Found Deceased WY - Gabrielle ‘Gabby’ Petito, 22, Grand Teton National Park, 25 Aug 2021 #29

[thebedbug]

I see many posts saying that maybe BL didn’t mean to kill Gabby.

If he put a hand to her he meant to harm her. He intended to do that.
If he put his hands around her throat and squeezed and didn’t stop until she stopped fighting he not only meant to harm her, he meant to kill her.
If he struck her with a bat or a tree limb or rock over her head and continued striking her until she succumbed, he meant to kill her.
If he pulled a gun on her and pulled the trigger he meant to kill her.
I don’t care if there was a fight and in the heat of the moment he lost it on her. He meant to harm and kill.
There is no excuse for murder.
Gabby was murdered. She is a victim of homicide with a tangible trail of evidence of domestic violence and abuse.
BL absolutely meant to kill her and IMO that’s exactly what he did.

MOO IMO JMHO

AGREE
MOSTLY AGREE
MOSTLY DISAGREE
UNKNOWN

 

[Jealoushe]

Where does the blue heeler fit into this case? I guess I missed it. [I am the grandma of a Blue Heeler fur baby]

Blue & Red Heeler mom here

 

[LaurieLou]

Reward offered for information on BL

https://twitter.com/pmcknightnews/status/1441124300937994241?s=21

What is their involvement in the case? Why would they be offering a reward?

 

[jamicat]

I bet they are.

I think FBI running that show now. But FL also heavily involved and having to pay for a lot of this.

 

[GRT]

And Florida never went after the Anthony’s!

I don't know what happened in that case, I didn't follow it. I'm just addressing federal charges.

 

[Alethea]

I'm no attorney, but that sounds like it might be questionable. If Brian is charged it will be a federal crime because it happened on federal lands.

But, charges against his parents would not be tied to his case, but rather stand on their own, and I don't think the fed would be able to charge them. I think charges--if applicable--would come from the local court system.

As it happens, I am an attorney and I practice federal law almost exclusively. You can read the statute yourself. 18 U.S.C. 2 covers aiding & abetting a federal crime and 18 U.S.C. 3 covers acting as an accessory after the fact related to a federal crime. If you do the acts described below (assisting someone who committed a federal crime) with the mindset described below (knowingly), you have violated a federal statute.

18 U.S. Code § 3 - Accessory after the fact

Whoever, knowing that an offense against the United States has been committed, receives, relieves, comforts or assists the offender in order to hinder or prevent his apprehension, trial or punishment, is an accessory after the fact.

Except as otherwise expressly provided by any Act of Congress, an accessory after the fact shall be imprisoned not more than one-half the maximum term of imprisonment or (notwithstanding section 3571) fined not more than one-half the maximum fine prescribed for the punishment of the principal, or both; or if the principal is punishable by life imprisonment or death, the accessory shall be imprisoned not more than 15 years.

18 U.S. Code § 3 - Accessory after the fact

 

[blueberryjam]

I'm no attorney, but that sounds like it might be questionable. If Brian is charged it will be a federal crime because it happened on federal lands.

But, charges against his parents would not be tied to his case, but rather stand on their own, and I don't think the fed would be able to charge them. I think charges--if applicable--would come from the local court system.

Agree and I think advice from their lawyer has been to whatever you do don't lie, just shut up. So not sure if the parents will be charged with any crime. Even helping him hide is not a crime, as at the time as he had no warrant, he was free to move wherever. Unless it can be proven they knew that he committed murder. I guess they could get charged with filing a false police report if knew he wasn't missing. But a lot more has to come out against them to prove a crime was committed knowingly.


Edit: I think the person above me is more professional, so take mine as a grain of salt

 

[RabidDogISC]

This may have been stated, but this thing moves fast.

Regarding the story from the neighbors:

Fox 13 reports Laundries appeared to go on a trip in a new camper about a week after BL returned. The wife states they were gone for the weekend.

BL returns on September 1st, so it couldn't be the weekend immediately following because that was only two days later (9/3-9/5), which would mean it would have been 9/10-9/12 and that can't be true unless LE did not speak with the Laundries when the initially retrieved the van. The search warrant actually doesn't specifically state when they spoke to the Laundries. That's a separate item with no specific date.

Specifically, Guthrie stated "They were gone for the weekend." One can assume all three were gone, but did all three return? Also, were they gone just through the weekend, or does "for the weekend" mean the weekend was included?

Your timeline would explain why BL’s family didn’t answer any calls or texts from GP’s family if they were “camping” that weekend. It’s also the same time GP’s family reported her missing. So the activities line up, just a weird time to go camping IMO.

 

[Amster]

All of this goes back to social media. Gabby and BL living the "Van Life" was an Instagram thing, a way to be famous and project an image of a happy couple on the road, doing hipster stuff like hiking barefooted, eating granola, posing for cute pictures. But it's not reality. Most of what we see on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube is staged for effect.

So being stopped by police while having a fight in scenic Moab was a nightmare, not just because of the emotional upset, but because it directly conflicted with the image Gabby wanted to present on Instagram. She was never going to give up her dream over what she thought was a temporary mood of BL. She was in denial about his true nature.

A more mature woman would have just given up and started driving home alone to Long Island, even if she was nervous about driving. But she clearly wasn't to that point, even if other people could see she was in a toxic relationship. Plus he kept taking away the keys.

She had her van after the traffic stop….her keys, her phone, her belongings. And, a female park ranger to talk to. Would love to know what Gabby said to the park ranger. Whatever, Gabby wasn’t ready to leave BL.

 

[GRT]

This is costing taxpayers millions. Normally, this type of response is only seen when the victim is a member of LE.

Or a mass killer.
Or terrorist.

Someone who is a clear and dangerous threat to society.

 

[JoLoMo]

Link?

 

[jas5lf]

Where was the source that her father said this?

I think this was on the Dr. Phil interview where GB's dad mentions it.

 

[ninvestigate]

So, if they find Brian, what then? If he's just a POI can they make him leave the reserve?

I have been wondering this myself! What's the game plan for when they find him? To announce, at that instant, that he is a suspect and bring him in for questioning? At which point his lawyer will fly in from NY and be present? Why not announce him a suspect now? What is the protocol for a manhunt involving a POI who is a legal-age adult? Has there even been a manhunt (of any size/scope) of a POI? What was that like?

 

[bellyup]

Agreed, that's a lot of social media presence, especially for a guy his age.... Pinterest? Strange, but likely because she used it so she could share with him. But one look at his Instagram and its clear how self-obsessed he was. Each picture is of him, how strong he is, how quirky he is, how people *strangers* are so impressed by him. He put on an air of being this holier than thou presence amongst the general public "this park is infested with humans" and how much he hated social media.... but its so clear he was much more desperate for attention than GP was on Instagram. GP posted cute little sentences and an emoji or two, he wrote monologues about himself and how much of a super hiker, barefoot, granola cruncher he was. I've met that kind of hipster type and the desperation drips off them. There's a big difference between being truly hippy dippy and being a self-obsessed narcissist.

From Oct 2020 - Aug 2021 BL has fifteen posts on Instagram in 11 months. That's 1.3 posts a month. He was pretty much non existent in the world of IG.
That is not a large social media presence at all what so ever for someone his age. I have kids in their age range. Most of these kids post multiple times per day and would accumulate hundreds of posts on IG in that time range. Especially if they had any aspirations of any type of "influencer" type mindset.

And I don't think we can consider the Pinterest at all. I don't believe for one moment that BL was even using Pinterest. (especially since the oldest post I can find on the account is 2019 right when GP would have been in his life)

 

[GRT]

She had her van after the traffic stop….her keys, her phone, her belongings. And, a female park ranger to talk to. Would love to know what Gabby said to the park ranger. Whatever, Gabby wasn’t ready to leave BL.

That also is a good point. She could have left.

But, I think given her emotional state, it was just difficult at that time. It's too bad one of her parents didn't fly out and go back with her.

 

[WestGL]

I searched her IG the day this story came out and I can tell you the number of followers she has now has grown dramatically since that day

It wasn’t going well at all. They had dozens of followers, at the most hundreds. Not hundreds of thousands but 100 people, probably mostly family and friends. That’s intense pressure if they had put 20 or $30,000 into the van and the trip.

 

[Figuring]

As it happens, I am an attorney and I practice federal law almost exclusively. You can read the statute yourself. 18 U.S.C. 2 covers aiding & abetting a federal crime and 18 U.S.C. 3 covers acting as an accessory after the fact related to a federal crime. If you do the acts described below (assisting someone who committed a federal crime) with the mindset described below (knowingly), you have violated a federal statute.

18 U.S. Code § 3 - Accessory after the fact

Whoever, knowing that an offense against the United States has been committed, receives, relieves, comforts or assists the offender in order to hinder or prevent his apprehension, trial or punishment, is an accessory after the fact.

Except as otherwise expressly provided by any Act of Congress, an accessory after the fact shall be imprisoned not more than one-half the maximum term of imprisonment or (notwithstanding section 3571) fined not more than one-half the maximum fine prescribed for the punishment of the principal, or both; or if the principal is punishable by life imprisonment or death, the accessory shall be imprisoned not more than 15 years.

18 U.S. Code § 3 - Accessory after the fact

I’m so glad there’s an attorney here! I watched a clip last night from “Banfield” & the guest lawyer said that in Florida there’s an exception to “Accessory after the fact” that prevents parents & siblings from being subject to it. I found that quite surprising. Is he right about that? &/or does state law even apply if this is a federal case? TIA!

edit to add I will try & find the clip!

 

[redfishingirl]

Is WFLA having an announcement? They cut away to a live feed of a podium?

I wish they wouldn't all talk at once. I can't understand what they are saying. LOL

Oh Nevermind it's just Desantis.

 

[kittythehare]

I found this link. Nichole Schmidt, Gabby's mom, is quoted as the source. However, I don't believe there was a sighting of him in Florida during that time, nor has the story been picked up by MSM. You have to scroll down the article to find the reference.
_____

Boyfriend of missing Gabby Petito returned to Florida alone 10 DAYS before she was reported missing | Daily Mail Online

"She's also questioning Brian's trip back to Florida in August to help his father move their belongings out of a storage unit.

Brian left Gabby in the Fairfield Inn in Salt Lake City and flew back home to Florida from August 17 to the 23 to help his father empty out a storage unit where he and Gabby had their things.

According to Schmidt, Brian's father offered to let them keep their belongings at his house so they wouldn't have to pay for the storage unit.

He left Gabby at the hotel so she, understandably, wouldn't be alone in the van. Brian then flew back to Utah and they left the hotel together on August 24.

Schmidt now wonders why it was necessary to move Gabby's things during their road trip and what became of her stuff.

'Where are her things?' she asked. "

Indeed!

'WHERE ARE HER THINGS?'

 

[katydid23]

Going thru old threads.... if no one likes "dog lady" why not "blue heeler lady"? Pretty sure that's what she said her dog was.

Where does the blue heeler fit into this case? I guess I missed it. [I am the grandma of a Blue Heeler fur baby]

New here so please excuse, there's no possible way I could dive through 30 pages prior so if any of this was rehashed, I appologize in advance.

As a preface, I want to state that I take no position on whether Brian committed murder or not. I simply think we do not possess enough evidence right now to condemn a man's life. Now that he is missing and could possibly be suicidal, I especially take pains to avoid judging his life. That's for a jury to decide, not me. Or social media.

I won't go into a longwinded post and I'll try to keep it as short and concise as I can, but a few things bug me about this case:

1. Despite many people trying to place their ex's face on Brian, the body cam and witness statements only confer that they were in a physically toxic relationship. Gabby, the witness Christopher, and Gabby's friend Rose all confirm that Gabby assaulted Brian. The 911 call and body cam show Brian would fight back. People seem to be all about DV here, but refuse to acknowledge that a small blonde girl could very easily be the aggressor sometimes. Even if she is not alive anymore.

2. Brian returning home without Gabby. While I get the whole "going about your daily life to appear innocent", both Brian and his family's actions during the time when he first returned home with the van did not appear to be people pretending. If you know your son committed murder and has something to hide, you're not sending him out to mow the lawn. Idk, that just seems weird to me. Almost as if Brian thought everything was fine at that point. That would imply that Brian and Gabby agreed to part ways - and the only way I can see someone leaving their S.O. in the middle of nowhere is when they're being left with someone they both know and trust. (more on that later)

3. The Aug 27/30th texts. If you just killed someone, and are pretending to be them, you don't make the mistake of texting them their grandfather's first name. There would be no reason for Brian to even message the mother about GP's grandfather. You'd want to have as little interaction as possible, I'd assume. Also, with all the planning GP and BL were doing with where they were going, and given their current location, making the mistake of saying Yosemite seems off as well. I know people get the two confused, but I'd imagine that would be after the fact upon recollection, and not while on the actual trip when you're right near Yellowstone. These were pretty glaring and suspect mistakes. Almost too glaring. [removed stan theory so this doesn't get deleted lol] The wording is definately strange, and can be read as "Can you help send the authorities now...". That could imply a third person being involved.

4. Speaking of third person, now that police have announced there are no ties between the lesbian couple and GP case, people seem to have just forgotten that someone actually murdered those 2 poor women, which means there is a killer in the moab area. Gabby, and these two women aren't the only ones to go missing in the past few months in the moab area. Ty Erick Harvey also was reported missing on August 30th, 2021 in Moab. There was another man missing in June of this year in Moab but for the life of me I cannot find the article anywhere now that it's been drowned out in the sea of news reports with any keywords related to it bringing me back to GP case instead.

Grand County Sheriff seeking info on man missing from Moab area | Gephardt Daily

5. The fact that Brian is still listed as a person of interest, as opposed to a suspect, could be very telling of what evidence (or lackthereof) the police have to actually link him to her death. Either they think he's dead (which I doubt highly considering the efforts they're still putting forth) or they do not have enough evidence to charge him. Even after the autopsy? That potentially leads back to either an accident or third party.

6. Rose. Has anyone else heard reports that Brian's Instagram has been following and unfollowing Rose Davis, GP's alleged bff? Rose gives me bad vibes. Not only does she look exactly like GP in terms of size, shape, eyes and hair, but she came forward to the dailymail making statements that I found to be odd. For instance, Rose reported that Brian would set up hammocks for her and GP, but would not sit with them at the beach - preferring to sit alone. To me that sounds like someone who is uncomfortable being around Rose and GP at the same time. Why? Rose also stated she believes GP loved BL and BL loved GP.. but then went on to recount a time when BL stole GP's ID to stop her from going out dancing with Rose. According to her, GP came home and physically assaulted BL for this. She called it jealousy, but that's one sided. Could she have been a bad influence? Drugs? Could she have previously had a "thing" with GP that BL found out about and he was trying to do what was in GP's best interest? Why would Rose have a tracking app on GP's phone if she hung out with the both of them? Especially after only knowing GP for a year? I know a lot can happen in a year, but that just seems weird. Rose also stated that GP's friends back in NY were "bullying" her about GP staying with BL. Odd choice of words to describe friends trying to "look out" for their friend. Why would they "bully" her if Rose herself said they loved each other?

I have a whole bunch of other theories (or moreso questions) regarding Rose, but until we get more evidence they may as well just be wild conspiracy theories. Are police so focused on BL that they've ignored Rose's locations on her phone? Could she have met up with BL/GP after all? Did BL leave GP with Rose? Was there some sort of triangle going on? I mean, they both look alike, so it's not too far fetched to think BL might have been attracted to her. Going further down that rabbit hole, could Rose have been the one who checked out of the hotel that last time and not GP? That could potentially explain the Yosemite text.. and why Brian drove back to FLA and carried on as if nothing was wrong, not reporting her missing because he didn't think she was missing. If BL/Rose did have something going on, it would explain the reports of his Instagram following and unfollowing her during the time he's been missing. If any of these have been answered via evidence that I've missed please feel free to correct me.

I have a bad feeling the truth of this case is going to be much more complicated than people are claiming it to be. There are too many strange occurrences. I realize Occam's Razor says BL is not speaking, so he most likely had a hand in the death, given what we know. It's what we don't know that has me questioning all of this.

Edit: I definitely went more longwinded than I intended but tried to keep each point to at least a few sentences to get the full point across... apologies!

I want to welcome you to WS and thank you for expressing your thoughts here.

I do have some thoughts in response. It does seem odd that you say you cannot take a position on Brian's involvement because it would be judgmental towards a possibly suicidal man. And yet you can craft a tale concerning her best friend, involving her in the crime somehow?


As to point 1----I disagree that she was the aggressor. Did she push back? Yes, she aggressively tried to keep her place inside the camper. She did not want to be locked out and abandoned---which in the end, tragically she was.

As to point 2----I disagree with the idea that the family would never act as though nothing was wrong, if he had murdered his girlfriend. I think that is exactly what someone might do. And it appears to be what they did do.

That's what Chris Watts did after murdering his family----went off to work and acts like nothing happened. And Leticia Stauch after murdering Gannon----she acted as though it was a normal day, pretending to wait for the boy to return from his friend's home.

As to point 3---I think those mistakes happened because he was frazzled, frantic, confused, upset and scared. Those are the kinds of things killers often do when in 'post killing ' phase.

As to point 4---the possible serial killer. That would make sense--if it weren't for those pesky pictures of the camper being parked right there, hundreds of feet away from her remains. What are the chances that a serial killer was attacking GP, while BL was sitting in their van nearby? Did he just get tired of awaiting her return from her day hike and so he drove back home and never reported her missing?

Point 5---I totally disagree. Almost every recent case I have followed has a POI named, instead of a 'suspect.' That is how it is done now for strategic reasons. It has nothing to do with lack of evidence, imo.

As for 6---....it seems odd that one can totally ignore all of the circumstantial evidence pointing to BL as the prime suspect but then goes on a tangent pointing to a friend and weaving a fantastical tale, with zero supporting evidence.