Found Deceased WY - Gabrielle ‘Gabby’ Petito, 22, Grand Teton National Park, 25 Aug 2021 #64

[simplemind]

Stupid question: can they lift fingerprints from skin? From bruises?

Yes, in some cases. But probably not on a 3-4 week old body.

 

[kittythehare]

I hope so but one report earlier said there was no struggle where she lay deceased. Was she murdered and moved? I hope she fought him!

The strangulation was the last act.
It was possibly preceded by a very violent assault.
Possibly of a lengthy duration.
This may well have happened in the tent.

 

[SuperTmo]

True. But a couple of posts have suggested BL's DNA on her neck would be enough to convict him. I doubt that myself (lovers do touch each other's necks) but if his DNA is on her neck after all this time AND there's no other DNA in that area of her body, that would help to convict him. Again, not enough by itself in my mind if I were a juror-- if there was someone else he could have worn gloves. But a valuable piece of evidence.

JMO

After 3 weeks in the elements, I’d be surprised if she had any in tact skin on her neck.

 

[passionflower]

A bunch of folks here want to see him alive so that they can see to it that he is executed in the name of the people of the united states. I do not want ANYONE executed in my name. To me, that is barbarism. I want him alive to face justice, which to me, is the remainder of his life incarcerated for the protection of civil society. What he does or doesn't do in prison doesn't matter to me at all. JMO

I want him to rot in prison. He can have an anger issue and someone will be meaner than he is. Mamas boy will learn he is nothing in there!

 

[Barbie619]

Will be interesting to hear tonight's WS podcast. It seemed to allude that there will be talk about maybe a connection. I've avoided discussing it. Since it is against TOS. I have sat on my hands and kept my thoughts to myself.

Edit for clarification.. tonight is a theory only.

Ask the mod's if this other case is up for discussion.

I believe it was disallowed pretty early because no connection could be made and it was permitted to be included with this case.

 

[Claire182]

The strangulation was the last act.
It was possibly preceded by a very violent assault.
Possibly of a lengthy duration.
This may well have happened in the tent.

Maybe that’s why there was no tent at the crime scene, he took it to clean the crime scene and maybe threw it away on his long journey home. Didn’t gabby take shoes off when they got in the van, maybe that’s why her shoes were next to or near her because she left them outside of the tent. All MOO

 

[Bertha96]

Stupid question: can they lift fingerprints from skin? From bruises?

Trace DNA could show up. There was a recent conclusion to a cold case in my area where a young girl was kidnapped, tortured for a week and left tied to a tree in a wildlife area, in the wintertime, where she passed away just hours before LE were notified by hunters who found her. It was a cold case since the early 90's and a year or two ago they were able to get trace DNA (from either her clothing, her backpack or what she was tied up with that was left near the tree) and her killer was found and convicted. So DNA, even a speck, can withstand exposure to outdoor elements. I hope that's the case this time. IMO.

 

[NCWatcher]

After 3 weeks in the elements, I’d be surprised if she had any in tact skin on her neck.

Me too. But IF it was possible to lift DNA from the neck (besides GP's, of course), and IF the DNA was BL's, by itself that's not terribly helpful for the prosecution.

JMO

 

[LietKynes]

Poor young woman, I too have been shouted at and pushed via my jaw/face. I hope her belongings get found and returned to her loving family. From what Gabbies childhood friend/ boyfriend said she kept a journal that had drawings that expressed her feelings hopefully she continued this and they can be found.

Thanks for this information.
I have wondered for a while if Gabby kept a journal or online musings that could be important ?

 

[prblythe]

Ask the mod's if this other case is up for discussion.

I believe it was disallowed pretty early because no connection could be made and it was permitted to be included with this case.

It is still in the TOS rules . Mod Note:
Please Read and Acknowledge
-Gabby’s case is not connected to the double homicide - DO NOT BRING IT BACK INTO THE Thread

I would recommend listening to tonight's YT podcast first.

 

[kittythehare]

https://www.researchgate.net/public...f_Latent_Finger_Prints_on_Human_Skin_A_Review

 

[Claire182]

Me too. But IF it was possible to lift DNA from the neck (besides GP's, of course), and IF the DNA was BL's, by itself that's not terribly helpful for the prosecution.

JMO

Maybe the lack of any one else’s DNA might be useful, so if it’s only BL’s on her and no one else’s that could potentially be an argument for the prosecution IMO

 

[simplemind]

Maybe that’s why there was no tent at the crime scene, he took it to clean the crime scene and maybe threw it away on his long journey home. Didn’t gabby take shoes off when they got in the van, maybe that’s why her shoes were next to or near her because she left them outside of the tent. All MOO

I can't help but wonder how much evidence he destroyed before running after his FL return.

 

[LietKynes]

Trace DNA could show up. There was a recent conclusion to a cold case in my area where a young girl was kidnapped, tortured for a week and left tied to a tree in a wildlife area, in the wintertime, where she passed away just hours before LE were notified by hunters who found her. It was a cold case since the early 90's and a year or two ago they were able to get trace DNA from either her clothing or her backpack that was left near the tree and her killer was found and convicted. So DNA, even a speck, can withstand exposure to outdoor elements. I hope that's the case this time. IMO.

That's good to know. ^^^

With the passage of time it's nerve-wracking if anything of substance can be found that links the killer not just to Gabby but to the crime scene.
If she gouged his skin on his arm and it shows as more than a scratch, but a fight for her life ?
MOO.

 

[WizardQuest]

I think the most valuable evidence that they could collect from Gabby will be BL’s fingerprints around her neck.

Anybody examine the BL DeSoto pics to see if he has wounds anywhere that can be seen?

 

[passionflower]

Thanks for this information.
I have wondered for a while if Gabby kept a journal or online musings that could be important ?

I sure hope so! With photos would be great! But he probably looked at all her private stuff. Abusers do that!

 

[Coquette]

At the time stamps.
I don't want to go into detail as it was distressing to see.

I see what you see.

 

[Bertha96]

Thanks for this information.
I have wondered for a while if Gabby kept a journal or online musings that could be important ?

I wondered that too. I also wonder if what he cleaned out of the locker (if that even happened) could have included her journals where she might have written about the abuse she was enduring. IMO.

 

[jamicat]

Im sure the defense will try, but IMO most jurors are pretty smart. It’s not going to make sense to many that he left her dead body out there for any reason. It won’t be believable to many that he left her alive and took her car, her money, AND her electronics that found in the van. Nobody trying to make a blog about van life is going to be like, “sure BL, take my ?van, my money and most definitely take my computer.” You know? And it won’t make sense why he ran and hid. So the DNA evidence is a tiny fragment of all of the rest of the story.

Hopefully, some physical evidence is there. Yes, there have been murder convictions on pure circumstantial evidence, but it’s riskier. What’s considered reasonable doubt is not something measurable.

The Laci Peterson case is an example of circumstantial evidence carrying the conviction. Was it possible that her body could have been dumped where her husband happened to have spent the day she disappeared just to incrimate him, since it was found after news came out where he had been? Yes, it COULD HAVE, but with all the reason he had to be rid of her and lack of anyone else having any motive, and the difficulty of stashing her body for a time and just dumping it there did not seem reasonable to the jurors. It was not as outrageous as a Big Foot entering the scene but considered unreasonable.

With BL who does frequently go off on long walk abouts alone in the wild, is it possible he went off on one after, say a heated argument to just get away, cool off, and return to a campsite without Gabby, and he comes across her body and freaks out, panics, knowing well that the relationship was gong down hill, the DV being on record with him even so saying. Gabby possibly telling friends and family. So he bolts. Takes the van , heads home and just won’t talk about it. Maybe hopes Everyone will think she left the campsite and disappeared as some young women have in many cases, not to be found. Maybe he had hit her, caused bleeding, knows his DNA showing damage. Fear of getting blamed overcomes all other considerations. Can’t face it and media and citizen attention just too much so he bolts again. How reasonably can this be presented by his attorney? That will be the question. When and if he is found

 

[scmom]

Brian Entin
@BrianEntin

5m

My coroner interview coming up at 9pmET on NewsNation. Former FBI Agent Jennifer Coffindaffer and state attorney Dave Aronberg will also be on with analysis.