After hearing the Dr. Phil interview with GP's parents, this is my updated theory, for what it's worth.
* GP and BL reunite after their night apart in Moab and had a honeymoon period for a few days
(8/13-15 or 8/16).
* As tensions rise again, BL and GP, with the support of his parents, decide that the best thing would be a little time apart and for GP to decompress in the safety of a hotel
in SLC, leading to the plans for BL to go back to LI for his
8/17-8/23 trip. As long as he was going to be home, everyone decided that it would be a good idea to empty out the storage unit, but that was not part of the plan when they left FL and was not the whole reason for the trip.
* GP and BL come back together, both refreshed and better rested, with Gabby less stressed because she'd had time to work on the website, and BL less tense. They resume their trip and head toward Grand Teton.
* FACT: GP and BL are seen checking out of the hotel in
SLC on
8/24
* FACT: GP speaks with her mom on
8/25 from
Grand Teton, and that is also the date of the last post to her instagram account.
* GP and BL find a spot at
Spread Creek, parking by the side of the road and setting up their tent on the other side of the creek, 1000 or so feet from where they have parked, facing the mountains. As they have at other campsites, their plan is to use the van for food prep and to sleep in the tent at night. Incidentally, there are a few trees around for a hammock.
* GP and BL tour or hike in
Grand Teton on
8/26.
* GP and BL head to
Jackson on
8/27 to take in the sights, get lunch, and buy some provisions. GP may also be looking for a place to get on wifi. Tensions begin to rise again. BL is seen having an altercation with staff at
Merry Piglets. They leave before finishing everything they planned to accomplish in Jackson.
* The relationship between GP and BL is rapidly devolving. GP desperately wants to keep things together so that they can continue on with their trip, so she appeases him as much as possible. They make up on the evening of
8/27, and
camp in their tent, enjoying the view of the mountains.
* Having had their errands cut short by their argument on the previous day, they head back to Jackson a second time on to finish buying supplies on
8/28. On the afternoon of the 28th, they explore the park. Alternately, they hike and/or explore the park for the whole day.
* Gabby was wearing a sweatshirt when she died, so it may have happened on the evening. In this scenario, that would be the evening of
8/28. They build a campfire near their tent. With tensions rising and tempers flaring,
what has started out as an OK evening takes a turn for the worse, resulting in an argument that gets physical. In a fit of anger, he fractures her skull with a rock. A fractured skull would account for the quick determination by the medical examiner. BL leaves her where she is and flees the site. He takes refuge in the van and spends the night in a panic, making rushed plans that he intends to implement the next day.
* Day of
8/29, BL
starts to implement a plan to be seen by multiple witnesses away from the van. In the morning, he heads off on foot with a plan to be seen inside the boundaries of the park and near the Snake River.
* Potential walking route on
8/29 can be seen here:
Map - Sep 24 06:21 PM
The route picks up at Spread Creek and follows an old wagon road for most of the walk. There is only a short section that is on Route 89, so one could walk it mostly unobserved. It takes him near the Snake River and the
walk ends at Colter Bay village. The walk is almost 18 miles, with an elevation gain of 338 feet, and would probably take about
6-7 hours.
* BL
arrives in Coulter Bay Village on 8/29 by 4:30-5:30 PM, takes a shower and picks up some supplies at the General Store. He then
hitches a ride with Miranda Baker and her boyfriend, getting out at Jackson Dam, making sure to tell them that he's been camping along the Snake River without GP. He is subsequently picked up by a second driver who takes him to the head of Spread Creek Road. He walks to his van and arrives at the van by 9 PM.
*
Night of 8/29, BL packs things up, removes as much evidence as he can from the site, and hits the road. He
drives home, catching naps when his adrenaline starts to wear off. He stocks up on cash and a burner phone or two using Gabby’s card along the way. He is on the road for much of
8/30 and 8/31, arriving by
10:30 AM on 9/1.
This is a theory. MOO.
