You must have been reading my mind!
I'm going to spin you a little story. My point being that I have no idea what happened to Gabby Petitio, and neither do you.
Brian and Gabby have an argument, he storms off to hike, she remains to work on blog. While he is gone, she is murdered by who only knows who (were 2 other woman not shot, possibly by a creepy camper they reported?) Perhaps this perp decided to try up close and personal, strangulation.
Brian returns to find Gabby deceased, he panics because they were just stopped (Moab) for a DV, had a scene at Merry Piglets, and he thinks "oh my God, everyone will think I did it"!
He dithers around in shock and horror hitchhiking, wondering what to do, becoming unhinged.
He goes home the only way he has, Gabby's van, Gabby's card. He tells Mom and Dad this horrible story. Realizing once your entangled with the police, the police will try to convict the most likely person, they lawyer up and follow his advice to a T.
He tries to shake off the horror, his parents are stunned, questioning everything, shutting down, maybe he did it, what if he didn't, a waking nightmare.
Brian can't take it anymore, his poor family, (who doesn't know the truth either way) he leaves or commits suicide.
In my story, which could be true, do the Laudries deserve the hell inflicted on them? No. So, can we just wait for the facts before we condem them all?
Please don't misunderstand me, I grieve for the Petitos and want whoever murdered their child brought to justice. However, I don't want to see people condemned on speculation. <modsnip>
If you have never been involved with law enforcement then it's easy to say "oh they should just go to the police". Jails and prisons are bursting with people who shouldn't be there, all because they were easiest to convict. No one should ever speak to police without a lawyer. <modsnip> All IMHO