By:Isabella Arbizo
Staff Writer
Gabby Petito, the 22-year-old woman whose parents reported her missing in early September, died by strangulation, Teton County, Wyoming, Coroner Dr. Brent Blue announced on Tuesday. Blue had previously ruled the manner of death a homicide. Petito’s remains were found a little more than three weeks ago in an area of Wyoming’s Bridger-Teton National Forest.
She had been traveling with her boyfriend, Brian Laundrie, prior to her disappearance. Laundrie returned to the pair’s North Port, Florida, home in early September without Petito and refused to talk to authorities, police said. His parents later told police he left home with a backpack on September 14 — but this month said he left a day earlier, September 13. A source close to Laundrie’s family told CNN’s Chris Cuomo that Laundrie left their home without his cell phone and wallet. Local and federal authorities have been searching for Laundrie in a 25,000-acre Florida nature reserve. In late September, the FBI announced a federal arrest warrant was issued for Laundrie for his alleged activities after Petito’s death. On September 17, 2021 aAfter several days of both Petito’s family and police pleading with Laundrie’s family to cooperate in the investigation, Laundrie’s family requests the police come to their home, where they share they haven’t seen Brian since September 14, according to Taylor, the police spokesperson.
“We’ve been trying all week to talk to his family, to talk to Brian, and now they’ve called us here on Friday, we’ve gone to the home, and they’re saying now they have not seen their son,”, Taylor tells CNN’s Chris Cuomo. “It is another twist in this story.”, Bertolino, the Laundrie family attorney, tells CNN “the whereabouts of Brian Laundrie are currently unknown. The FBI is currently at the Laundrie residence removing property to assist in locating Brian. As of now the FBI is now looking for both Gabby and Brian. “Local and federal authorities kick off a search for the 23-year-old man. In October, the Laundrie family attorney told CNN that upon further communication with the FBI, the parents now believe that Brian left to hike on September 13, not September 14.”. The Laundries were basing the date Brian left on their recollection of certain events,” Bertolino, the attorney, said on October 6.