Found Deceased WY - Gabrielle ‘Gabby’ Petito, 22, Grand Teton National Park, 25 Aug 2021 #9

[zucchinibread]

Can anyone imagine putting their parents through this? Dear god.

 

[sunrider]

I think BL’s family were well aware he was planning to run. I think they decided to report him missing for 2 possible reasons -
1. Possibly because they lost communication with him, and are concerned he committed suicide
2. On the advice of their attorney, to remove any more liability from themselves for stonewalling the investigation. When he never returned, they knew they would eventually have to produce him, and they could not. They waited several days to form a strategy. BL put them in an impossible situation, and this was their way out. MOO

 

[PayrollNerd]

You can download a map of the Myakkahatchee walking trails here at the link. If you are unfamiliar with the area, we are in flood season. The waterway Big Slough Preserve floods in summer. If he is in this area, it is full of gators, snakes, rodents and horrendous bugs this time of year. There is a huge canal that separates this park from Carlton Preserve. Carlton Preserve isn't some place you want to hang out. It is essentially a swamp.

Your Local Parks | North Port, FL

 

[Mike in WNY]

Brian Laundrie does not always hike barefoot... Campsite planning app offers new clues in case of missing woman Gabby Petito

 

[PayrollNerd]

You can download a map of the Myakkahatchee walking trails here at the link. If you are unfamiliar with the area, we are in flood season. The waterway Big Slough Preserve floods in summer. If he is in this area, it is full of gators, snakes, rodents and horrendous bugs this time of year. There is a huge canal that separates this park from Carlton Preserve. Carlton Preserve isn't some place you want to hang out. It is essentially a swamp.

Your Local Parks | North Port, FL

 

[RickshawFan]

I think it was part of the image he was going for. Being one with nature, respecting the Earth, feeling a sense of freedom and mindfulness, etc. I don't really see it odd because it is a familiar concept in yoga, some spiritual practices, lovers of nature communities. I am not sure how authentic it was for him vs trying to create a persona/ image, though. MOO

ETA, HI! I didn't even realize I was replying to your comment.

DL would be putting a lot of people at risk if he was taking hikes barefoot. The odds of having some kind of foot accident are extremely high. Twisted ankle, bee sting, puncture wound, snake bite, fall, trip, foot fatigue.... If DL hiked like that and had a problem, he would require help with exiting the trail, including perhaps SAR and LE. This takes MANY people and puts them all at risk.
Consider this: If you can't hike out, you have to be carried or airlifted. And if you're 150 lbs? How many people does that involve, just to do the lifting, and then to swap out as folks get tired? Consider the expense of all that, too. How many personnel does it take to get a helicopter off the ground, find a good landing spot, train the skills necessary to winch someone up....?

*******
Opinionated experience tip: NEVER hike barefoot. NEVER go hanging out barefoot in the backcountry. Even water is not a safe place because there can be unseen obstacles and you have no grip. That's why kayakers and rafters wear water shoes. Same with canyoneers. Just don't.
Bottom line: when in the backcountry, do whatever you can to keep from creating a risk for others; that means fellow hikers and SAR. That means good footwear, water, emergency stuff, appropriate apparel.
IMO if someone is out there who has chosen to do something dangerous (like wearing no shoes or taking selfies on cliff edges), get as far away from them as you can, because they are threatening your safety.

 

[Kano]

Exactly. I know it’s a vast area….but strategically close it off. Surround it….and release the dogs.

I think as LE said, they're concerned FOR him. My sense watching that domestic video again is that GP and BL are two fragile, co-dependent souls who couldn't hurt anyone but each other, and very likely did.

My point is Brian gets the search that Gabby deserved weeks ago! He should have told where he last saw her and his silence was enabled. JMO

Sadly at the end of the day economics rule the world. I imagine this is a logistics issue. They have a more limited idea of where he maybe and where to search. For her it could be a multi state ordeal. That said i don't agree with it and i think we value money more than we value life most of the time

 

[GatorFL]

That matter is not always straight forward. Anyway, he didn't have to have a firearm to get rid of her, and using it would have drawn attention. Cops would have known immediately upon checking his flight itin that he had carried a gun.

Only if he flew with it.

 

[Kyshoegal]

What if your 24 year old unexpectedly returned, alone, from a long-term trip. Without his fiancee, who had been living in your own house. You wouldn't ask him any questions? Just resume taking care of his shelter, food, and daily needs? At the very least they should be detailing exactly what questions they asked, and exactly what he answered. This idea that they received no info from their son doesn't make sense.

Exactly

 

[CrimeDawg123]

Camping in vans is inherently dangerous. It is only one step up from sleeping in a tent, where one is terribly vulnerable to all kinds of dangers--two-legged and four-legged. A van provides much less protection than sleeping behind the locked doors of a home. There is no bathroom-so if you have to go in the night, you have to exit the van. Anyone can walk right up on you in a van and you wont know it if you are asleep.

I've camped my whole life. In tents out of tents, in vehicles etc. in some very remote locations. I've NEVER found it dangerous. The driving to get there is far more dangerous.

 

[Skigirl]

I think his parents knew he was taking off also. WFLA quotes his parents saying he was last seen Tuesday wearing a hiking bag and a waist strap

Given that it's not easy walking distance and they seem to have a lot of detail about where he went and what he was wearing, I have to wonder if they "believe" he's there because they gave him a ride there.

 

[MysteryMama]

Camping in vans is inherently dangerous. It is only one step up from sleeping in a tent, where one is terribly vulnerable to all kinds of dangers--two-legged and four-legged. A van provides much less protection than sleeping behind the locked doors of a home. There is no bathroom-so if you have to go in the night, you have to exit the van. Anyone can walk right up on you in a van and you wont know it if you are asleep.

A lot of people who live in vans have bathroom provisions in them, so you don't have to leave at night necessarily. And the van can also drive away if there is danger, unlike a house.

 

[cady]

Maybe people were too busy howling into megaphones outside his house to notice?

Probably left in the wee hours of Tuesday morning.

 

[MadMcGoo]

It makes no sense that his parents are trying to hide him. Unless the truth is favorable to their son. Why else would they alert authorities knowing they'd pay even more attention to him?

None of this makes sense.

 

[zucchinibread]

I cannot believe that in asking for help with their son, they did not disclose a single detail about Gabby or what he has said to them about the situation. This is absurd. They are horrible.

 

[NuttMegg]

I think his parents knew he was taking off also. WFLA quotes his parents saying he was last seen Tuesday wearing a hiking bag and a waist strap

I wondered at that description "hiking bag and waist strap". Sounds like a fanny pack. I realize that larger packs also have waist straps.

 

[MrsG728]

I apologize for such a simple question, but I have bee searching the threads, and I can't find this info: Where is the van? Did he drive it to the edge of the preserve and abandon it, or is the van at home and they assume he walked there?

 

[pittie_mcclure]

DL would be putting a lot of people at risk if he was taking hikes barefoot. The odds of having some kind of foot accident are extremely high. Twisted ankle, bee sting, puncture wound, snake bite, fall, trip, foot fatigue.... If DL hiked like that and had a problem, he would require help with exiting the trail, including perhaps SAR and LE. This takes MANY people and puts them all at risk.
Consider this: If you can't hike out, you have to be carried or airlifted. And if you're 150 lbs? How many people does that involve, just to do the lifting, and then to swap out as folks get tired? Consider the expense of all that, too. How many personnel does it take to get a helicopter off the ground, find a good landing spot, train the skills necessary to winch someone up....?

*******
Experience tip: NEVER hike barefoot. NEVER go hanging out barefoot in the backcountry. Even water is a safe place because there can be unseen obstacles and you have no grip. That's why kayakers and rafters wear water shoes. Same with canyoneers. Just don't.
Bottom line: when in the backcountry, do whatever you can to keep from creating a risk for others; that means fellow hikers and SAR. That means good footwear, water, emergency stuff, appropriate apparel.
IMO if someone is out there who has chosen to do something dangerous (like wearing no shoes or taking selfies on cliff edges), get as far away from them as you can, because they are threatening your safety.

Great PSA.

I’ve cut my hand on baby rocks while kayaking so i second all of this. The terrain is SHARP out here and I dont think people realize that. When hiking/adventuring, the first thing to do is consider the danger you could find yourself in, how to avoid it, and to put yourself in SAR shoes. I’d never want to put somebody else in danger trying to find/help me because i was careless or didn’t do my due diligence.

 

[skyedaze]

Wow. So they shared nothing about Gabby. They are only worried about their son. I know there’s a possibility they don’t know anything about Gabby’s disappearance. But I just find that very hard to believe. Just my opinion.

They basically suk.
We don't even know if BL really went to that reserve...that police dept hasn't gotten anything right so far.
If he did go there he could have camped if he had a backpack and stuff...but wouldn't someone notice that?...unless someone else dropped him off.
Or he went there with no supplies to kill himself which at one point concerned me because then we would never know what happened...but we I feel we never really will know the truth so I don't really care what happens to him now.
Even if he didn't do anything (which I feel he darn sure did), he is not helping or showing any concern for Gabby...so whatever happens to him is no concern to me.

 

[Kano]

I've camped my whole life. In tents out of tents, in vehicles etc. in some very remote locations. I've NEVER found it dangerous. The driving to get there is far more dangerous.

I actually like the camper van trend. Not to live in mind you, that i would never enjoy but i think it's pretty cool for a weekend escape, something to travel in instead of hotels, or even the ability to have an 'off grid' room. I live in Oklahoma and we can have our power down for extended periods of time with storms and tornados. A camper van could save a persons life in an ice storm that the power goes out at your home during. I really like them.