Coroner confirms Gabby Petito’s body found in Wyoming, death ruled a homicide
The death of Gabby Petito has been declared a homicide, as an autopsy positively identified the body found at a Wyoming national park as that of the missing Long Island native, the FBI said Tuesday.
“Teton County Coroner Dr. Brent Blue confirmed the remains are those of Gabrielle Venora Petito, date of birth March 19, 1999,” the FBI field office in Denver announced on Twitter.
“Coroner Blue’s initial determination for the manner of death is homicide,” the agency said. “The cause of death remains pending final autopsy results.”
Petito’s body was found in a remote section of a Wyoming national forest.
“The FBI’s and our partners remain dedicated to ensuring anyone responsible for or complicit in Ms. Petito’s death is held accountable for their actions,” FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Michael Schneider said in a statement.
A homicide ruling means someone caused the death of another individual — and can result in charges ranging from murder to manslaughter to negligent homicide.
The FBI said it is looking for information from anyone who used the Spread Creek Dispersed Camping Area between Aug. 27 and 30, who may have had contact with Petito or her boyfriend, Brian Laundrie, or who may have seen their white 2012 Ford Transit van.
The 22-year-old who was originally from Blue Point mysteriously disappeared late last month in the midst of a cross-country trek with Laundrie, who is currently in the wind.
Petito last spoke to her family on Aug. 25 and was reported missing on Sept. 11 — 10 days after Laundrie, 23, returned to their home in North Port, Fla., without her.
Laundrie, who was declared a person of interest in Petito’s case but not criminally charged, went missing himself last week, sparking a massive manhunt in a sprawling Sarasota County nature preserve.
The young couple was caught on police body camera after they were pulled over on reports of a possible domestic assault in Utah on Aug. 12.
The chilling footage showed a hysterical Petito telling police that the pair had gotten into a fight that morning.
“I have really bad OCD. I was apologizing to him saying I’m sorry I’m so mean,” Petito told the officer.
“We’ve been fighting all morning. He wouldn’t let me in the car before … he told me I needed to calm down.”
