Found Deceased WY - Gabrielle ‘Gabby’ Petito, 22, Grand Teton National Park, 25 Aug 2021 #76

[Sassafrass]

It's really too bad Gabby didn't tell LE all of that - but clearly, she didn't want BL in jail (and she might have been in jail herself, given the marks on his body). They both wanted to avoid jail, which is understandable.

It is also very possible that a person (or persons) in a volatile, even abusive (whether or not in the classic, ongoing, physical sense) relationship might not even realize either the true nature of the relationship (as/if abusive) or that it could be truly of a criminal level.

Also - If it were established that BL in fact strangled GP, then it would be accurate to say only that - regardless of what came before - he was responsible for her death (homicide at his hands). Depending on how he was charged, the specific lead-up circumstances and relationship history might not even matter, legally speaking.

 

[BlissfulIgnorance]

So interesting that his parents went to a location and quickly found his belongings. I wonder if he may have admitted to them what happened and they all agreed that he would be better off dead than go to prison. They knew he planned to take his own life and where he planned it. This would explain to me their behavior during the search these past few weeks, where they’ve seemed less distressed about finding him than I would expect. Maybe they just process and display their distress differently than most. MOO
Such a sad case all around.

 

[Sassafrass]

I don't see any difference between our 2 posts. I did say that it came from the lawyer. and I pointed out that Gabby's body had not yet been found. No, it wasn't grief over Gabby, it was grief over knowing he would shortly be found out for murder. (IMO).

The point I keep making is what is the parents' excuse or explanation for telling the lawyer that their son was "grieving" on the 13th, when all that had really happened as far as they say they know is that the van was taken, and they knew that the Petito's had gone to the cops. Anyway no one seems to get what I'm saying, that the onus is on the parents to explain what Brian was "grieving" about, if they TRULY didn't know she was dead. Or, do we just assume that Brian said "Hey, I'm grieving". And they didn't bother to ask why. At that point we are led to believe that the only thing the Laundrie parents knew about is the towing of the van. And learning that Gabby's folks had gone to the police because of the lack of answers from the Laundries. So yeah, that admission from their lawyer that they knew BL was GRIEVING on the 13th may end up biting them on the buttsky. IMO

What their lawyer said =/= what they said or what they would testify to.

 

[esayer]

I think you assuming Gabby was lying, which is certainly valid, is as valid as others assuming she wasn't. None of us were there, we only have her statements and witness statements to go by.

Well also she was dead way before Brian.

 

[Sassafrass]

Ok, "keep away" might not be the right term.
Not in a friendly fashion but to be cruel or cause panic.
Yes, if I am holding my phone an angry domestic partner grabs it and refuses to let me have it back. it is illegal.
No one has the right to prevent you from making a call or text.
I would hope no one has done this to you.

That's...not a crime in and of itself.

It's possibly indicative of an overall abusive dynamic, but "preventing a text" isn't a crime. Mean or an inappropriate exercise of control, but not a crime.

 

[customCF]

Does anybody think that we'll ever know COD for BL? From what I've read they only have portion of the skull and a few bones.

 

[BeanieBod]

yeah I'm seeing 2 yellow flipflops with black sole

I checked the REI site and found that there are flip flops with Vibram soles. MOO but reading that Gabby liked REI, they may have come from there. But the primary point here is that the yellow Vibram logo could be what we are seeing for sure. Again, MOO

 

[Mom24]

ETA - we are going through this again, because the video and the transcript and the statement from Chris - don't jive in my head as being DV. But like I said earlier JMO.

Do you mean in regards to a pattern of DV vs a one time incident? If so, I agree. I didn't see anything that would have stood out as pattern of violent behavior, after all they had travelled cross country before and she wasn't hurt, there were no pictures of any bruises. I know Rose said some things, and while there were innuendos there was nothing to indicate violence. She didn't say Gabby had come to her with bruises, or scratches or split lip, etc.
I do think things were escalating and the week they took off from one another didn't do anything to diffuse the situation.

 

[cady]

I agree with you...in terms of both his behaviour & the timeline, it seems very much the case that going to the swamp to die was a reaction to being investigated, as opposed to feeling any remorse. JMO

EXACTLY the way I see it. He was "grieving" after he knew that his life from there on out was not worth living. Not remorseful, just didn't want to live a life in prison. If he had any remorse, he wouldn't have tried to hide his whereabouts so his family would continue to search for him, maybe forever. Should have shot himself in the back yard and be done with it. They would grieve his loss, but be relieved that they knew what happened. It was a cruel thing to do to them, to drag it out like he did. jmo

What their lawyer said =/= what they said or what they would testify to.

Yeah. It's supposed to be that way, but he has made a lot of slip-ups that are not helpful to his clients! Some, bigger than others, but he gets dates wrong or not fitting with the known timeline...and he said in that Marni interview that Brian is 22. Brian is 23. Unless he has had a birthday recently in which case he would be 24. Just dumb stuff he messes up. jmo

 

[FindingJoLee]

Not to rehash the Moab stop, but the confusion over Brians cell phone is easily resolved.Brian was relating to the officer his worries in that moment. That moment being their fight on the sidewalk that was reported.
He was afraid Gabby would take off leaving him no transpo or phone, it being in the van. He was not trying to say he didn't have a phone at all. Or now in the present.

It seemed clear to me from the Moab video, not sure why so many were confused that he was speaking in the past tense.

I think using present-tense language ("I don't have a phone") to describe a past event (in which he didn't have his phone) is a legitimate source of confusion.

 

[Maligned1]

I've never been confused about what he was saying/claiming tbh.
I did find the other comments relating to his own phone & the charging of it notable

My post was not directed at you Cottonweaver, apologies, I am not very good at snipping something out of a much longer quote.

 

[Mom24]

Except that they probably assumed they were being pulled over for his speeding. They probably had no idea a third party called 911 for a DV situation, so they wouldn't have had to time to coordinate their stories. Each were interviewed separately... IMO.

When we saw the second officer's body cam we learned that they knew they were being pulled over for a DV situation.

 

[rleigh123]

<modsnip>


9/14:
“This is an extremely difficult time for both the Petito family and the Laundrie family. I understand that a search has been organized for Miss Petito in or near Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. On behalf of the Laundrie family, it is our hope that the search for Miss Petito is successful and that Miss Petito is re-united with her family. On the advice of counsel, the Laundrie family is remaining in the background at this juncture and will have no further comment."
...........

BBM

MOO
This statement seems even worse to me in hindsight than when I first read it.

That first sentence with their names, as if they were in this together, going through the same feelings and circumstances.

Then stating they hope they find Gabby but that they're not going to help.

IMO
This behavior is stunning to me, and more so that some people support and defend this. Especially after reading this:

After breaking his silence with the statement, Petito's family released the following statement in return:

"The Schmidt and Petito family are going through the worst moments of their lives. Their beautiful twenty-two year old daughter is missing and the one person that can help find Gabby refuses to help. Brian Laundrie was traveling with Gabby in the Grand Teton - Yellowstone area. They were traveling together in Gabby's 2012 Ford Transit van. That is where we believe Gabby was last seen. Brian is refusing to tell Gabby's family where he last saw her. Brian is also refusing to explain why he left Gabby all alone and drove her van to Florida. These are critical questions that require immediate answers. The Schmidt and Petito family beg the Laundrie family to not "remain in the background" but to help find who Brian referred to as the love of his life. How does Brian stay in the background when he is the one person that knows where Gabby is located? The Schmidt and Petito family implore Brian to come forward and at least tell us if we are looking in the right area."

"We don't eat, we don't sleep, we're just actively looking for her," her mother, Nicole Schmidt, said.

[..........]

Video at link:
Boyfriend of missing Long Island native issues statement through lawyer

BBM

Heart-wrenching and appalling.

As the saying goes, all it takes for evil to thrive is for good people to do nothing. (Or worse than nothing - either helping it or defending it.)

MOO

 

[sarahboirin]

EXACTLY the way I see it. He was "grieving" after he knew that his life from there on out was not worth living. Not remorseful, just didn't want to live a life in prison. If he had any remorse, he wouldn't have tried to hide his whereabouts so his family would continue to search for him, maybe forever. Should have shot himself in the back yard and be done with it. They would grieve his loss, but be relieved that they knew what happened. It was a cruel thing to do to them, to drag it out like he did. jmo

Yeah. It's supposed to be that way, but he has made a lot of slip-ups that are not helpful to his clients! Some, bigger than others, but he gets dates wrong or not fitting with the known timeline...and he said in that Marni interview that Brian is 22. Brian is 23. Unless he has had a birthday recently in which case he would be 24. Just dumb stuff he messes up. jmo

his birthday is 18th November (he was born in 1997), if I can find that out I'm pretty sure a lawyer should know how old his client is/was

 

[cady]

Does anybody think that we'll ever know COD for BL? From what I've read they only have portion of the skull and a few bones.

They may be able to figure how the skull was cracked....animal or gunshot.?? jmo Also they are still looking so maybe they have found more by now. jmo

 

[cottonweaver]

My post was not directed at you Cottonweaver, apologies, I am not very good at snipping something out of a much longer quote.

No probs & no need to apologise. I didn't think you were & knew what you meant. ( Agree that confusion of why he pulled that phone out of his pocket has gone on for a long time.)

My other comment just relates to my assumption he is not 'phone orientated' at all, whereas GP is. Which is why it's never charged ( transcript)
I was being too brief in my reply to you. So to explain: My assumption, when I first read the transcript - was that he was appropriating her words
( You just made a point about his worries that he would be left without a phone & a vehicle & be stranded)

( Brief posts & heavy hinting never works for me!)

 

[LinneaE]

Not to rehash the Moab stop, but the confusion over Brians cell phone is easily resolved.Brian was relating to the officer his worries in that moment. That moment being their fight on the sidewalk that was reported.
He was afraid Gabby would take off leaving him no transpo or phone, it being in the van. He was not trying to say he didn't have a phone at all. Or now in the present.

It seemed clear to me from the Moab video, not sure why so many were confused that he was speaking in the past tense.

But he did tell the officer that he "had no phone", only to pull his phone out of his pocket a few minutes later.

 

[esayer]

Thank you. So there was mutual aggression. But it does sound as if BL was escalating more than Gabby (he does take her phone - which then limited her options as to what to do next).



Well, it obviously happened quickly. I show completely non-dramatic films to my students, and they summarize the action, and their accounts do not always jive.

The part about him attempting to drive off without her seems clear - and it certainly seems he may have had her phone at that moment.

What interests me in hindsight is whether they had already put her hard drive and/or other vlog-making implements back into the van. I am now assuming that BL's phone may only have worked on wireless...

I wouldn't call Gabby reacting to Brian's violence 'mutual aggression.'

 

[Barbie619]

It is the phone that gets me. Every time. If B had the phone, how could G hit him with it? I have used 'caught' before, because I think 'hit' gives the impression that it was intentional, but I don't think it was.

The Moab stop happened after the phone and van incident where BL locked her out of the van and she was trying to get her from him. He was being cruel. For whatever reason BL got out of the van and locked Gabby out, this is when the witnesses saw BL hitting and slapping Gabby, prompting him to call the police. Gabby was trying to crawl back into the locked vehicle through the drivers side window because BL had locked her out.

Do you think she would be upset about all of this? He was locking her out of the van that she owned, he had no right to do that and she must have been hysterical, imo.

The police stop in Moab happened 10 minutes later after they received the 911 from the witness.

 

[Nanceedroo]

I'm sorry, but I strongly disagree with your post.

Why?