Found Deceased WY - Gabrielle ‘Gabby’ Petito, 22, Grand Teton National Park, 25 Aug 2021 #84

[NCWatcher]

I agree with your post. Like others, I have cross-eye dominance and shoot with my non-dominant hand for accuracy. It's surprisingly not as awkward as many might think, but I must admit, I think I would use my dominant hand if I was putting the gun to my own head. That said, there's no way for me to determine what BL was thinking during those final moments.

It is one of the reasons I keep wondering if he was doing something else with his right hand. He had a notebook and "half-note" (whatever that might mean) inside his dry bag. Had he written everything he was going to write before he left home? Because what isn't mentioned in the autopsy report is a pen, pencil, or any other tool for writing. It could have simply been lost, because he didn't put it back in the dry bag with the other items, or he maybe never had a writing tool to begin with. But mixing the lack of pen with the "half-note" comment still makes me wonder if there was a second half of the note, which he was writing on with his right hand, and the pen and paper got washed away with the rain and rising water. IDK...

We don't know anything about what was written in that notebook other than that the FBI said he claimed responsibility for GP's death. If he had only a few very personal items along, claimed responsibility, wrote a suicide note, had a gunshot wound to the head, and recoil evidence to the left hand bones, maybe there just isn't any reason to question it as a suicide.

But if the ME and forensic anthropologist were wrong and there was reason to think his death was by murder, I would want to see his killer prosecuted, for all the reasons you stated. I just don't think anyone else was in that swamp with BL when the trigger was pulled...jmo.

Good point about the lack of a writing instrument.

He could have been holding something in his right hand as you suggest. Or it's possible he had injured his right hand somehow while in the swamp so he would have used his left to shoot IF he was already comfortable doing that. I admit I'm not really up on autopsy stuff and I know they can tell alot (especially since a forensic anthropologist was involved.) But unless he had broken bones in his right hand, I don't know that a premorbid injury to the "flesh" of that hand would have left signs by the time the skeletal remains were found. I'm also not sure there would have been recoil evidence on his shooting hand by then. But I could be wrong-- JMO.

 

[TL4S]

Some general details I noted in the autopsy:

• The gun and a white metal ring were located near the cranial fragments. I'm totally guessing here, but to me it indicates he might have had that ring on his left hand. Was this a ring that meant something to his relationship with GP? Could that have reasons to him using his left hand to shoot himself?
• Most of the bones were found near the base of a tree. Maybe he was sitting against it? It sounded like the shoes were near the cranium fragments, as well. His personal belongings were somewhat scattered, but approx. 250 feet southwest of the body was the drybag with journal, wooden box with photos, and a small notebook. Approx. 250 feet east of the body was his backpack, a piece of paper (half-note), and a hat that said "Moab Coffee Roasters." Gee, where have we heard that before? And the Moab footage hadn't even been released yet.
• The osteological examination listed postmortem interval of 47.4 to 672.4 days (1 1/2 month to 2 years) (pg 2 of osteological examination report). The examination was done on Oct. 22, so we can go back a month and a half and that's mid-September, the time he left.
• The clothing he apparently had on included green shorts and slip-on shoes, not hiking boots. IMO, he wasn't planning on walking far.
• He had an unused tent and flares, still inside his backpack, which is curious, but otherwise, all he had were photos, a journal, pieces of paper, a single ring, and a hat from his trip with GP.

The FBI said he claimed responsibility for GP's death. All of this before any of the news coverage had come along. All he knew at that point was that the van had been seized and GP's mom was crying on TV, looking for her daughter. Okay, so I don't see any of this as the sign of somebody going out to try to survive for awhile before killing himself. It doesn't sound like somebody running from the law, or deciding what he wants to do. It sounds like somebody reflecting on his life, with several of the very few items brought being something connected to GP. That doesn't even seem like somebody blaming her for the whole thing, or somebody cold and cowardly. He knew he was a murderer, though. So for people to try to make this look like anything besides a suicide just doesn't make sense to me.

 

[NCWatcher]

Some general details I noted in the autopsy:

• The gun and a white metal ring were located near the cranial fragments. I'm totally guessing here, but to me it indicates he might have had that ring on his left hand. Was this a ring that meant something to his relationship with GP? Could that have reasons to him using his left hand to shoot himself?
• Most of the bones were found near the base of a tree. Maybe he was sitting against it? It sounded like the shoes were near the cranium fragments, as well. His personal belongings were somewhat scattered, but approx. 250 feet southwest of the body was the drybag with journal, wooden box with photos, and a small notebook. Approx. 250 feet east of the body was his backpack, a piece of paper (half-note), and a hat that said "Moab Coffee Roasters." Gee, where have we heard that before? And the Moab footage hadn't even been released yet.
• The osteological examination listed postmortem interval of 47.4 to 672.4 days (1 1/2 month to 2 years) (pg 2 of osteological examination report). The examination was done on Oct. 22, so we can go back a month and a half and that's mid-September, the time he left.
• The clothing he apparently had on included green shorts and slip-on shoes, not hiking boots. IMO, he wasn't planning on walking far.
• He had an unused tent and flares, still inside his backpack, which is curious, but otherwise, all he had were photos, a journal, pieces of paper, a single ring, and a hat from his trip with GP.

The FBI said he claimed responsibility for GP's death. All of this before any of the news coverage had come along. All he knew at that point was that the van had been seized and GP's mom was crying on TV, looking for her daughter. Okay, so I don't see any of this as the sign of somebody going out to try to survive for awhile before killing himself. It doesn't sound like somebody running from the law, or deciding what he wants to do. It sounds like somebody reflecting on his life, with several of the very few items brought being something connected to GP. That doesn't even seem like somebody blaming her for the whole thing, or somebody cold and cowardly. He knew he was a murderer, though. So for people to try to make this look like anything besides a suicide just doesn't make sense to me.

I think it was suicide. But I think the report didn't make that case very well. And maybe those reports don't always justify conclusions about manner of death (or sometimes even details about cause of death) especially when a criminal case isn't going to happen. But the report was odd and if I had been on the fence, it would not have been very persuasive.
JMO

 

[TL4S]

I think it was suicide. But I think the report didn't make that case very well. And maybe those reports don't always justify conclusions about manner of death (or sometimes even details about cause of death) especially when a criminal case isn't going to happen. But the report was odd and if I had been on the fence, it would not have been very persuasive.
JMO

Yes, it was very oddly worded indeed. I kind of wonder if part of that might have been due to the area being underwater for awhile, the remains being skeletal, and predation making the details harder to pinpoint. Idk.

If this were reverse and he was out there with his phone and ID, but not these very personal, sentimental type possessions on him, I could see questioning it. If there were any indications he was forced from the home, or forced from his car, or the gun was not near the body, I could see questioning it. If his parents had no idea where he was, or if the gun hadn't gone missing from his own home, or he hadn't put "self- consumption" on his Spotify, or his lawyer hadn't reported his father asking him not to leave the house upset that day, or reporting they were concerned he might hurt himself, or if LE hadn't searched the swamp so hard despite everyone calling them idiots for not looking in Mexico, anything to point towards somebody else pulling that trigger, I could see questioning it. But imo, the signs of him contemplating suicide started way back on his trip home from WY.

Unless his parents went out and shot him, how else could any of this be explained? Unfortunately, there are probably people who see that as a possible scenario, but I'm not one of them. I think people hate BL because he murdered GP. That is justified, but they want vengeance and vigilantes. The autopsy report of the area around his remains, the belongings he had with him, his final act of taking his own life... this just isn't fulfilling enough to some. I think it's all so sad.

 

[Laura456]

Yes, it was very oddly worded indeed. I kind of wonder if part of that might have been due to the area being underwater for awhile, the remains being skeletal, and predation making the details harder to pinpoint. Idk.

If this were reverse and he was out there with his phone and ID, but not these very personal, sentimental type possessions on him, I could see questioning it. If there were any indications he was forced from the home, or forced from his car, or the gun was not near the body, I could see questioning it. If his parents had no idea where he was, or if the gun hadn't gone missing from his own home, or he hadn't put "self- consumption" on his Spotify, or his lawyer hadn't reported his father asking him not to leave the house upset that day, or reporting they were concerned he might hurt himself, or if LE hadn't searched the swamp so hard despite everyone calling them idiots for not looking in Mexico, anything to point towards somebody else pulling that trigger, I could see questioning it. But imo, the signs of him contemplating suicide started way back on his trip home from WY.

Unless his parents went out and shot him, how else could any of this be explained? Unfortunately, there are probably people who see that as a possible scenario, but I'm not one of them. I think people hate BL because he murdered GP. That is justified, but they want vengeance and vigilantes. The autopsy report of the area around his remains, the belongings he had with him, his final act of taking his own life... this just isn't fulfilling enough to some. I think it's all so sad.

I agree that it's tragic, that he didn't get help in time, that he didn't isolate himself when he knew he was in a dangerous state of mind. It's tragic that Gabby died, and in such a horrific way.

However, if there was a trial, it would have made everything much more painful for both families. I perhaps did not phrase it correctly when I said I didn't care by whose hand he died, I more meant to say that it at least put a stop to all the additional pain the families would have had to endure.

I respect our justice system, it's flawed but it's the best one we have. I do not condone vigilantes. Everyone deserves their day in court. There are some people that I refuse to mourn however. Maybe that means I lack compassion and don't value every human life equally.

I think the main lesson here is 1) Get help if you need it, don't try to cope alone 2) don't stay in a toxic relationship, get out asap as soon as a boundary is crossed into abuse /just my two cents, I apologize in advance if I upset anyone

 

[housewife]

Brian took one of the guns from his parents' house and fled, becoming an armed fugitive.
Could the L's have given Brian a gun before he left? And then lied about it to avoid looking bad? We only have the word of the L's and their real-estate lawyer to go on.

Out of curiosity, I was looking at Florida's laws regarding how to store weapons safely at home.
I found out that Florida considers weapon storage a safety risk for minors only. That surprised me.

“That (statute) basically provides that a person should keep that gun under control so that it cannot be accessed by a minor,” said Okaloosa County Chief Assistant State Attorney Bill Bishop. “This statute only deals with a minor being allowed to access that firearm and then if the minor is able to obtain the firearm and then use it in some sort of reckless display of a firearm, then the gun owner can be charged with a misdemeanor for allowing that minor to obtain the firearm."
The statute doesn’t apply, however, to those under the age of 16 who steal an unsecured weapon. And the law also doesn’t apply to adults at all; gun owners who leave their guns unsecured will face no repercussions if an adult takes their weapon and uses it unlawfully or recklessly.
​

Edited to add: To be clear, I am not a vigilante seeking vengeance, and I do not support any illegal harassment the L's might receive.

 

[RANCH]

Brian took one of the guns from his parents' house and fled, becoming an armed fugitive.
Could the L's have given Brian a gun before he left? And then lied about it to avoid looking bad? We only have the word of the L's and their real-estate lawyer to go on.

Out of curiosity, I was looking at Florida's laws regarding how to store weapons safely at home.
I found out that Florida considers weapon storage a safety risk for minors only. That surprised me.

“That (statute) basically provides that a person should keep that gun under control so that it cannot be accessed by a minor,” said Okaloosa County Chief Assistant State Attorney Bill Bishop. “This statute only deals with a minor being allowed to access that firearm and then if the minor is able to obtain the firearm and then use it in some sort of reckless display of a firearm, then the gun owner can be charged with a misdemeanor for allowing that minor to obtain the firearm."
The statute doesn’t apply, however, to those under the age of 16 who steal an unsecured weapon. And the law also doesn’t apply to adults at all; gun owners who leave their guns unsecured will face no repercussions if an adult takes their weapon and uses it unlawfully or recklessly.​

Why would Brian's parents give him the gun?

 

[housewife]

Why would Brian's parents give him the gun?

Good question. The more I study the Laundries, I believe self preservation above all drove their actions. Perhaps they wanted Brian to have something to protect himself.
When I try to apply logic and decency to the Laundries, I am often left confused and disappointed. Their actions truly befuddle me.

 

[RANCH]

Good question. The more I study the Laundries, I believe self preservation above all drove their actions. Perhaps they wanted Brian to have something to protect himself.
When I try to apply logic and decency to the Laundries, I am often left confused and disappointed. Their actions truly befuddle me.

I don't know who he needed protection from. I doubt they gave him the gun. JMO.

 

[NCWatcher]

Brian took one of the guns from his parents' house and fled, becoming an armed fugitive.
Could the L's have given Brian a gun before he left? And then lied about it to avoid looking bad? We only have the word of the L's and their real-estate lawyer to go on.

Out of curiosity, I was looking at Florida's laws regarding how to store weapons safely at home.
I found out that Florida considers weapon storage a safety risk for minors only. That surprised me.

“That (statute) basically provides that a person should keep that gun under control so that it cannot be accessed by a minor,” said Okaloosa County Chief Assistant State Attorney Bill Bishop. “This statute only deals with a minor being allowed to access that firearm and then if the minor is able to obtain the firearm and then use it in some sort of reckless display of a firearm, then the gun owner can be charged with a misdemeanor for allowing that minor to obtain the firearm."
The statute doesn’t apply, however, to those under the age of 16 who steal an unsecured weapon. And the law also doesn’t apply to adults at all; gun owners who leave their guns unsecured will face no repercussions if an adult takes their weapon and uses it unlawfully or recklessly.
​

Edited to add: To be clear, I am not a vigilante seeking vengeance, and I do not support any illegal harassment the L's might receive.

I doubt the L's gave BL a gun before he left.

Florida's gun storage laws aren't unusual and are stricter than some. Apparently Massachusetts is the only state that requires guns always be locked up. Like Florida, about 26-27 states have laws regarding storage when minors are involved. Interestingly "Colorado and Nevada only prohibit a person from recklessly, knowingly, or intentionally providing a gun to a minor."

Gun Storage Laws by State - FindLaw

 

[darring21]

Brian took one of the guns from his parents' house and fled, becoming an armed fugitive.
Could the L's have given Brian a gun before he left? And then lied about it to avoid looking bad? We only have the word of the L's and their real-estate lawyer to go on.

Out of curiosity, I was looking at Florida's laws regarding how to store weapons safely at home.
I found out that Florida considers weapon storage a safety risk for minors only. That surprised me.

“That (statute) basically provides that a person should keep that gun under control so that it cannot be accessed by a minor,” said Okaloosa County Chief Assistant State Attorney Bill Bishop. “This statute only deals with a minor being allowed to access that firearm and then if the minor is able to obtain the firearm and then use it in some sort of reckless display of a firearm, then the gun owner can be charged with a misdemeanor for allowing that minor to obtain the firearm."
The statute doesn’t apply, however, to those under the age of 16 who steal an unsecured weapon. And the law also doesn’t apply to adults at all; gun owners who leave their guns unsecured will face no repercussions if an adult takes their weapon and uses it unlawfully or recklessly.
​

Edited to add: To be clear, I am not a vigilante seeking vengeance, and I do not support any illegal harassment the L's might receive.

I don't think he was a fugitive at that time.

 

[Kristin Esq.]

JB Tweeted:


#BREAKING: Brian Laundrie told his parents he murdered Gabby Petito the day after her death, alleges Petito's family in a bombshell civil lawsuit against the Laundries, @WFLA has learned. Read the breaking report: bit.ly/35O7qlO #BrianLaundrie #GabbyPetito
Twitter · 1 min ago

 

[sds71]

In the new lawsuit, Petito’s parents allege that Laundrie told his parents what happened “on or about” Aug. 28.

“It is believed, and therefore averred that… Brian Laundrie advised his parents, Christopher Laundrie and Roberta Laundrie, that he had murdered Gabrielle Petito,” the lawsuit states. “On that same date, Christopher Laundrie and Roberta Laundrie spoke with Attorney Steve Bertolino, and sent him a retainer on Sept. 2, 2021.”


https://www.wfla.com/news/sarasota-...s-knew-about-daughters-murder-lawsuit-claims/

 

[Gardenista]

In the new lawsuit, Petito’s parents allege that Laundrie told his parents what happened “on or about” Aug. 28.

“It is believed, and therefore averred that… Brian Laundrie advised his parents, Christopher Laundrie and Roberta Laundrie, that he had murdered Gabrielle Petito,” the lawsuit states. “On that same date, Christopher Laundrie and Roberta Laundrie spoke with Attorney Steve Bertolino, and sent him a retainer on Sept. 2, 2021.”


https://www.wfla.com/news/sarasota-...s-knew-about-daughters-murder-lawsuit-claims/

Won't be surprised if this turns out to be true.

 

[Kristin Esq.]

In the new lawsuit, Petito’s parents allege that Laundrie told his parents what happened “on or about” Aug. 28.

“It is believed, and therefore averred that… Brian Laundrie advised his parents, Christopher Laundrie and Roberta Laundrie, that he had murdered Gabrielle Petito,” the lawsuit states. “On that same date, Christopher Laundrie and Roberta Laundrie spoke with Attorney Steve Bertolino, and sent him a retainer on Sept. 2, 2021.”


https://www.wfla.com/news/sarasota-...s-knew-about-daughters-murder-lawsuit-claims/

More from the article:

Gabby Petito’s family filed a lawsuit against the parents of Brian Laundrie this week, accusing the Laundrie family of knowing their son murdered 22-year-old Petito and were working to help him leave the country.

[...]

“While Joseph Petito and Nichole Schmidt were desperately searching for information concerning their daughter, Christopher Laundrie and Roberta Laundrie were keeping the whereabouts of Brian Laundrie secret, and it is believed were making arrangements for him to leave the country.”

In the lawsuit, Petito and Schmidt accuse the Laundrie family of acting “with malice or great indifference to the rights of” Petito’s family.

“Christopher and Roberta Laundrie exhibited extreme and outrageous conduct which constitutes behavior, under the circumstances, which goes beyond all possible bounds of decency and is regarded as shocking, atrocious, and utterly intolerable in a civilized community,” the lawsuit says.

Petito and Schmidt are seeking damages of at least $100,000, according to the documents filed this week, stating that they suffered pain and mental anguish as a result of the “willfulness and maliciousness” of the Laundries.

 

[Kristin Esq.]

JB reached out to Bertolino and he texted JB saying "no comment."

ETA: Twitter isn't working on my computer right now for some reason, but once it does, I can link the post where he said this. I can see it on my phone.

 

[shotgun09]

Christopher Laundrie and Roberta Laundrie were keeping the whereabouts of Brian Laundrie secret, and it is believed were making arrangements for him to leave the country.”

RSBM
BBM

But, whoa! That is a pretty direct statement of belief, and in saying that, might there be some evidence they have which we haven't heard of?

 

[Kristin Esq.]

JB is preparing for a livestream.

He said that Gabby's mom alleges Brian's mom blocked her phone and FB around September 10.

 

[Kristin Esq.]

RSBM
BBM

But, whoa! That is a pretty direct statement of belief, and in saying that, might there be some evidence they have which we haven't heard of?

I feel like there is a lot we haven't heard.

 

[Kristin Esq.]

JB Says there's more to this lawsuit. They are combing through - stream coming soon:

https://twitter.com/WFLAJB/status/1502367594027835393?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^tweet