Found Deceased WY - Gabrielle ‘Gabby’ Petito, 22, Grand Teton National Park, 25 Aug 2021 #2

[Spartygirl]

Wow, that is the statement? They could have said anything, and that is how they chose to word it. It's equivalent to saying, "good luck in your endeavors." So impersonal.

I get hiring a lawyer whether you are guilty or innocent; it just makes sense and is good practice. What I don't get is is how after a 2.5-year relationship where GB lived with BL and his parents, you wouldn't want to do everything in your power to help find her even if you were worried about being accused of something, even if you had a fight and broke up and are worried how it all might look?

Another thing we learned today that is even more concerning is that GB's mom tried to contact both BL and his mother, and they wouldn't speak to her. I sure wish we could add to our timeline when exactly BL arrived home. I hope and think that LE knows that information by now, which is why they are basing their search perimeters where they are.

Finally caught up--got through Thread 1 and into here now.

You pretty much said everything I want to say.

Especially the BBM part.

I understand hiring an attorney

I do NOT understand not offering to help search,
not offering assistance to searchers, LE..
I mean..he was the last one to be with her...
he should have been able to tell LE the last place he was with her....
unless he is hiding something, IMO


IF it were my child's fiance missing after a cross country adventure, I would be out helping or doing what I can to find them.
JMO

 

[Veronica Sawyer]

This is what I want to know. They were seen checking out of the SLC hotel room on 8/24. It sounds like Gabby’s mom had been in touch with her pretty regularly until the 25th. I feel like the trip back to Florida occurred in late August, after her last contact with her mom. IMO

Can’t help but wonder if he left for the week then returned to find her either less than alive or gone (as in she took off) and thought he’d be blamed for it? The odds are slim, I know.

but at the same time why would it take a week to move stuff into storage? how much stuff could she possibly have? so many questions….

 

[Elhe]

Were they planning a life together? Or was she the only one planning a future for them? He proposed to her a little over a year ago, but no wedding date or marriage. Did she even have an engagement ring? (Not that such things mattered to her.) If her mom has shown reluctance to say they're engaged, maybe the mom didn't see signs he was serious.

Of course she called it "our" van; she was starry-eyed about him, and was posting pix of baby clothes and such on her IG (if reports on this thread are accurate). I'd be more inclined to trust the mom's phrasing about the van, as "her" (Gabby's) van, as more representative of reality. But maybe that's just me.

I get that some people are interested in whose name is on the title, I just don't see it as being significant at this time, and I actually do think it is her name on the title. I also think they were planning a life together since he proposed to her. If he technically stole it then fine, arrest him, but even if he did it doesn't help find her. He's already got a lawyer, he probably won't talk even if they arrest him. Having the van processed by the fbi is great news, hopefully there is some evidence as to her whereabouts.

If he took the van without her permission and her name is on the car as owner, that's theft. Here at WS, we tend to be concerned about any criminal aspect of a missing person case. Barry Morphew is accused of several other things besides just killing his wife.

So, I disagree that the only way that a crime would be committed is if someone tried to sell or get rid of the van (that's clearly illegal, if you don't own the van in the first place; being in possession of a van without the owner's permission is another issue).

When it comes out of impound (if it ever does), I assume LE will transfer it to the legal owner. Parents would inherit GP's van unless she had a will leaving it to someone else and if no evidence of her being alive can be found soon, parents can file for guardianship over GP's assets...

Referring to something as "ours" doesn't make legal ownership "ours," unless the title so indicates (and perhaps it does).

The Morphew case is one of the few cases I follow. I get your analogy, but I'm not interested in things like why he sent her ballot in. There are just some details that don't matter to me (i.e. the ballot won't help find her or explain what happened). I'll think the same about when they release the van to her family (meaning, now we've established title ownership, how does that help the young woman who's missing). Such as, did he technically steal it given that it is accepted by both families that he was part of the van's life.

Like I said, I think it's her name on the title, but if he left without her and a major crime was committed a charge for grand theft would be the least of his worries. She's not made contact with anyone, the van wasn't reported stolen, he could argue a grand theft case with reasonable beliefs that he'd win. He was a big part of this van life trip.

 

[Alethea]

I can't be the only one that doesn't see anything wrong with the statement, can I?

1. Acknowledging both families are having a difficult time, as I'm sure they are. Gabby's family obviously having a harder time due to her missing status, doesn't mean the L family isn't also having a difficult time. There's still a heck of a lot none of us know. I think something really awful happened for sure.
2. Expressing the L family's hope for a successful search, and a reunion with her family. I'm pretty sure we all want the same thing, yes?
3. Lawyer admitting it's him that advised them to essentially keep a low profile and say nothing. Makes perfect sense to me. I'm pretty sure I've seen some of our verified lawyer members here, advise the exact same thing. Maybe @gitana1 or @Alethea can weigh in on this specific aspect?

jmo

Definitely agree that their lawyer wrote it and I don't see anything wrong with calling her Miss P. If I were referring to a potential victim I would do the same as calling them by their first name would seem overly familiar for a lawyer.

I don't think there's anything wrong with the statement but either the boyfriend did something or he's a witness and maybe LE told them not to make statements. If they weren't involved at all I think the statement would have said more?

I do think if I were this lawyer I would have said (if true) that the family is cooperating with the police. That can put people's minds at ease. There's no duty to talk to the press even if you are cooperating with police.

 

[SiciC]

She's also questioning Brian's trip back to Florida in August to help his father move their things into a storage unit. She wonders why it was necessary to move Gabby's things during their road trip and what became of her stuff.

I'm really curious if this means he drove back to FL in August and has been there since, and didn't return sometime in September as we had thought. If he did come back in Aug, that makes things even confusing than they already are. That would mean it's been over two weeks that he's been quiet about everything, laying low and his parents were aware of his early return without Gabby, and complicit in keeping her family in the dark (since we know Gabbys mom was trying to reach them), staying quiet about her unknown whereabouts all this time and getting rid of her things from their home...
Or, if he returned with the van in September, how/why did he go back to move her stuff in Aug and where was she when he was doing that?
I'm more inclined to believe that he did come back in August, right around the time Gabby was last heard from. I'm just confused about the timeline right now cause I had only read that he came back at an unknown time in September or even just recently, shortly before she was reported missing.

 

[NoSI]

2012 vehicles surely have telematics functionality, which will be helpful, even if only some events are recorded. Camera footage while traveling... They will figure out a starting point. But it would be so much more time efficient if BL could give some assistance.

I fear this will not have a good ending.

 

[LauraAnne]

Do the FBI have his phone? Her phone? I am under the impression the fiancee is locked inside his parents house and not available for the police to speak with.

I don't know if he's locked in their house; but articles have said he's refused to speak to police, and his parents have referred LE to the attorney.

 

[AMax1]

I'm really curious if this means he drove back to FL in August and has been there since, and didn't return sometime in September as we had thought. If he did come back in Aug, that makes things even confusing than they already are. That would mean it's been over two weeks that he's been quiet about everything, laying low and his parents were aware of his early return without Gabby, and complicit in keeping her family in the dark (since we know Gabbys mom was trying to reach them) and getting rid of her things from their home...
Or, if he returned with the van in September, how/why did he go back to move her stuff in Aug and where was she when he was doing that?
I'm more inclined to believe that he did come back in August, right around the time Gabby was last heard from. I'm just confused about the timeline right now cause I had only read that he came back at an unknown time in September or even just recently, shortly before she was reported missing.

I saw that van in Salt Lake City parked near the Capitol building while on a run. I don't know the exact date but it was roughly 2-3 weeks ago I think. That is a common place to park to gain access to a huge network of trails in the foothills behind Salt Lake City. I definitely saw that van. I have already called the 1800 number and reported this information.

 

[squareandrabbet]

I'm really curious if this means he drove back to FL in August and has been there since, and didn't return sometime in September as we had thought. If he did come back in Aug, that makes things even confusing than they already are. That would mean it's been over two weeks that he's been quiet about everything, laying low and his parents were aware of his early return without Gabby, and complicit in keeping her family in the dark (since we know Gabbys mom was trying to reach them), staying quiet about her unknown whereabouts and getting rid of her things from their home...
Or, if he returned with the van in September, how/why did he go back to move her stuff in Aug and where was she when he was doing that?
I'm more inclined to believe that he did come back in August, right around the time Gabby was last heard from. I'm just confused about the timeline right now cause I had only read that he came back at an unknown time in September or even just recently, shortly before she was reported missing.

yeah, the timeline we have been given is not great.

what I would want from the timeline right now, is the last time her friends and family received a communication ostensibly from Gabby where they are in fact positive it was Gabby behind it.

 

[JuliaGoolia]

BAM!!!

My heart hurts reading that

 

[Vegasgrl]

Check out Gabby & Brian V.'s reviews on The Dyrt

mentions working from her "computer"
I wonder if LE has been able to access a Cloud account? Gabby is a writer and maybe she has files that no one else had access to (or knew about)? Until I saw The Dyrt posts, I thought she was doing everything from her phone. I hope she left some clues.

 

[Elhe]

I'm really curious if this means he drove back to FL in August and has been there since, and didn't return sometime in September as we had thought. If he did come back in Aug, that makes things even confusing than they already are. That would mean it's been over two weeks that he's been quiet about everything, laying low and his parents were aware of his early return without Gabby, and complicit in keeping her family in the dark (since we know Gabbys mom was trying to reach them), staying quiet about her unknown whereabouts and getting rid of her things from their home...
Or, if he returned with the van in September, how/why did he go back to move her stuff in Aug and where was she when he was doing that?
I'm more inclined to believe that he did come back in August, right around the time Gabby was last heard from. I'm just confused about the timeline right now cause I had only read that he came back at an unknown time in September or even just recently, shortly before she was reported missing.

If he returned in August it would've had to have been after Gabby's last facetime with her mom (the 25th?), and I'd assume she would've mentioned being alone or that he went back home and didn't have her van.

 

[Seattle1]

I wonder who she hung out with for that week when he was gone back to FL

Yes. Still seeking an approved source to add.

 

[justtrish]

After we released our podcast episode about the case
Gabby's family sent is this statement:

"The Schmidt and Petito family are going through the worst moments of their lives. Their beautiful twenty-two year old daughter is missing and the one person that can help find Gabby refuses to help. Brian Laundrie was traveling with Gabby in the Grand Teton – Yellowstone area. They were traveling together in Gabby’s 2012 Ford Transit van. That is where we believe Gabby was last seen.
Brian is refusing to tell Gabby’s family where he last saw her. Brian is also refusing to explain why he left Gabby all alone and drove her van to Florida. These are critical questions that require immediate answers.
The Schmidt and Petito family beg the Laundrie family to not “remain in the background” but to help find who Brian referred to as the love of his life. How does Brian stay in the background when he is the one person that knows where Gabby is located?
The Schmidt and Petito family implore Brian to come forward and at least tell us if we are looking in the right area."

Wow this is VERY telling. They refused to answer questions yesterday at the press conference about BL and kept it very focused on finding GP. Then after his statement release, they release this and it really speaks to me about what they are thinking.

 

[Warwick7]

Schmidt has recently seen photos in the news of Brian's father performing yard work.

'If they cared about her, they would want to find her,' she said. 'Why aren't you out helping find her?'

'I don't want to seem accusatory,' she said. 'It's confusing, my mind is turning right now.'

She's also questioning Brian's trip back to Florida in August to help his father move their things into a storage unit. She wonders why it was necessary to move Gabby's things during their road trip and what became of her stuff.

'Where are her things?' she asked.

Asked why Brian chose to lawyer up, she replied, 'You know I wish I knew that answer, why.'

Mother of missing Gabby Petito says boyfriend and his family IGNORED her desperate texts | Daily Mail Online

This is getting really nuts!

 

[swanniee11]

I get BL getting a lawyer, but between his statement calling his fiance/ love of his life, travel partner who is missing Miss Petito doesn't sit well with me. The statement from her family is heartbreaking and now that we know she owns the van, I wan't to charge him with GRAND THEFT AUTO. ! IMO

 

[Warwick7]

Bolded red 1: with all due respect to the family, they can't know for sure this is what happened since Gabby is missing and BL isn't talking.

Bolded red 2: due respect again of course, but, they also can't know this to be true, for the same reasons.

I can only imagine this is a lot of pain talking.

jmo

Onterio, it stands to reason they know a whole lot more behind the scenes than we do at the moment...

 

[epiphany]

Mother of missing Gabby Petito says boyfriend and his family IGNORED her desperate texts | Daily Mail Online

A couple of interesting snips:

<snip> Gabby's mother Nicole Schmidt told DailyMail.com in an exclusive interview that on September 10 she reached out to Brian and his mother Roberta Laundrie trying to reach her daughter after she had not heard from Gabby since August 25.

<snip> She went to report Gabby missing later that day but police initially blew her off. The next day, she was allowed to file a report with the Suffolk County police department.

<snip> Schmidt said Brian's sister Cassie is the only member of Brian's family who has spoken to authorities.

<snip> Schmidt described how Brian's parents had been warm and welcoming to Gabby during their relationship...She loved her like a daughter,' Schmidt said. 'As far as I knew they were all very caring and treated her like one of the family. His mom was so excited about the engagement.'

<snip> The distraught mother also clarified that Gabby and Brian had been engaged, but decided to call it off and go back to just dating because they felt they were too young for marriage.

'I think they kind of put that on hold just because they felt it was a little fast. They were excited at first, but then they were like, let's just wait, we're very young. So they were really just boyfriend and girlfriend,' she said.

 

[oviedo]

Definitely agree that their lawyer wrote it and I don't see anything wrong with calling her Miss P. If I were referring to a potential victim I would do the same as calling them by their first name would seem overly familiar for a lawyer.

I don't think there's anything wrong with the statement but either the boyfriend did something or he's a witness and maybe LE told them not to make statements. If they weren't involved at all I think the statement would have said more?

I do think if I were this lawyer I would have said (if true) that the family is cooperating with the police. That can put people's minds at ease. There's no duty to talk to the press even if you are cooperating with police.

Always appreciate your expertise - the fiancé is not cooperating with LE or FBI and LE seized her van from the home both he and gabby live in with his parents late Saturday after her parents reported her missing when the boyfriend and his mother refused to take her calls. I have a media thread if you are interested in catching up. jmo

 

[Nosurprise]

My thoughts only..they had a fight, something happened, his story to his family she left me for someone else, took her stuff , left me the van. So I had to fly back and help move her stuff out immediately! And then flew back to get van. I don't want to talk to her family about anything because she broke my heart. Jmo moo..and his parents probably believe that.