A body was discovered in Wyoming’s Bridger-Teton National Forest on Sunday and is believed to be Gabrielle “Gabby” Petito, authorities said.
The body was found by law enforcement after they spent the past two days searching campgrounds, according to the FBI, which added that the cause of death has not yet been determined. An autopsy is scheduled for Tuesday, according to the Teton County Coroner’s Office.
“Full forensic identification has not been completed to confirm 100% that we found Gabby, but her family has been notified,” FBI Supervisory Special Agent Charles Jones said. “This is an incredibly difficult time for [Petito’s] family and friends.”
A spokesman for the Petito family asked for “some decorum and sensitivity” for Petito’s family, giving them time to grieve.
“I would also like to personally thank the FBI, the Suffolk County Police Department, the North Port Police Department and especially the Grand Teton Search and Rescue Team. Your tireless work and determination helped bring Gabby home to her parents. The family and I will be forever grateful,” the spokesman added.
POLICE RELEASE BODY CAMERA FOOTAGE OF INCIDENT BETWEEN GABBY PETITO AND BOYFRIEND
Jones said investigators are still seeking information from anyone who may have seen Petito or her boyfriend Brian Laundrie around some camping sites located on the park’s eastern boundary.
Petito was reported missing on Sept. 11 by her parents after they had not spoken to her in two weeks. Both she and Laundrie left in July from New York on a cross-country trek in a converted van.
Laundrie returned home alone to his parents’ home in North Port, Florida, on Sept. 1, according to police. He has been identified as a person of interest in the case and was last seen by his family on Tuesday. Police are searching for Laundrie in the 24,000 acre Carlton Reserve in Sarasota County, Florida.
Police on Sunday evening were seen outside the Laundrie house, according to Fox News.
LIVE UPDATES: Police are seen outside the Laundrie house hours after a body believed to be Gabby Petito’s is found. Fox News Digital reporters say they are clearing the area in front of the home. https://t.co/Lps6sGmO1R pic.twitter.com/VMYuZXkEhX
— Fox News (@FoxNews) September 20, 2021
Last week, Utah authorities released body camera footage of an incident between Petito and Laundrie.
Moab City Police Department released their hourlong response footage to a 911 call following an Aug. 12 fight between the young couple in which Petito slapped Laundrie, and he told her to calm down and take a walk.
In the police report, Laundrie is listed as the victim and Petito as the suspect, though Moab City Police Chief Bret Edge said earlier this week that there was not enough evidence for a criminal charge.
Petito told officers she suffered from serious anxiety and other medical conditions, and authorities categorized the incident as a “mental/emotional health break” rather than domestic assault.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
She also told police tension had been growing between her and Laundrie over the past few days and had spilled over. The couple agreed to take a break from one another that night, and police helped Laundrie find a hotel room while Petito remained in possession of her white Ford van.
