Found Deceased WY - Gabrielle ‘Gabby’ Petito, 22, Grand Teton National Park, 25 Aug 2021 #20

[Skigirl]

Thinking about why Gabby would have protected BL when she was questioned by LE: I've yet to see an abused victim confirm that to the police. They know there will be heck to pay if they turn the abuser in. IMO, Gabby was protecting BL and herself. The victim has usually been so isolated that they feel hopeless and helpless. MOO.

I think they both would have assumed that the very, very public scene near the food co-op was why they were being pulled over. They would have both have gone into the encounter with two goals: 1) Stopping the police from arresting him, and 2) Getting on their way as quickly as possible.

She thought that it was a given that they were worried about her wellbeing. That's why she immediately took the blame as soon as she got out of the van.

You can see that they are both astonished when it starts to become clear that the police think that she's the abuser. I don't think it occurred to either of them that anyone would think she was an abuser -- but it did occur to both of them that people would think that he was.

 

[bellesnwhistles]

Thank you. This is the way I see it, and it makes me practically cry every time I think about it. How alone, how vulnerable, how misunderstood. The police stop is every abuse or rape victim's worst nightmare. And people wonder why there's a lack of reporting.

MOO.

I couldn’t even get half way through. Honestly, as a woman I don’t think everyone will realize that even just the tones used can be triggering. I did not like the way the bearded officer was talking to her and I only saw a brief, brief bit because it made me emotional and I had to stop watching. Gabby didn’t have that luxury.

 

[Puzzles8]

Yes, it's very typical behavior. I'm sure the officers did their best, but better training to spot these signs is desperately needed.

I agree more training would help, but you need to figure out how to fund it.

 

[Eli9]

And the story that he flew to Florida and left her in a hotel is the story that Gabby told her parents, right? Have we had any kind of confirmation (flight records, etc) that he actually went?

We don't have flight records.

why would she? she didnt tell them she was fighting with him, she was tryng to uphold their perfect couple imagine

GP did phone her mother during the incident with LE.

 

[sasha17]

That is probably one of Gabby's "friends" (SM friend, maybe real friend?)

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That makes more sense. Thank you!

 

[VA Investigator]

I have a question and I am not sure if it has been brought up yet. Does anyone think it is possible BL & GP were up at Colter Bay together and had a fight and she left him stranded there. Then he got pissed and worked his way back to the Spread Creek area (where he got a ride to hitchhiking) and when he got back there his anger for being left behind got the best of him and he killed her there and then took off for home on that evening or next day on the 30th? They may have already been at the area in Spread Creek before hand and he figured that she went back to that area when she left him stranded and he went back there looking for her? She did have the area marked on the camping app so its possible they were there 1st then went to Colter Bay together and had a fight and she left him. He gets pissed and goes back to Spread Creek area to find her. Would explain why he was hitchhiking alone and would also explain why he told the couple that picked him up that she was back there doing videos because he was embarrassed / angry she left him alone and would provide some motive for her being killed at the location.

 

[SuziQ]

My take on the Stan text is that BL was used to calling gpa Stan and he slipped and typed that while he was pretending to be Gabby texting. Yellowstone vs Yosemite he either confused like many do or he was purposely misleading. I really don't think there is any more to read into the text than that.

 

[builder]

Did you all know you can fly directly from Sarasota to JH airport.? opps wrong, but you can fly there from many other places in FL. sorry

 

[Charliegirl610]

I have a question and will apologize if this has been discussed, I can't keep up with you all..... If they know when the van entered North Port, it is assumed they can then back track and get photos of the van going through toll booths that have cameras and can show the driver. Surely, BL would have had to cross bridges/tolls from WY to FL. Also, I'm hopeful that the LE will go back to wherever the Laundrie families trash is dumped and search for items that were disposed of from the van after returning on 9/1. I really pray that GP and BL's cell phones are found. They will hold scads of information.

 

[Sassafrass]

I'd just be surprised if that hadn't come out by now. Surely she'd have contacted family/friends or whoever to say Brian has left to go home and we've broke up. Would she have even wanted to continue on her own?

This is a good point - and on a larger point:

did neither of them have friends? We have heard about her texts to her mom, but...as a parent of two children just a couple years younger than these two, my observation is that it is rare that two people this age would not have friends who are in touch very regularly, who might have them on friendfinder/whatever app shows where all your friends are, etc.

If they've been completely wrapped up in each other for the last couple of years, and it was a toxic relationship, then okay, maybe. But it seems odd that no (or maybe 1) friend has come forward with any observation, comment, or information about their relationship or when they last heard/stopped hearing from them.

 

[Puzzles8]

I'm sure someone has already said this, but couldn't Brian have gotten a cheap burner phone from Walmart or wherever and just paid in cash and not have any tangible evidence linking him to it? There are ways of not having LE track you through phones.

Walmart has more security cameras than Carter has pills.......

 

[rougeforces]

Just IMO, but that sounds more like a driving plan with two drivers switching off. Hopefully someone used credit cards to buy all that gas and there is still security footage from the gas stations.

It's just as fast as I think is possible to get that van from the camping spot to where it was found.

Probably the reason I was so curious about this.. I have done non stop drives solo. Tampa to San Diego ~44 hours. Chicago to St. Petersburg ~ 19 hours. Pittsburg to Tampa ~18 hours. It's doable even if you are not amped up on adrenaline or some other stimulant. (Well, coffee is probably a requirement!). For solo, considering a quick nap or 3 maybe push the start time back a couple hours.

 

[SuziQ]

Thinking about why Gabby would have protected BL when she was questioned by LE: I've yet to see an abused victim confirm that to the police. They know there will be heck to pay if they turn the abuser in. IMO, Gabby was protecting BL and herself. The victim has usually been so isolated that they feel hopeless and helpless. MOO.

I shudder to think about what went down when they reconnected the next day.

 

[stormymama]

I hate to beat the Stan thing to death even more, but I think it’s what tipped Gabby’s mom off - that it was BL using Gabby’s phone and instead of calling him Grandpa (or whatever she called him) he slipped and used real name, Stan. MOO

 

[Hyway]

We will have to agree to disagree if she was terrified that he would leave her with the van or not, but he did eventually leave her after he killed her. Why is it so difficult to imagine that he had not either done it or threatened it before?
She is the victim here, police reports notwithstanding.

I was confused by your question for a moment until I realized you thought my comment about not being correct was about her being terrified of him leaving her stranded. I was saying that the reason she didn't get the motel wasn't because she was terrified of him leaving her, but because she was seen as the aggressor and the shelter doesn't take in the aggressor.

 

[redfishingirl]

and surely he is on security cam video of gas stations he would have had to stop at? Or maybe it’s all been erased by now. Part of the Laundrie master plan of delay, delay, delay.

We really need to keep in mind that LE likely has the answers to all these questions. A lot of people are asking these questions like the info doesn't exist. I'm sure they know exactly when he left and what route he took based on cell phone pings and other data, plus other tips to FBI that haven't been released to the public. A LOT of the evidence may not be released for a long time. That doesn't mean that it's not out there.

As far as the camera that got his license plate at the exit, I live in the area and they are just normal highway exits. I am going to have to look for the camera when I go down that way Wednesday. I had no idea they are even there.

 

[lizzied]

my final thought about GP's last text about Yosemite. If BL wrote that....and i suspect he did, am i wrong to think it was to later throw LE a very misplaced bone, so LE would start looking for her in a totally different place? I've lost track if this has been discussed...sorry.

 

[Springrain]

Walmart has more security cameras than Carter has pills.......

Sure, but, despite all the media attention on Gabby (and, by extension, Brian), he is really not at all distinctive or interesting looking. If he threw on a baseball cap and some shades on him, got enough cash for a burner phone and went to a Walmart, Target, wherever to buy a phone, nobody would think twice about it imo. Especially if he bought it before Gabby's media attention started picking up speed.

 

[bambibones]

We don't have flight records.



GP did phone her mother during the incident with LE.

I only saw that police said she could when they were wrapping up. Did you see or hear something else to confirm she actually made the call? I never saw her hold the phone to her ear.

 

[Laura456]

This is a good point - and on a larger point:

did neither of them have friends? We have heard about her texts to her mom, but...as a parent of two children just a couple years younger than these two, my observation is that it is rare that two people this age would not have friends who are in touch very regularly, who might have them on friendfinder/whatever app shows where all your friends are, etc.

If they've been completely wrapped up in each other for the last couple of years, and it was a toxic relationship, then okay, maybe. But it seems odd that no (or maybe 1) friend has come forward with any observation, comment, or information about their relationship or when they last heard/stopped hearing from them.

If I were a friend, I just wouldn't want to be in the public eye, I'd call the police and tell them all I knew and that's it