Found Deceased WY - Gabrielle ‘Gabby’ Petito, 22, Grand Teton National Park, 25 Aug 2021 #47

[Sassafrass]

It’s common in a caregiver situation for sure. Like when I had my bone marrow transplant. My kids were shopping and filling my vehicle’s gas tank. They used my debit card with my permission.

I was surprised when the federal warrant came out for bank card use. It struck me as, are they desperate to find something to pin on him? Looking for a reason to hold him? Justifying what has to be a million dollar plus search for him?

It’s amazing how easy would it be to implode someone’s life just by claiming they used your debit card. These 2 weren’t married but in a long term relationship. It wouldn’t seem odd to me to use each other’s debit card on occasion. But hey, if this is what it takes to find this asshat, I’m all for it!!

If a person committed (or is suspected of...) multiple Federal felonies, and one of those is much simpler, quicker, clear-cut, more straightforward AND less likely to generate a collective media/public paroxsysm, months of premature speculation and criticism, and heightened anxiety for a fugitive of unknown mental stamina and fortitude...seems like a good idea to go with that one first.

The case is well-known enough that getting attention and resources wouldn't be harmed by going with a less sensational charge at first; everyone knows he is, formally or informally, the most likely suspect and most likely with the most informations, and merely having a Federal warrant in place was enough to support various LE cooperation, etc.

It's really common for prosecutors to start like this. It's a strategy appropriate for many situations.

In this case, too, where facts and theories of the case are still relatively early in development, it would be a mistake to select a degree or type of homicide (or other crime) to charge without knowing more. You don't want to have to keep amending/going back to the grand jury. That irritates everyone, among other potentially bad consequences.

If you have a situation where some guy, fresh off 25 years of hard time, is caught on camera point-blank shooting bank tellers in the head while robbing the bank of a million dollars and then car jacking a little old lady, snatching her purse, shooting her and her cat, and then running over a pregnant lady pushing a baby carriage and barreling through a crowd of disabled orphans as he flees the scene, you might go out with a murder indictment early and not focus on the fact that he next stopped by the 7-11 and bought three slurpees with her credit card. Because in that situation there's not necessarily a lot of grey area as far as facts specifically needed to fit statutory language - hard to imagine a reasonable scenario that ends in "he didn't do it.". Plus, in that case, you've got a known dangerous element out there, so "wanted for murder" is also a public safety warning about someone known to kill with reckless abandon.

 

[Bordeaux]

I’d be interested in RL and CL’s food delivery orders. Did they order for 2 or 3 or 4 people? Are they taking food to BL through someone that is not being watched by LE. We know they got flowers delivered, so they have support from an outside source. NOT saying go stake out their home, friends or family or restaurants! I’m just curious if the food orders are being monitored by LE.

If they are staying in the house as long as possible, they could order 10 or 20 meals at a time and freeze them. I used to take frozen lunch specials from restaurants camping with me. Inexpensive. Quality food. Just microwave.

 

[Newsjunkiejen]

There were options:
1) Lie and deny
2) Confess and plea-bargain
3) Run forever, if that is even possible
4) Hide out, say nothing and see what evidence is presented

The trap is, if BL turned himself in on the bank fraud charge, he doesn’t know what evidence exists on the murder case! MOO

Yes! This is likely why the FBI are being exceptionally coy when it comes to releasing details regarding Gabby's murder.

It would certainly be a calculated risk for BL to take to think that turning himself in in relation to the bank fraud charges could result in him being charged with that only!

I don't think he has the kahunas to call the FBI's bluff on this one. Once they've got him, they'll be sure as heck not to let him go!

MOO

 

[wasnt_me]

Wasn't that interview conducted before Gabby's body was discovered? When CL said she hoped it was all a big misunderstanding, she was probably still believing whatever lie BL had told the family about Gabby. Weirdly, though, CL and her parents should have figured out how serious the situation was on the 10th when Gabby's parents were desperately trying to contact them for answers about Gabby's whereabouts...and certainly on the 11th when Gabby s announced to be a missing person...and absolutely, on the 14th when Brian took off for parts unknown. CL interview was after all of that. jmo

It doesn't add up. Brian doesn't take his wallet or phone. His parents think he could have done something to himself. He visited his sister the first day he got back. They don't call her to ask if she knew where he was? If he might have called to ask her if he could go to her house while she was at Disney, maybe using her spare key? Even if it's a long shot, her parents didn't call her but were worried about where he was? How did she know to come back from her trip? When did she come back from the trip? She said everything she was learning was from the news, just like us. When did the news start reporting this missing person's case? I wouldn't think until at least the 12th, right? So she didn't call her family to find out anything?

It's too much of a stretch for me.

 

[Thora_Jay]

2nd body cam video. Is it me, or did BL seem hesitant when he was asked BL if knew anyone in the area where Gabby could stay for the night?

 

[PingTheRouter]

Yes! This is likely why the FBI are being exceptionally coy when it comes to releasing details regarding Gabby's murder.

there was an article out yesterday which said the FBI knows where he is but won't arrest him until the autopsy is complete because as of right now they don't have enough to nab him for Gabby's murder and when they do they will go in for the arrest

how much of this is true i don't know sounds a bit silly to me

 

[FindingJoLee]

To me this falls into two camps. One being a college student who is still building their life out, starting their career, and adding a pandemic in, it creates the perfect storm. Nearly 30 somethings still under someone else’s roof but not by their choice.

The other camp - parents and family are enablers.

They had been living there for two years and I haven't seen any evidence that he (either?) were students after high school, virtual or otherwise? And I can't really even work out how their employment funds this trip because a lot of the employment comments and discussions don't sync up for me. But that's not really what I was getting at. It's more of a question about whether he eschews ownership for some sort of moral or political reason. Has he been flying under the radar for a very long time?

 

[JuneRose]

there was an article out yesterday which said the FBI knows where he is but won't arrest him until the autopsy is complete because as of right now they don't have enough to nab him for Gabby's murder and when they do they will go in for the arrest

how much of this is true i don't know sounds a bit silly to me

i dont believe that for one second!

 

[wonderboy74]

It’s obvious to me BL left with his sister from DeSoto. Once the FBI tracks down where she went after DeSoto they will know where he is hiding.

 

[Hyway]

I'm not sure that anyone has claimed to be BL's attorney, in absentia, anyway.
Perhaps if someone was, they could push for information regarding the crime for which their client is said to be a POI?
Not sure.

I don't think POI has any legal standing so neither LE or the attorney can use it for much. When the Laundries told the police to contact their attorney, I don't know if that was BL refusing to talk to them or the owners of the house refusing LE entrance to the home. or Both

 

[cady]

Yes! This is likely why the FBI are being exceptionally coy when it comes to releasing details regarding Gabby's murder.

It would certainly be a calculated risk for BL to take to think that turning himself in in relation to the bank fraud charges could result in him being charged with that only!

I don't think he has the kahunas to call the FBI's bluff on this one. Once they've got him, they'll be sure as heck not to let him go!

MOO

Hopefully. Remember, he managed to slip out of North Port with no problem. Luckily FBI took over. jmo

 

[wasnt_me]

Me too, it seems so out of place and I don't like him just leaving her by herself for such a long period.... weird IMHO

From the way Gabby responded at the traffic stop, I can't imagine she would have, either, but the mother said she can't talk about that part of the trip anymore because there was some sort of mixup or something with the facts about it. I posted everything we'd heard about it to date in the media thread, somewhere about pages 25-30.

 

[Barbie619]

There were options:
1) Lie and deny
2) Confess and plea-bargain
3) Run forever, if that is even possible
4) Hide out, say nothing and see what evidence is presented

The trap is, if BL turned himself in on the bank fraud charge, he doesn’t know what evidence exists on the murder case! MOO

What's that saying don't do the crime if you can't do the time?

imo it's starting to boil down to that and what a miserable life one could lead on the run forever. I read the stories who are captured after decades on the run, some living successful lives, and some not so much.

What category would BL fall into? This man/child has never held a stable job, didn't attend college, no real skill set, and is a loner. imo. Unless he wants to live the Ted Kazcinski lifestyle, he will never be a success even at hiding in plain sight. jmo. It's sad really, that in the heat of the moment he might have done something he can never change, and has destroyed people's lives, including Gabby's and for what? For absolutely nothing..

 

[Jettson]

I’d be interested in RL and CL’s food delivery orders. Did they order for 2 or 3 or 4 people? Are they taking food to BL through someone that is not being watched by LE. We know they got flowers delivered, so they have support from an outside source. NOT saying go stake out their home, friends or family or restaurants! I’m just curious if the food orders are being monitored by LE.

I can't imagine that anyone (family or friend of the Laundries) would be willing to become involved in this case by delivering food to BL. They'd be crazy to do that no matter how much they support the family. IMO.

 

[Kapua]

there was an article out yesterday which said the FBI knows where he is but won't arrest him until the autopsy is complete because as of right now they don't have enough to nab him for Gabby's murder and when they do they will go in for the arrest

how much of this is true i don't know sounds a bit silly to me

Nope. They can arrest him for credit card fraud right now. Remember, they got Capone for income tax evasion.

 

[TheGardener]

Interested to know what makes people think he still could be alive?
I only hope he is for justice to be served..
He doesn't strike me as being at all worldly-wise for him to have escaped to another country and all that entails to be able to do so.
I have doubts in his ability to survive in the wild for this length of time.
I do not think it sounds like he possesses the mental stamina to cope solo.
His probable lack of financial funds unless someone is providing, but who, with the FBI/LE most likely watching his family's every move.
No sight nor sign of him since he disappeared.
IMO all the above points to him being no longer alive

According to Brian's postings he idolized the famous hermit/burglar Christopher Thomas Knight and read all he could about him. One of Knight's better known quotes (somewhat a reason for his decision to leave society and enter solitary life) is "solitude bestows an increase in something valuable ... my perception. But ... when I applied my increased perception to myself, I lost my identity. There was no audience, no one to perform for ... To put it romantically, I was completely free."
With this in mind, and a good portion of society in hot pursuit of him, Brian's environment is ripe for a vanishing, not a death. Brian wants complete liberation, self-won, fully realized. He knows he has to be alive in order to enter in and enjoy that fully-realized state. Death is a question without an answer, a situation without promise and beyond his control. A vanishing IS within his realm of control. Brian is in his glory.
MOO

 

[Blue Amethyst]

I’d be interested in RL and CL’s food delivery orders. Did they order for 2 or 3 or 4 people? Are they taking food to BL through someone that is not being watched by LE. We know they got flowers delivered, so they have support from an outside source. NOT saying go stake out their home, friends or family or restaurants! I’m just curious if the food orders are being monitored by LE.

Would LE know if they mailed cash or gift cards somewhere? Would they be able to track that? Do they scrutinize every purchase that they make at a Walmart?

 

[GRT]

there was an article out yesterday which said the FBI knows where he is but won't arrest him until the autopsy is complete because as of right now they don't have enough to nab him for Gabby's murder and when they do they will go in for the arrest

how much of this is true i don't know sounds a bit silly to me

I agree. I think if they knew where he was, they'd arrest him. They could hold him on the current charges and then charge him with something else as more information became available. I think they'd like to have him in custody, and not just because finding him has devolved into a circus.

 

[SuziQ]

It’s common in a caregiver situation for sure. Like when I had my bone marrow transplant. My kids were shopping and filling my vehicle’s gas tank. They used my debit card with my permission.

I was surprised when the federal warrant came out for bank card use. It struck me as, are they desperate to find something to pin on him? Looking for a reason to hold him? Justifying what has to be a million dollar plus search for him?

It’s amazing how easy would it be to implode someone’s life just by claiming they used your debit card. These 2 weren’t married but in a long term relationship. It wouldn’t seem odd to me to use each other’s debit card on occasion. But hey, if this is what it takes to find this asshat, I’m all for it!!

Imo, they are not conducting a million dollar manhunt for banking charges. And yes, this charge is in lieu of other charges. Murder charges have to go before a grand jury. That will take time.

Retired banker here. You legally can't give permission for someone to use your card. When you open your account, you agree not to do that. If something had gone wrong and someone you gave permission to stole money, you would be on the hook. The bank will not help you. The bank could close your account.

 

[JuneRose]

Would LE know if they mailed cash or gift cards somewhere? Would they be able to track that? Do they scrutinize every purchase that they make at a Walmart?

oh im sure FBI knows when they use the bathroom.