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Body found in Wyoming has been identified as Gabby Petito, a 22-year-old woman who was reported missing earlier this month, the FBI’s Denver Field Office announcement Tuesday. The initial mode of death was considered homicide, but the cause of death remains pending final autopsy results, he said.
Brent Blue, the Teton County coroner, performed the autopsy on Tuesday after investigators discovered the body in a camping area in Grand Teton National Park. FBI Denver said a forensic team has completed its search of the campgrounds and is asking anyone in the area between August 27 and August 30 to contact investigators.
“The FBI and our partners remain committed to ensuring that anyone responsible for or complicit in Ms. Petito’s death is held accountable for their actions,” the FBI in Denver said in a statement on Tuesday. “Mr. Brian Laundrie has been named Person of Interest. Anyone with information regarding Mr. Laundrie’s role in this matter or his current whereabouts should contact the FBI.”
The bureau thanked the public for their support throughout the investigation and sent condolences to Petito’s family: “The FBI Denver appreciates the cooperation of all agencies and staff who assisted in the search efforts, recovery and identification. We extend our sincere condolences to family, friends and everyone whose lives she touched. “
Earlier Tuesday, attorney Richard Benson Stafford, who represents the Petito family, made a statement on Tuesday: “I personally want to thank the press and media for giving the Petito and Schmidt family time to mourn. We will make a statement when Gabby is home. “
Investigators were looking for Petito’s fiancé Brian Laundrie on the Carlton Reservation in Florida on Tuesday, a week after his family said they last saw him. Law enforcement look for his home for eight hours on Monday, questioning his parents and collecting evidence that could tell them what happened to Petito.
An attorney for the Laundrie family issued a brief statement on Tuesday in response to the news: “May Gabby rest in peace.”
North Port Police Department
As the couple traveled to Moab, Utah, police responded to a report of a marital dispute on Aug. 12. After speaking with the couple, the police called it a “mental health break.”
In a police report, an officer wrote that Petito, Laundrie and a witness all said Petito slapped Laundrie in the face after an argument, and Laundrie then “grabbed her face and pushed her away.” The officer said neither Petito nor Laundrie wanted to press charges.
Petito’s last known contact with her family was in late August while she was in Grand Teton National Park, authorities said. She was reported missing on September 11 – 10 days after Laundrie returned from the trip without her.
“(The) first word that came to my mind was ‘cowardly’, to be honest with you,” Petito’s friend Rose Davis told CBS News. “You’re supposed to love her. You’re supposed to marry her. I want to text her and say, ‘Please give me something.'”
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