Found Deceased WY - Gabrielle ‘Gabby’ Petito, 22, Grand Teton National Park, 25 Aug 2021 #4

[Ontario Mom]

I'll get kicked off of here if I answer. imo

Not if it's factual and you can provide an approved source link.

 

[Skigirl]

I'll get kicked off of here if I answer. imo

I was thinking that the answer might be "nothing" except getting annoyed when she was trying to do the things that could bring in the money.

 

[10ofRods]

Gabby had posted on IG that their first trip (in 2020) was done in her small car, and was enthusing about how much more spacious the van is. I'm still wondering how they were able to do two cross-country road trips two years in a row. What kind of jobs did they have that allowed this? Do they hire on someplace, then quit when they feel like vagabonding? If they weren't paying rent at his parents' place, I suppose that would allow them to save enough money for these trips, but would it give her enough to buy a van?

So many questions. So few answers.

Various news sources say Gabby had been working at an organic juice bar in FL. So was Brian. That organic juice bar is owned by Brian's parents - so yes, they could work, save up, and take off. That was the plan.

She had a car, from NY. She traded it in for the van (which wasn't an expensive van - but it doesn't sound like the trade-in covered it). Presumably, she had been working off and on out of high school.

That's what VanLife is - a person has a job (tries to transition it to online if possible) and lives nowhere. They are nomads. There are thousands and thousands of them out here in the spacious lands of the West (probably hundreds of thousands, given what my friends in the NP's are telling me).

That's why it's so confusing that this couple spent money on airfare to FL and back to SLC for Brian, while Gabby stayed in a hotel that costs out at more than $100 a night. I suspect someone's parents' credit card was used at some point.

I figure she probably needed $2-3,000 to trade up to an old van (2012...I see them in my locale for sale at $8000...)

If you're not paying rent, even minimum wage can add up to a car down payment pretty quickly. A couple of months of work.

 

[forgetmenot]

I thought I read that the sister may be cooperating, not sure.

I read, too, that BL’s sister may be talking. Someone posted it a day or two ago on one of these threads. No mention of BL’s sister since. Any info available?

 

[NuttMegg]

And here is something else: he was likely gaslighting her about her driving skills along with the fact that he didn't think she could follow her dream to be a YouTube influencer. That may be why SUCH AN ADVENTUROUS YOUNG WOMAN would be afraid to drive very far.

Sometimes, in the past, I'd rather let someone else drive than be subjected to endless snarly denigrating back seat driving. Although these days I'd just pull calmly over to the curb and say "bye, take a bus".

 

[Rocky Mountain Hi]

At one point in the body cam Brian says, “I hope she didn’t say anything too bad about me,” as if he was probing if she gave too much information about him that he doesn’t want the police to be aware of.

<modsnip: No MSM to substantiate. Social media 'comments' are not allowed for discussion.>

Notice how in the body cam video Gabby <modsnip> says she was calling her parents, YET the Dad stated in an interview yesterday that he was not aware of the domestic dispute issue and that if Gabby had told him, he would’ve been on the first flight there to pick her up and bring her home. He was unaware of any problems, including mental health problems that Gabby told MOEB police she was suffering from according to that police report.

Hmmm. So maybe she'd been hiding their conflicts from her parents all along? She wasn't on the phone with her parents, when the police spoke to them in Moab?

 

[Theswt1]

Moab police sent two officers to this incident. One stayed over an hour and did his best to get the couple into a better place (instead of arresting someone). They did run the plates, which is likely why it was clearcut that Gabby should be the one driving the van onward that night, while Brian (the "victim" - as he had visible marks on his body and Gabby was observed by the witness who called in...slapping and scratching Brian, which she did not deny and which two other witnesses said they saw, as well).

How is this sloppy police work? This type of community policing (they actually went after the van!) is what we all want. This is what most communities do not have. I'm actually amazed that Moab police took the amount of time they did on this minor incident. They couldn't have known that she was going to disappear, nor were there any grounds to do more (except possibly an arrest for DV - which some of you are saying they should have done, but really? a few scratches on a larger, stronger 23-year-old male who was clearly trying to drive away from his traveling partner - and the van owner - near the Co-op). No priors.

Bodycams record what they record - how can police change that??

Agree 100%. I’m not a fan of most police, but how the cops handled this, is how I always envisioned cops should handle all stops. Instead of what we usually see.

 

[goarmy11]

Personal experience with a family member being diagnosed with OCD and other mental disorders. Fam member (at the urging of her bf) went completely off the grid for 6 months, and then one day randomly appeared at my house in what I could best describe as a state of total psychosis.

Not defending BL here -- I think he should help if he can.

but would not surprise me if there are other mental health issues at play which caused a total breakdown. Agree with some others - I don't see a manipulative murderous psychopath - he was a nervous wreck from start to finish with the officers. I just can't see him doing what many suspect him of doing and then driving over 2,300 miles.

 

[Harvath]

I'll get kicked off of here if I answer. imo

Lol(And I mean that in a sarcastic cynical sense; as this situation in reality is no laughing matter). Having said that….now you’ve peaked my interest. You can’t answer but I’m curious what road your own mind is going down. I generally have a pretty good idea….it’s a thought provoking question certainly.

 

[JuneRose]

She said "I don't usually drive the van", 1:04:10 So it sounds like he is in control of her whole trip. I see the signs. Can we stop here honey? From the person who is not allowed to, or prefers not to drive. Always asking the person in control if she can stop and do or see something.

This is not necessarily his fault, some couples prefer this. But I find it bizarre that it is her van, yet someone else is in charge of driving it, and can use it as a (psychological) cudgel.

could be, but i dont think thats the senario in this case, my mother was controled like that by my father and i can tell you first hand that if he was that controlling she certainly would have never hit him or put scratches on his face like she did, the fear would have never allowed her to act out like that IMO

 

[Kikimora11]

Because this is likely a recovery, not a rescue. And if he tells a truthful location, he gets arrested. If he tells a false location, he will eventually be caught in a lie. If he hit her in the head with a rock or strangled her with his angry hands on a trail, there’d be no evidence in the van or on his/her things. Assuming he ditched his clothes. If he then dragged her off in the woods off trails, she may not be found for a long, long time. Or ever. No body, no evidence, no crime. I am very worried about finding Gabby in that vast, vast, rugged terrain. And soon the snow will be very thick, very brutal temps, high winds, road closures, etc. The window to find her in the near future is very short.

Sadly, I too worry about remains ever being found, if we assume the worst and she's somewhere in that terrain. <modsnip>

 

[Caring4Many]

Anyone besides me realize there are additional stickers from the recent photos of the van? Perhaps we can speculate where they were based on the new stickers?

I hadn’t seen this until you mentioned it! The one to the left says it’s a FL sticker-which is odd. & the other doesn’t appear to have a location that can be seen. I’ve googled trying to find it, no luck so far.

 

[Deleted member 121463]

I was thinking that the answer might be "nothing" except getting annoyed when she was trying to do the things that could bring in the money.

Seems you're right.

 

[GRT]

Bodycam: this cop - epic fail. Let's a distraught woman go off by herself in a van, takes boyfriend to a hotel. WTH?

I thought that same thing.

And, I can't shake the feeling that we're missing something--something vital.

It's just not adding up.

 

[sunrider]

I think the point some were concerned about was IF BL took the van and left her, without permission ?
That would (I think) be considered theft.
I think LE could charge him ?

But they're waiting.
They have one bite of the apple and to act without good evidence , his arrest would help no one -- as he (if he did something to her) could walk.
And her family will have no answers, ever.
Imo.

I asked my BF (retired police chief) about the “theft” question, and why LE isn’t pursuing that issue. He said that simply driving a car or being in possession of a car that isn’t registered to you is not a crime, unless that vehicle has been reported stolen.

My BF drives my car all the time, because he has my permission. There is no EVIDENCE that GP did not give BL permission to drive her vehicle. Now, that said, the PERCEPTION is quite different, and I’m sure LE suspects what we all do. But they have to prove it through evidence. Since BL isn’t talking, there isn’t evidence that a crime has been committed - yet. It’s very frustrating to us, but LE have to follow the law.

I also believe there is much more happening behind the scenes, than we know. MOO

 

[Poedelini]

I did not expect another press thing with the family.

 

[annwn]

<modsnip: Not victim friendly>

So 1 of 3 things happened here.
1.) GB and BL parted under domestic stress. Last seeing each other alive and well.
2.) BL wakes up finding GB gone.
3.) BL kills GB.

1.) Explains the facts soo far. He drove back because she told him to. He did not contact law enforcement because she was willing separated from him. He is lawyered up because no information could be given to them that will help find her. He can not prove his innocence to them and they can only use anything he says against him. You yourself is getting ready to pounce on this one saying how wrong I am. The police would be the same way. First thing anyone would say with this story is "do you really think I am going to believe that." So, if this was true, the only way to get around it is to lawyer up.

2.) BL wakes up and finds GB gone. Possible. But then the wisest action is to call the cops. That did not happen.

3.) BL kills GB. And this one is likely, but he would have to be incredibly sloopy. He would know that the second she does not show up, he is caught. He would want to plant evidence leading the police away from the real crime, so he would have to talk. Clamming up would only make it worst. There is hundreds of thousands of desolate roads for him to do whatever he wants, simply put the cellphones next to a tower and drive off, come back for them later. He could direct them anywhere and have them jumping on this words for years. But he clammed up. He might be smart enough to know you don't talk to cops period. But if that is true, then he knows not to kill someone.

 

[realanastasia]

She said "I don't usually drive the van", 1:04:10 So it sounds like he is in control of her whole trip. I see the signs. Can we stop here honey? From the person who is not allowed to, or prefers not to drive. Always asking the person in control if she can stop and do or see something.

This is not necessarily his fault, some couples prefer this. But I find it bizarre that it is her van, yet someone else is in charge of driving it, and can use it as a (psychological) cudgel.

Well...another interpretation of that statement is that HE typically drove because she was filming! I mean, the content they were posting must have included a significant amount of footage from them while they were on the road, not just from the places they stopped, right?

 

[Deleted member 121463]

Lol(And I mean that in a sarcastic cynical sense; as this situation in reality is no laughing matter). Having said that….now you’ve peaked my interest. You can’t answer but I’m curious what road your own mind is going down. I generally have a pretty good idea….it’s a thought provoking question certainly.

I honestly don't know what he did. I'm just making assumptions based on the fact that they lived with his parents, college doesn't seem to be an issue, and he is always barefoot.

 

[Harvath]

Sadly, I too worry about remains ever being found, if we assume the worst and she's somewhere in that terrain. <modsnip>

<modsnip: Quoted post was modsnipped>…..many sad cases where the remains are never found as well as answers and peace of mind(more so closure) to the families.