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

[TL4S]

I hadn't read that far into the report. I can't imagine him butchering a cow out there for a steak. It still doesn't make sense to me why they included something like boar and cow bones remains in the report.

It reads like maybe they didn't know if the bones were human or animal during the collection process, so when the bones were identified and listed during the autopsy, those that were not human were then identified as their appropriate species and given back to the FBI for processing.

 

[Kapua]

I just skimmed the report, but I was surprised at that part of it too. Some people who are right hand dominant do shoot with their left hand though.

I am far too squeamish to read the full report. I read way too much, though. What I want to know is what was in the "handwritten half note". I can do without the gory details.

 

[Laura456]

I don't understand why they didn't report him missing until pressed by LE. "Our son is a prime suspect in the investigation of his girlfriend, but sure, he's just out camping, no biggie."

Surely they knew him well enough to know what he might do. In the end it ended up being a type of mercy for the Petitos that there was no trial, but I doubt that that's why the Laundries kept quiet so long.

I just can't understand their thought process.

 

[MistyWaters]

I don't understand why they didn't report him missing until pressed by LE. "Our son is a prime suspect in the investigation of his girlfriend, but sure, he's just out camping, no biggie."

Surely they knew him well enough to know what he might do. In the end it ended up being a type of mercy for the Petitos that there was no trial, but I doubt that that's why the Laundries kept quiet so long.

I just can't understand their thought process.

We don’t know what Brian told his parents but he was an adult with the right to make his own decisions. But given a tent was found it’s possible he told them he was going to camp out for a few days and wanted some space. As a parent of adult children, I would say they’d have no choice but to do so. Just because he was absent from their home isn’t reason enough to report him missing when they apparently knew were he was. JMO

 

[Trebor5591]

Some say Bertolino did his job by keeping the laundries protected from criminality But I think he almost did them a far greater disservice by his terribly offensive and infuriating communication throughout this ordeal.

Strongly disagree. The Laundries are not being charged with anything, despite the pressures from the lynch mob camped on their lawn for weeks and the lynch mob rampaging through various sites on the internet, loudly demanding that Brian's parent's be treated as criminals for protecting their son. Bertolino did his job and he did it well, and the contrary opinions of those who advance the position that Brian's life had less worth than Gabby's life, in the end, matters little. MOO

 

[MistyWaters]

I’d hope to goodness I’d never be confronted with a situation like the Laundries but I can sort of imagine what transpired, and I’m wondering if maybe how people view them is dependent on if they’re parents of adult children or not.

How I think the sequence of events might’ve transpired -
- both Brian and Gabby were working. Probably the van was referred to as “their” van because it’s sole purpose was to transport “them” on their cross country adventure.
- So then Brian arrives back to his parent’s house one day with the van and tells the parents the relationship between him and Gabby has ended. Maybe he claimed he was intending on selling “their” van. It’d be highly unusual for parents to demand to check the registration or search of the contents of the van.
- Another last thing most parents of adults usually want not to do is discuss a relationship breakdown with the ex’s parents. Maybe this is why they chose not to talk to them? Gabby was not at the Laundries so they couldn’t be helpful anyway. They only heard Brian’s one-sided story, obviously biased….and now we know untruthful as well. But fact remans there are boundaries that parents of adult children learn to respect, if they proceed to stick their nose in everything going on in the adult child’s life, eventually that’s guaranteed to create distance in the relationship. Issues regarding past relationships are a #1 no-winner in the normal course of matters.
- Same as if Brian stated that he needed space to sort out his head, when he was really planning a suicide. The Laundries weren’t mind readers. To blame them for letting him leave their home, as if they were protecting or enabling his death somehow, is an unduly harsh judgement. Nobody can ever predict nor prevent someone from taking their own life. Surely we do not blame every survivor who’s loved one has walked out the door, never to come back? As we don’t know anything of their interactions with their son, nor the false stories he told them - and they owe the public no explanation - so other than based on a whole lot of speculation, why are Laudrie’s unique in deserving of blame?

JMO

 

[NCWatcher]

I’d hope to goodness I’d never be confronted with a situation like the Laundries but I can sort of imagine what transpired, and I’m wondering if maybe how people view them is dependent on if they’re parents of adult children or not.

How I think the sequence of events might’ve transpired -
- both Brian and Gabby were working. Probably the van was referred to as “their” van because it’s sole purpose was to transport “them” on their cross country adventure.
- So then Brian arrives back to his parent’s house one day with the van and tells the parents the relationship between him and Gabby has ended. Maybe he claimed he was intending on selling “their” van. It’d be highly unusual for parents to demand to check the registration or search of the contents of the van.
- Another last thing most parents of adults usually want not to do is discuss a relationship breakdown with the ex’s parents. Maybe this is why they chose not to talk to them? Gabby was not at the Laundries so they couldn’t be helpful anyway. They only heard Brian’s one-sided story, obviously biased….and now we know untruthful as well. But fact remans there are boundaries that parents of adult children learn to respect, if they proceed to stick their nose in everything going on in the adult child’s life, eventually that’s guaranteed to create distance in the relationship. Issues regarding past relationships are a #1 no-winner in the normal course of matters.
- Same as if Brian stated that he needed space to sort out his head, when he was really planning a suicide. The Laundries weren’t mind readers. To blame them for letting him leave their home, as if they were protecting or enabling his death somehow, is an unduly harsh judgement. Nobody can ever predict nor prevent someone from taking their own life. Surely we do not blame every survivor who’s loved one has walked out the door, never to come back? As we don’t know anything of their interactions with their son, nor the false stories he told them - and they owe the public no explanation - so other than based on a whole lot of speculation, why are Laudrie’s unique in deserving of blame?

JMO

Good points. I agree it's very unlikely the L's checked the van's registration and likely they thought it was jointly owned. (And regardless of the registration, it may have effectively been a joint possession in G&B's eyes.) Some have suggested the L's would have checked the registration when B&G lived with them because of "liability" but I doubt it... it's not likely they would have wondered if the van was stolen. Not sure what liability the L's could have had then anyway. B&G were adults.

I've also thought that we have very little information about what the L's thought of the relationship between B&G. I know NS had said RL was "thrilled" the couple planned to marry but that's coming from G's mother and may or may not be the way RL felt. We do know (at least I think we do) that B&G first lived with Cassie and her family, then lived in the L's condo rent-free, and then lived with the L's. While I agree it's likely the L's stayed out of the relationship, they certainly were giving the couple support. But that means they were also in a position to more easily observe (compared to other parents of adult children) it wasn't a very healthy or stable relationship. Rose D said G spent the night at her house on occasions when she was mad at B & Cassie said she never saw any violence but the couple did argue a fair amount. The L's had to see some of that. So they may have been primed to believe a story from B like "we've decided to take a break."
JMO

 

[Nikynoo]

I have a question. In the report it states that Brian's sister has advised that Brian was right handed. The report states that the entrance of the gun shot wound was around his left temple. Does this indicate that Brian used his left hand to pull the trigger?

 

[NCWatcher]

I have a question. In the report it states that Brian's sister has advised that Brian was right handed. The report states that the entrance of the gun shot wound was around his left temple. Does this indicate that Brian used his left hand to pull the trigger?

It sure sounds that way. I believe a couple of posters said they knew people who were not ambidextrous who shot with their non-dominant hands.

I don't think most hand guns are "handed" but long guns are usually right-handed. I don't think we know how Brian typically shot (think it was reported he did target shooting, maybe with his father) but I do know some people have opposite-eye dominance. (Including me. I'm right-handed but my left eye is dominant.) Opposite-eye dominance can make accurate shooting with the dominant hand difficult. So B may have become a left-handed shooter with hand guns. But it is odd. Doesn't seem to have been an issue for investigators though.

 

[Nikynoo]

It sure sounds that way. I believe a couple of posters said they knew people who were not ambidextrous who shot with their non-dominant hands.

I don't think most hand guns are "handed" but long guns are usually right-handed. I don't think we know how Brian typically shot (think it was reported he did target shooting, maybe with his father) but I do know some people have opposite-eye dominance. (Including me. I'm right-handed but my left eye is dominant.) Opposite-eye dominance can make accurate shooting with the dominant hand difficult. So B may have become a left-handed shooter with hand guns. But it is odd. Doesn't seem to have been an issue for investigators though.

Just another oddness to add to others Thanks for your reply.

 

[Nikynoo]

It sure sounds that way. I believe a couple of posters said they knew people who were not ambidextrous who shot with their non-dominant hands.

I don't think most hand guns are "handed" but long guns are usually right-handed. I don't think we know how Brian typically shot (think it was reported he did target shooting, maybe with his father) but I do know some people have opposite-eye dominance. (Including me. I'm right-handed but my left eye is dominant.) Opposite-eye dominance can make accurate shooting with the dominant hand difficult. So B may have become a left-handed shooter with hand guns. But it is odd. Doesn't seem to have been an issue for investigators though.

I found this in relation to the make of gun used - it has a write up and some pictures. I was curious, as I have never fired a gun and I don't think I have seen a hand gun in real life! Gun Review: EAA Windicator .38 Special/.357 Magnum Revolver

 

[fiveducks]

It sure sounds that way. I believe a couple of posters said they knew people who were not ambidextrous who shot with their non-dominant hands.

I don't think most hand guns are "handed" but long guns are usually right-handed. I don't think we know how Brian typically shot (think it was reported he did target shooting, maybe with his father) but I do know some people have opposite-eye dominance. (Including me. I'm right-handed but my left eye is dominant.) Opposite-eye dominance can make accurate shooting with the dominant hand difficult. So B may have become a left-handed shooter with hand guns. But it is odd. Doesn't seem to have been an issue for investigators though.

THIS. I am right handed and left eye dominant. I shoot with my left hand and write with my right hand. It isn't uncommon either.

 

[TL4S]

I'm also cross-hand dominate for shooting, so that's quite a few of us right here on the thread. I guess even beyond that possibility, though, is that maybe he was doing something else with his dominate hand. Perhaps bracing the hand holding the gun? So hard to know. My first thought would NOT be him trying to make it look like someone else did it, like what was suggested in one of the articles posted here, but who knows...

 

[Jealoushe]

I just skimmed the report, but I was surprised at that part of it too. Some people who are right hand dominant do shoot with their left hand though.

Im a righty but play guitar lefty.

 

[Trebor5591]

I hadn't read that far into the report. I can't imagine him butchering a cow out there for a steak. It still doesn't make sense to me why they included something like boar and cow bones remains in the report.

Probably what happened was, when the forensic team recovered his remains, they did a grid search of the two separate collection locations. This is in the report. Every single bone in those two locations was collected and counted. Some of the bones collected were animal bones that just happened to be in the grid that was searched. The medical examiner had to deal with them because they were part of the "bone count", but he dismissed them as animal bones in the report. MOO

 

[glamourkitty1922]

It's not 100% clear to me the "handwritten half note" was written by BL. And how do they know it was a "half note?" They maybe could guess it wasn't a complete note but how could they know it was a half? Why not say a partial note? Or fragment of a note?

I'm not sure why there were two scenes. What was the significance of the dead animal recovered at the scene where his body wasn't? I read quickly...Do we know what kind of animal it was? Might he have hurriedly abandoned that scene and accidentally left stuff behind, maybe in the dark?

After reading about the recovery operation and scene processing, I certainly see why investigators didn't want to come back to the scene when that TikToker claimed to find a water bottle that looked like one seen in a video of the van.
JMO

Perhaps they mean the paper was ripped in half to write the note? Perhaps folded in half? I've never heard anyone refer to a "half note" before.

 

[TL4S]

Perhaps they mean the paper was ripped in half to write the note? Perhaps folded in half? I've never heard anyone refer to a "half note" before.

I thought the same thing...a note torn in half. There was no mention of a writing utensil with his possessions, was there?

The thought crossed my mind that maybe the reason he used his left hand to shoot the gun was because he was writing with his right hand. The writing utensil and paper could have been lost in the rising water.

 

[LMDlong]

It sure sounds that way. I believe a couple of posters said they knew people who were not ambidextrous who shot with their non-dominant hands.

I don't think most hand guns are "handed" but long guns are usually right-handed. I don't think we know how Brian typically shot (think it was reported he did target shooting, maybe with his father) but I do know some people have opposite-eye dominance. (Including me. I'm right-handed but my left eye is dominant.) Opposite-eye dominance can make accurate shooting with the dominant hand difficult. So B may have become a left-handed shooter with hand guns. But it is odd. Doesn't seem to have been an issue for investigators though.

I agree with you , I too am right handed and left eye dominant but shoot with my left hand. As a child I learned to write left handed when I injured my right hand.

 

[customCF]

I just skimmed the report, but I was surprised at that part of it too. Some people who are right hand dominant do shoot with their left hand though.

It is not very common though. I'd call it very uncommon.

 

[NCWatcher]

It is not very common though. I'd call it very uncommon.

I don't know how uncommon it is. Several people here have said they shoot with their left hands but are right-handed otherwise. And supposedly about 1/3 of people have cross-dominance with hand and eye. So it's probably not rare (if "very uncommon" means rare.) Here's an article. It's about concealed carry, not target shooting so the author doesn't recommend shooting with the non-dominant hand but says some schools teach that.
Gun Stance: Right Hand, Left Eye — Cross-Dominant Shooting Aim
JMO