Human remains discovered ‘consistent’ with description of Gabby Petito
Sep 19, 2021, 2:41 PM | Updated: 8:14 pm
BREAKING UPDATE — Human remains discovered near the area where officials have been searching for Gabrielle “Gabby” Petito are consistent with the description of the missing woman, according to law enforcement officers.
Her cause of death has not yet been determined and the family has been notified.
The announcement comes after CNN confirmed a body was found in a national forest in Teton County, Wyoming around 3 p.m. Sunday.
Exclusive video from Chopper 5 showed crime scene investigators on the ground Sunday afternoon in the Spread Creek Dispersed Camping Area, just outside of Grand Teton National Park, as they continued to search for Petito.
You could see a tent covering a portion of the ground, surrounded by what appears to be search teams.
It’s unclear what was underneath that tent – but you can see what appears to be an investigator off to the side taking pictures.
Following law enforcement’s announcement about Petito, the attorney for the Laundrie family sent a statement to KSL saying, “The news about Gabby Petito is heartbreaking. The Laundrie family prays for Gabby and her family.”
Officials with the North Port Police Department in Florida also responded to the news on social media, saying, in part, “Saddened and heartbroken to learn that Gabby has been found deceased.”
Statement I received from the attorney of the Laundrie family:
The news about Gabby Petito is heartbreaking. The Laundrie family prays for Gabby and her family. @KSL5TV #GABBYPETITO
— Matt Rascon KSL (@MattRasconKSL) September 19, 2021
The Teton County Coroner said they will perform an autopsy on Tuesday to officially identify the body.
That autopsy will also hopefully answer the question of how Petito died.
KSL-TV crews have arrived in Wyoming and are gathering additional information.
We will update this article as more details become available.
JACKSON, Wyo. — The 22-year-old woman was first reported missing by her family on Sept. 11 — 10 days after her boyfriend, Brian Laundrie, returned home to Florida.
The couple had set out on a cross-country trip together in a van, leaving New York on July 2.
While heading west, the couple stopped at various locations in Utah, including Moab, where police said they responded to a heated argument involving Petito and Laundrie.
Moab police release details on incident between missing 22-year-old & boyfriend
Laundrie and Petito made it to Salt Lake City on Aug. 21. Petito’s father said he ordered Uber Eats for his daughter that day and had it sent to the couple’s hotel near the SLC airport.
On Aug. 24, the couple left Salt Lake City, heading for the Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming.
Petito’s family said the last time they heard from their daughter was on Aug. 30, but Petito’s mother said she wasn’t sure the text message actually came from Petito.
During that time, Petito’s parents said Laundrie ignored their calls and text messages.
After nearly two weeks of not hearing from Petito, the Suffolk County Police Department in New York officially opened an investigation.
Authorities searching for missing 22-year-old woman last seen in SLC
North Port police said they found Petito’s van at Laundrie’s parent’s home in Florida on Sept. 11, the day the investigation began into Petito’s disappearance.
The couple had been living with Laundrie’s parents.
Police said Laundrie declined to speak with them and his parents referred them to their attorney.
Police then seized the van on Sunday, Sept. 12.
Laundrie was named a person of interest in Petito’s disappearance on Sept. 15.
Police said he has not made himself available to be interviewed by investigators, nor has he provided any helpful details since he returned to Florida.
Brian Laundrie was declared missing on Friday after police spoke with Laundrie’s parents at their Florida home, per their request.
Police confirmed his parents said they last saw Brian on Tuesday.
Law enforcement began looking for Laundrie Saturday in a wildlife reserve in the Sarasota, Florida area called the Carlton Reserve.
The search was called off just before 6 p.m. due to darkness, but police resumed their efforts Sunday morning.
After spending several hours in the Carlton Reserve, the search ended Sunday night.
Our search of the Carlton has concluded for the evening. Nothing to report.
— North Port Police (@NorthPortPolice) September 19, 2021
