, it is rather straightforward that Brian Laundrie used her card.
The autopsy results were not released, though it was confirmed that Gabby was a victim of homicide.
Hopefully, her family will soon find out what happened to their beloved daughter and sister, which captured the hearts of millions.
