Found Deceased WY - Gabrielle ‘Gabby’ Petito, 22, Grand Teton National Park, 25 Aug 2021 #62

[Skigirl]

I'm wondering about the circumstances that led up to Gabby's death. I've known a few abusers in my life and the overarching theme of these guys was always maintaining an image for their friends. It was very important to them that their friends couldn't envision the physical harm they rained down on their SO. Most of the violence was in the home not in public. But walls have ears and victims sometimes spill their guts to close friends.

In the case of BL, he'd already experienced what a concerned citizen could do by calling 911 putting him on display and having to explain the circumstances of his actions. But lo and behold, he met some bros who commiserated with him and he was laughing and joking with them while Gabby sat in the police car mentally exhausted, physically harmed and emotionally spent. She actually took the load off him.

But one thing Gabby was, was driven. She was focused on her dream to create a video blog of their travels. And nothing was going to stop her. After the second dustup in the restaurant, where BL lost his cool in front of many people, I'm sure the last place he wanted to be was back in an environment where he may have been recognized as the jerk who had a tantrum. It's kind of difficult to rehabilitate your image when you already have a couple of public displays of anger.

I can just imagine the conversations they may have had the night Gabby was killed. She was bound and determined to continue and he was trying his best to undermine her plans. Probably at some time, she may have issued an ultimatum: if you don't want to continue, fine, but I'm going to finish this trip with you or without you. Words flew, anger increased, threats were made. Maybe even Gabby saying, 'oh, no this van is mine. If you want to go back to Florida it won't be in the van.' She gets up to leave he stops her she struggles and he does what he always has. He just want her to shut up. She never shuts up. Now she's lying on the ground and he sits there crying. So full of remorse. 'I'm sorry Gabby. Why can't you just shut up'. He stays sorry until he realizes he's sitting beside a dead girl. A terrible accident. Just an accident. I can explain. Mom, dad, I can explain. He takes her phone, the keys and her credit cards. He never touches her again. He breaks camp and is gone before first light.

I think you've nailed a lot of it. Certainly you've hit on likely elements of their conflict. I think it's pretty likely that where she was found is pretty much where it happened, and that they were there at night with plans to sleep in the tent, and that her death was the result of an explosion of anger.

The only part that (MOO) doesn't quite fit is his leaving before first light. The people who picked him up hitchhiking are very believable to me. I think that his story about camping on the Snake River while she worked on her "little website" was his first draft of his cover story, in which he would come back after "being gone for a few days, camping alone" and "find her missing." I'm not sure why he didn't pull the trigger on that story -- it's not a particularly good one, but it's probably close to the story he'll eventually tell, anyway -- other than that after reflecting and realizing that he'd potentially be remembered for his restaurant rager in Jackson, he was worried that the story wouldn't fit and he'd be caught (or maybe he sought advice from his parents and they told him to just come home... however... I doubt their counsel would have been to steal her money in a very traceable fashion along the way). Maybe the thought of reporting her, and then having to be see publicly looking for her, and being voluntarily interviewed by LE made him think twice and decide that it would be better to put as much time as possible between her time of death and the discovery of her body.

 

[Angels Advocate]

For those of you who believe BL committed suicide.
He had 2300 miles between the crime scene and North Port where he could have pulled off the road and done himself in.
He stole her life, her credit cards, her money, her van, returned home, mowed the lawn, took walks, worked in the garage with his father, went on a camping trip, participated in a smoresfest, then disappeared into hiding.
The Petitos were awash in tears waiting for their daughter to be found. BL's dad was seen grinning it up with an FBI agent during a faux hunt.
Nah. Brian's holed up in a safe house with all the granola bars he can ingest watching all the firestorm he's created on a big screen.
...and nobody around to tell him to wash up.
MOOing.

Not to mention:

no conscience = no guilt and
no guilt = no suicide.

SBM

 

[Skigirl]

With someone who abuses, there doesn't have to be what you'd call a motive. The motive could be that she didn't chop his meat correctly, or that she smiled at the wrong time, or that she laughed at the wrong thing. The abuse is often triggered by the abusers guilt, so they more they abuse the more abusive they become. It's why it's so vital if someone is being abused they seek help. The abuse gets worse and it appears more random. I don't know that there was a pattern of long term abuse from Brian, but I do believe it was at the very least escalating. I don't believe Moab was the first time. imo

I don't believe Moab was the first time, and of course the whole idea of "motive" is probably the wrong way to describe the reasons for almost all murders. Perhaps I should have said "source of conflict." It doesn't seem like it required much for him to find conflict, but I could see finding out that she'd spent time with someone in Ogden could cause another one of his ragers.

 

[OceanElix]

A study was done in Sweden where a corpse less than 3 hours old was laid on 6 separate carpet squares for various lengths of time. The cadaver dogs signaled even after only 10 minutes. Here's the link.

The CSI death dogs: Sniffing out the truth behind the crime-scene

Interesting, so not very long needed at all! Thank you for this

 

[CarolynAB2]

Gabby Petito autopsy: Experts weigh in after coroner's 'manual strangulation' ruling
updated

Dr. Cyril Wecht spoke to Fox before the Teton County Coroner’s office released the official cause of death determination document, and was predicting at the time that Petito, 22, had died from manual strangulation.

Wecht, who said he has not seen the autopsy report, was critical of the lack of answers Blue was able to provide, but said investigators did "all the things that were necessary."

"They brought in experts, or the FBI did. Anthropology and radiology and entomology and toxicology, as well as, of course, the forensic pathology."

He added that entomology, toxicology have "nothing to do with strangulation."
…

Dr. Michael Baden told Fox News Digital the FBI’s decision to withhold Petito’s remains "very unusual."

"In 2021," said Baden, a Fox News contributor, "where anything of value can be document[ed], retained, tested on day one or two or three, there's no reason to keep the whole body from the family."

When reached by phone on Tuesday, he predicted that the coroner and law enforcement investigating the case "knew on day one when the autopsy was done that this was a strangulation and a homicide."

He added: "There was no reason that the body is still there."

Baden went on to say that while investigators might have been gathering additional information, "all that other information has more to do with who done it than what the cause of death was."

Baden said an issue that could potentially arise is that analysis of DNA likely "isn’t going to help here unless they found someone else’s DNA."

….

During his afternoon press conference, Blue confirmed that a toxicology report had been completed, but would not discuss the results. He also said Petito was not pregnant, but would not say whether her body had been moved. He also would not discuss at the time whether the strangulation was manual or involved a ligature.

Blue pointed to the ongoing investigation as preventing him from sharing much more information other than the cause and manner of death.

I'm very curious as to how they determined that she was not pregnant and if we can infer from that determination that there was significant remains from which to make that determination. I had thought that the remains would be in more skeletal, but perhaps not.

 

[IzzyBlanche]

I've been posting all along about how I think the "protestors" are way out of line, and a lot of posters disagree!

I agree. They're not going to accomplish anything except unnecessarily annoying neighbors who had nothing to do with anything.

 

[they'll get you]

Imagine sending your daughter money for her to remain safe and happy and then know her murderer is using her card while she lays dead in a field.

He is pathogen in human form.

 

[RickshawFan]

What would BL need to survive in the various possible scenarios?

For example if someone is helping to hide him in an urban setting providing food/shelter/utilities etc, what does that look like?

Versus if BL were surviving on his own out on a trail somewhere, what would he need? Meaning, what kind of food items, gear etc. I doubt he's trudging along the AT with a bag full of canned salmon, sleeping on a tarp.

There’s a legend that AT thru hikers don’t know who’s on the trail. However, you'd be surprised what they know. They might not know your background exactly, but they have well-developed hinky meters. Plus, they have nothing to do in the evening except fetch water, cook dinner (aka boil water), shoot the breeze, and go to bed. They talk about other hikers! And word gets around if something doesn’t add up.
And, right now the southbounders are in the south. Hinky meters very finely tuned.. and consider what the reward would mean to a batch of starving thru hikers.
Added to which… IMO BL is clueless about backcountry pursuits except in his dreams. And he sneers at people. That won’t work for him.
Regarding gear to take on a many-night trip, I don’t have time to write it right this minute. But it’s Winter. When I hiked the AT , I re-supplied every 4 days. I mailed the supplies to myself. Others bought them as they went along.
BL would have to have some way to re-supply, or have access to a food cache, plus first aid stuff, replacement batteries, fuel, meds…
Usually you calculate 2 lbs or so of food per day. No cans. It’s usually Ramen, Snickers bars, no vedge, little meat, maybe a foil packet of tuna… Mine was 32 different dinner menus which made me smirk every dinner, while everyone else was getting fed up with a nightly brew of ramen.
Also, you have to consider you have to find a trash can somewhere, which can develop into a significant amount. You wouldn’t want to bury it anywhere near your camp.

 

[JenniD]

Gabby Petito died by strangulation: Teton County Coroner | abc7ny.com

More details regarding method of strangulation

 

[Angels Advocate]

Imagine sending your daughter money for her to remain safe and happy and then know her murderer using her card while she’s laying dead in a field.

He is pathogen in human form.

BL is despicable.

 

[LRinCA]

I'm also curious about the photo in front of the monarch wall in Ogden. I wonder when it was taken and who took the photo. It's extra sad to me that she titled it Happy Halloween.

 

[Mom24]

There’s a myth that AT thru hikers don’t know who’s on the trail. However, you'd be surprised what they know. They might not know your background exactly, but they have well-developed hinky meters. Plus, they have nothing to do in the evening except fetch water, cook dinner (aka boil water), shoot the breeze, and go to bed. They talk about other hikers! And word gets around if something doesn’t add up.
And, right now the southbounders are in the south. Hinky meters very finely tuned.. and consider what the reward would mean to a batch of starving thru hikers.
Added to which… IMO BL is clueless about backcountry pursuits except in his dreams. And he sneers at people. That won’t work for him.
Regarding gear to take on a many-night trip, I don’t have time to write it right this minute. But it’s Winter. When I hiked the AT , I re-supplied every 4 days. I mailed the supplies to myself. Others bought them as they went along.
BL would have to have some way to re-supply, or have access to a food cache, plus first aid stuff, replacement batteries, fuel, meds…
Usually you calculate 2 lbs or so of food per day. No cans. It’s usually Ramen, Snickers bars, no vedge, little meat, maybe a foil packet of tuna… Mine was 32 different dinner menus which made me smirk every dinner, while everyone else was getting fed up with a nightly brew of ramen.
Also, you have to consider you have to find a trash can somewhere, which can develop into a significant amount. You wouldn’t want to bury it anywhere near your camp.

And always bring some steroid cream. Folliculitis was the bane of every long trip.

 

[UKUS]

from MSM (DailyMail) Gabby Petito was killed by strangulation, autopsy reveals | Daily Mail Online

• Teton County Coroner Dr. Brent Blue released the findings of Gabby Petito's autopsy in a briefing Tuesday
• Blue said the cause of death for the vlogger, 22, was strangulation and the manner of death was homicide, with a court docket later specifying that Petito had died of manual strangulation
• The coroner said he could not provide a specific date for when she was murdered, only that 'the body was in the wilderness for three to four weeks'
• Petito was not pregnant at the time of her death, he said, following speculation on social media, but added that the New Yorker had been a victim of domestic violence
• Blue refused to reveal several details: if her body was buried or left in the open; whether any drugs were found in her system; whether other injuries were found on her body; or whether she died in the place she was found
• Petito's body was discovered in a campsite close to the Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, September 19
• The coroner also refused to be drawn into whether his findings pointed to Laundrie being the killer - before slipping up and describing Petito as a victim of 'domestic violence'
• Her body was found on September 19 at a campsite near Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming
• The last reported sighting of Petito alive was on August 27 when witnesses said they saw the couple involved in a 'commotion' in a restaurant in Wyoming

 

[customCF]

I think it's somewhat odd that they released Gabby's COD. I figured they'd hold that information back for an interrogation of a suspect.
Wonder what this means for the future of this case, if there is a future for it given the situation

 

[Skigirl]

I’m with you until the last paragraph. BL was happy to fly home and fly back at will so the van meant little to him in terms of a threat.

Also I see him as far more sinister than you do. At some point - look at his early photos compared to photos of the recent months with Gabby on the trip and all the videos. IMO demons entered him at some point and they never left.

Funny, I was just comparing photos of him from Utah and from the year before. He was much skinnier. Gawky. His eyes looked different, his face was more bird-like. The change is striking and very spooky. Maybe influenced by what I know of subsequent events, but he doesn't look right, <modsnip>

 

[Mom24]

from MSM (DailyMail) Gabby Petito was killed by strangulation, autopsy reveals | Daily Mail Online

• Teton County Coroner Dr. Brent Blue released the findings of Gabby Petito's autopsy in a briefing Tuesday
• Blue said the cause of death for the vlogger, 22, was strangulation and the manner of death was homicide, with a court docket later specifying that Petito had died of manual strangulation
• The coroner said he could not provide a specific date for when she was murdered, only that 'the body was in the wilderness for three to four weeks'
• Petito was not pregnant at the time of her death, he said, following speculation on social media, but added that the New Yorker had been a victim of domestic violence
• Blue refused to reveal several details: if her body was buried or left in the open; whether any drugs were found in her system; whether other injuries were found on her body; or whether she died in the place she was found
• Petito's body was discovered in a campsite close to the Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, September 19
• The coroner also refused to be drawn into whether his findings pointed to Laundrie being the killer - before slipping up and describing Petito as a victim of 'domestic violence'
• Her body was found on September 19 at a campsite near Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming
• The last reported sighting of Petito alive was on August 27 when witnesses said they saw the couple involved in a 'commotion' in a restaurant in Wyoming

I'm guessing they found healing bruises or other past injuries that led them to conclude she was a victim of dv.

 

[CocoTutu]

BL had plenty of issues (not just hygienic ones) that would've made it unlikely - at least with me anyway!
*shudder at the idea*

Ugh, just the very thought if it. Poor Gabby. She suffered in so many ways..... more than any young woman should have to.

OMG that's a lotta speculation. Umm, they were living out of a van, mostly camping. Dirty feet doing that isn't really "profound hygiene issues" & thankfully videos don't have scratch 'n' sniff. He didn't seem partic dirty in anything I've seen, though he aspired to be some barefoot outdoor survivalist, he seemed like mostly a suburban NYer.

 

[cady]

I think you've nailed a lot of it. Certainly you've hit on likely elements of their conflict. I think it's pretty likely that where she was found is pretty much where it happened, and that they were there at night with plans to sleep in the tent, and that her death was the result of an explosion of anger.

The only part that (MOO) doesn't quite fit is his leaving before first light. The people who picked him up hitchhiking are very believable to me. I think that his story about camping on the Snake River while she worked on her "little website" was his first draft of his cover story, in which he would come back after "being gone for a few days, camping alone" and "find her missing." I'm not sure why he didn't pull the trigger on that story -- it's not a particularly good one, but it's probably close to the story he'll eventually tell, anyway -- other than that after reflecting and realizing that he'd potentially be remembered for his restaurant rager in Jackson, he was worried that the story wouldn't fit and he'd be caught (or maybe he sought advice from his parents and they told him to just come home... however... I doubt their counsel would have been to steal her money in a very traceable fashion along the way). Maybe the thought of reporting her, and then having to be see publicly looking for her, and being voluntarily interviewed by LE made him think twice and decide that it would be better to put as much time as possible between her time of death and the discovery of her body.

I have wondered when he left on his hike too,. It makes sense to wait til sunrise, but I would think he would want to get out of the area immediately. Either way, he had time to hike to Colter Village though, so I guess maybe he did wait til dawn. When was sunset the 27th? he may have had several hours of light to hike the hell out of there! jmo

 

[Sleuthine]

Who wants to talk about GP's time in Salt Lake City?

A week is a long time to spend in an airport hotel. She must have gotten out and done some things on her own that week.

In looking at the photos of her in front of the Butterfly Wall, she's dressed really really differently from the rest of her trip. She doesn't look like she's been camping, or like she's on the way to an overnight in a van in Grand Teton. She looks like someone who's enjoying being a little bit girly for the day.

She looks like someone who spent the night in a clean hotel, took a nice long shower, and had a chance to style her hair. Login • Instagram

There's a commuter train from Salt Lake City to Ogden, called FrontRunner. It leaves every 30-60 minutes, depending on the time of day, and costs about $13 round trip. The trip takes under an hour.

https://www.rideuta.com/Rider-Tools/Schedules-and-Maps/750-FrontRunner

What if she went there while Brian was away? Who took the photos? Did she have plans to meet up with someone she knew? Would that potentially be a source of conflict?

I agree. These photos are different and the very last doesn't quite fit in.

I am also wondering where this pumpkin comes from, if Gabby bought it in an art studio there, it would have been on a Saturday? BL only flew back on Monday the 23rd IIRC

Monarch Market - Local Specialty Market - The Monarch

 

[B4igo2it]

Judging from the bodycam footage, Gabby went for BLs face and arms so hopefully she did just that! Plus, she was wearing a sweater so maybe there will be some amount of DNA evidence on her clothing? (what kind of evidence I have no clue) I'm also hoping her Apple watch provides something like heart rate/pulse/step counter.

If LE can track where BL stopped for gas, they might be able to locate witnesses or surveillance footage that might reveal any injuries BL had while running back to FL.

Great post, I like the way you think! My cellphone would display health info as I often use it as I am out walking. I am concerned about the decomposition of 3+ weeks in sun and changing temps with respect to evidence and dna .... I suspect there is video footage of BL cc fraud in Illinois and you may be on to something about injuries. JMO