Found Deceased WY - Gabrielle ‘Gabby’ Petito, 22, Grand Teton National Park, 25 Aug 2021 #12

[Advocate4]

What if they broke up, he flew home and moved his own stuff out of storage back into the house because he was no longer going to be on the trip. When GP spoke to her dad in the hotel, she didn't tell him BL left because it wasn't a planned trip back but rather he just left in a huff and she didn't want her parents to know she was alone.

Then GP and BL cool off and make up and he decides to join her again on the trip and flies back.

JMO but that seems more likely than a planned trip to empty out a storage locker that could have been done before they left?

JMHO, but I think the trip back was to move their stuff OUT of storage and back into the home of BL's parents, because this would save GP and BL maybe $200-300 a month which would help with their trip finances.

 

[kittythehare]

I think this thread may be crashing the website. Anyone else having occasional trouble?

Yes.
I thought it was my godawful internet speed dying even more..

 

[Sunset]

Her mom said she was sure that text was not from Gabby, though.

I kind of believe that.
I have this friend who I know since 12, whose spouse thinks it's fun to take her phone and send everyone texts without her knowledge (to me, that's just weird) . I always figure out that it's him, every time. I don't know if it is the way he words he types or whatever. I just know.

So if the mom says it's not her, there might be a reason to it.

 

[bambibones]

Well no maybe. The father says it wasn't. I suppose hindsight is 20/20. It would seem the first sign of trouble her parents noticed was when his parents nor him responded to their questions.

It is also curious to me tho, why only Gabby would have been reported missing initially. At what point did anyone know for sure Brian made it back? Not that it would matter, but this undertone helps me leave a small place in my mind to understand his parents behavior. Tiny, but still there.

Or - her parents saw them break up before the 17th and then get back together. Maybe they have a history of doing this.

 

[Skigirl]

This tiktok thing reminds me of the thousands of tips that investigators must get after a missing person case goes national. The tipster know roughly where the victim disappeared (Wyoming/Yellowstone), knows the names of the victim and suspect (MSM), and was in the area in the same timeframe. The tipsters saw something or met someone, and convince themselves that it is related to the disappearance.

The difference here is that the tiktok woman is telling her story on tiktok - without any photos or other corroborating information. She called in a tip to FBI. That got her no where. She went to the media. Now we should accept this tip as fact?

I think this is one of the most important tips that has been received by LE. It establishes a timeline, it establishes where he was located (if it was him, and I believe it to be). I take it at face value that the reason she made the recordings (with excellent corroboration from her texts and her mother's) was because she learned about the case on TikTok and wanted to spread the word to others who'd been in the vicinity in case they had seen him or given a ride that day after or before she dropped him off. I hope whoever picked him up after he was dropped off at Jackson Dam also comes forward. JMO.

 

[Elhe]

Agree. The van was her Life and her LifeLine. It was her job. It was her security. She believed it was her future income and presence. He was the operations guy whose job it was to drive and keep the operations going. From what I see, she was not at any stage where she would envision going solo in the van.

Where is this information coming from? How did he go from being her fiancé and them embarking on this van life project together to being the operations guy? I get that he’s a pretty hated person right now, but let’s not try to start some narrative that they didn’t consider themselves engaged and in love.

 

[bammab]

JMHO, but I think the trip back was to move their stuff OUT of storage and back into the home of BL's parents, because this would save GP and BL maybe $200-300 a month which would help with their trip finances.

But how much did it cost for the flight and hotel? Or were both paid for by the parents? Even then, the parents could have paid another month of storage? The whole trip back makes no sense, probably because we know no details about it.


Edit: Parents could have funded the flight and/or hotel with rewards points they had built up, somewhat negating the cost of either? IDK...

 

[shelbycat]

How right you are!

But that ties the possible events even better because it's so much closer.

so much closer to what?

 

[Hope4More]

I’ve considered that exact scenario, and it’s definitely plausible. But what I can’t understand, is why - when they have kept BL so tightly under wraps, they let him venture out alone? He could be confronted by members of the public, LE, press, etc. Under the circumstances, considering he’s the POI in a high profile missing persons case, letting him go to into a wooded “wilderness” area alone is a recipe for disaster. They had to know this was a bad idea. I know he’s an adult, but I wonder if they considered the potential ramifications. I just think they’ve made some really questionable decisions that no matter how this case is resolved, will affect them negatively forever.

I agree they have made questionable decisions, and I absolutely agree that no matter what happens next their lives will never be the same, and for the worse.

 

[dtowndetective411]

I’m sorry for missing a few things and too much to catch up on, ugh. Please explain the *THEORIES* (emphasizing thoughts, ideas, opinions, obviously this timeline isn’t confirmed)

Looking at that map….

Why do we think brian was at colter bay for pickup? Do we think he was heading back to spread creek? How did he get to colter bay from spread creek in the first place (if he was at spread creek with gabby first)?

 

[kittythehare]

This tiktok thing reminds me of the thousands of tips that investigators must get after a missing person case goes national. The tipster know roughly where the victim disappeared (Wyoming/Yellowstone), knows the names of the victim and suspect (MSM), and was in the area in the same timeframe. The tipsters saw something or met someone, and convince themselves that it is related to the disappearance.

The difference here is that the tiktok woman is telling her story on tiktok - without any photos or other corroborating information. She called in a tip to FBI. That got her no where. She went to the media. Now we should accept this tip as fact?

She has quite a few followers.
I doubt she'd jeopardise her credibility for a fake story, sans drama!
I found her to be credible.

 

[TTF14]

JMHO, but I think the trip back was to move their stuff OUT of storage and back into the home of BL's parents, because this would save GP and BL maybe $200-300 a month which would help with their trip finances.

Wouldn't it be cheaper to just pay the storage fee and wait til they got home to clean it out than purchase cross-country airfare to do it??

 

[ninvestigate]

Well no maybe. The father says it wasn't. I suppose hindsight is 20/20. It would seem the first sign of trouble her parents noticed was when his parents nor him responded to their questions.

It is also curious to me tho, why only Gabby would have been reported missing initially. At what point did anyone know for sure Brian made it back? Not that it would matter, but this undertone helps me leave a small place in my mind to understand his parents behavior. Tiny, but still there.

Interesting point I am hung up on, too. Who saw Brian in Florida at all in September? Yes, we have claims -- but we don't know if it is because he was actually seen in Florida (perhaps at the van traffic stop, but again, I cannot verify this) or because his parents said he was home and "not available." The sister who came out on TV also said she had not spoken to Brian since this incident happened. She did not elaborate. Is it possible she did not speak to him because he was "off the grid" then?

 

[Alethea]

After seeing the local posts about all the manpower out at Carlton Reserve today...nah. No ruse on looking for him.
If, the parents have filed a false missing persons report, and have him safely tucked away somewhere, then they have bigger problems than they can imagine.

I don't mean I think the report was false. I think he really did run away on Tuesday and his parents are concerned since he is out of touch. I just wonder if LE took advantage of immediately declaring him a "missing person" so they could get the records. Within hours they were able to get his digital records and track exactly where his phone pinged over the past month without needing a warrant.

I can't imagine finding someone who is hiding, not missing, would justify the response otherwise.

 

[bambibones]

First time posting in here. Thanks to all who have provided solid theories on what happened. I have a theory of my own...

BL must have been lost if he was spending a few nights on the Snake river with only a tarp. Maybe he tried to walk to Colter Village because that seems like the closest town to the dispersed camping site, and he needed a break from GL. If he was lost, that would be a good reason to offer someone $200 to get back to GP (and the Van). The TT's story seems legit, and it sounds like he was somewhat acting normal until they got to the Dam because he missed his turn. Maybe he didn't want to admit he was lost because it was embarrassing. Maybe GP went out looking for him if he was lost. She could be lost herself, or worse, a bear or kidnapper could have found her (seeing as there are two other people missing in that area). Maybe BL got to the Van and thought that since she was gone she had broken up with him, and that she had gone to see her friend to Yellowstone or Yosemite (or whatever) as planned. It's possible he thought she left him, and drove home using a spare keys (or he had the keys). He made a breakup playlist on Spotify while driving home. 10 days later while sitting at home her parents text messaged his parents wondering where she is at. This is the first he realizes she is missing. Their fight in Utah didn't look good, and for him to be the last person who had seen her, it not a surprise that he lawyered up.

I think the minimal camping was a lie. I can't see BL sleeping under a tarp in 35° weather.

I think his whole story was a lie built on a skeleton of truths. According to him, GP was spending several days in the van working on her Vlog - with no WiFi.

 

[Spider92]

I can't believe people are still asking why they are bothering to look for BL.

He drove back from the West to Florida in HER van. Without HER.

At the very least, he has some explaining to do.

At best, he can provide information that leads to Gabby's whereabouts.

Yeah but he's not talking and they can't make him talk.

 

[squareandrabbet]

Where is this information coming from? How did he go from being her fiancé and them embarking on this van life project together to being the operations guy? I get that he’s a pretty hated person right now, but let’s not try to start some narrative that they didn’t consider themselves engaged and in love.

IMO, we're not "starting a narrative".

One or both of her bio parents said they were dialing back on their relationship and were no longer engaged.

Maybe Gabby told them a white lie, but we're not making it up.

 

[Skigirl]

I haven’t seen many people consider this… What if Gabby and Brian parked the van somewhere or even left it at the campsite while they went on a hike TOGETHER. Somewhere during the hike is when something happened to her (IMO he killed her). Then he continues along the trail until he reaches the showers/camp store where he showers to remove evidence then asks for a ride from the couple that drove him to the dam because he is trying to get back to the van. He realizes while in their vehicle that he is going to wrong direction, so he asks them to pull over. At this point he either hikes back to the van or manages to hitch another ride (if this is the case hopefully whoever picked him up comes forward). Once he reaches the van he packs everything up and heads back to FL in a hurry. I think they should check any and all trails near Colter Bay where is was picked up.

This is what I was assuming happened.

 

[ninvestigate]

I haven’t seen many people consider this… What if Gabby and Brian parked the van somewhere or even left it at the campsite while they went on a hike TOGETHER. Somewhere during the hike is when something happened to her (IMO he killed her). Then he continues along the trail until he reaches the showers/camp store where he showers to remove evidence then asks for a ride from the couple that drove him to the dam because he is trying to get back to the van. He realizes while in their vehicle that he is going to wrong direction, so he asks them to pull over. At this point he either hikes back to the van or manages to hitch another ride (if this is the case hopefully whoever picked him up comes forward). Once he reaches the van he packs everything up and heads back to FL in a hurry. I think they should check any and all trails near Colter Bay where is was picked up.

I've considered similar, and I think others have too. Particularly because if he hiked with her to get someplace 1) remote and 2) away from the van, then he doesn't have to worry about transporting her body after the fact.

 

[IzzyBlanche]

Yeah but he's not talking and they can't make him talk.

But if they find him, he might change his mind and talk.

And if he offs himself, that chance is lost forever.