Gabby Petito - live updates Police looking at everything including Utah double homicide

Parents of missing woman make emotional plea for daughter’s return

Missing YouTuber Gabby Petito and her fiance were reportedly arguing and hitting each other, according to a police report from Utah. The couple, who were on a road trip in Ms Petito’s van, were spotted having an argument in Moab City, Utah on 12 August. The police determined the incident was a “mental health break” rather than a domestic assault situation and separated the couple for the night.

On Wednesday, the North Port Police Department in Florida announced they were treating Ms Petito’s fiance as a person of interest in their investigation. Ms Petito’s family released a statement begging him to assist police in their search for the woman.

Ms Petito disappeared while on a road trip with her fiancé, Brian Laundrie, who returned without her, prompting a frantic search for the 22-year-old woman that began on 11 September.

Mr Laundrie, who lived with Ms Petito in North Port, Florida, has thus far refused to cooperate with authorities. The North Port police will hold a press conference today at 11:30am EST to discuss the latest developments in their search for Ms Petito.

Nicole Schmidt, Ms Petito’s mother, said the last time she spoke with her daughter was 30 August, but because it was a text she cannot be sure that she was actually speaking with the woman. Before that the mother and daughter video chatted on 23 or 24 August. Ms Schmidt said it was normal for her and her daughter to video chat multiple times a week. When her daughter did not check in after Mr Laundrie returned early from their road trip, she grew concerned and eventually the family alerted the police.

Show latest update 1631757659Read the full police report on Gabby Petito’s 'mental health crisis’ before she disappeared

The Moab, Utah, police department has released sections of the police report it made in August about a conflict between Gabrielle Petito and her boy friend Brian Laundrie in the days before she went missing.

The documents describe how police responded to an apparent physical altercation between the two, which officials believed after investigation showed signs less of a “domestic assault as much as that of a mental health crisis.” Read more below.

A police report detailing an argument between Gabrielle Petito and Brian Laundrie.

(Moab Police Department)

A police report detailing an argument between Gabrielle Petito and Brian Laundrie.

(Moab Police Department)

A police report detailing an argument between Gabrielle Petito and Brian Laundrie.

(Moab Police Department)Josh Marcus16 September 2021 03:001631756903Police aren’t ‘ruling out’ link between Gabby Petito disappearance and Utah double homicide

Police in Utah say they are exploring the connection between the disappearance of Gabby Petito, and the gruesome double-homicide of a couple in Utah that occurred a few days after she and her boyfriend Brian Laundrie were seen in the Moab area.

“We’re looking at everything, I mean, anything and everything that was suspicious around that time or we’re not ruling anything out at this time,” a spokesman for the Grand County Sheriff’s Office told Fox News on Wednesday. “So we’re just investigating the information as it comes in.”

On 18 August, Crystal Turner, 38, and Kylen Schulte, 24, who had recently married, were found shot to death in the La Sal Mountains near Moab, after having said they had encountered a “creeper dude” while they were camping. No suspects have yet emerged in that investigation.

About a week before their killing, Ms Petito and Mr Laundrie were spotted in Moab having an emotional argument, that police later said may have indicated they were going through a “mental health crisis.”

Josh Marcus16 September 2021 02:481631754059Petito’s last YouTube video shows her and Laundrie frolicking in western US

In the last known YouTube video posted by Gabby Petito, the 22-year-old and her boyfriend, Brian Laundrie, can be seen cheerfully traveling and enjoying beautiful scenery across the western United States. The video is dated 19 August, 2021. Ms Petito was reported missing on 11 September.

Gabby Petito’s last known YouTube video documents her travels with boyfriend Brian LaundrieNathan Place16 September 2021 02:001631751659Utah tourist attraction is scouring over surveillance footage for evidence

A tourist attraction called The Monarch says it is searching through its surveillance footage for any useful information on Gabby Petito’s disappearance. The Ogden, Utah destination is the last known place where Ms Petito posted on social media.

“Gabby and her boyfriend were traveling through Utah to visit National Parks when she went missing,” The Monarch wrote on Facebook. “Her last known location was the Grand Teton National Park. However, her last social media post was at The Monarch. We are thoroughly examining our security footage from the date of her post for any helpful information.”

Nathan Place16 September 2021 01:201631749259Sympathetic messages pour into Petito family’s GoFundMe

An outpouring of sympathy and prayers â€" much of it from total strangers â€" can be seen in the GoFundMe for Gabby Petito’s family as they continue their search for the young woman.

“Yet another awful, painful story of a missing woman,” one donor wrote. “I have a precious adult daughter. Sending heartfelt prayers from California.”

“Sending light for Gabby to find her way back to her family,” another wrote.

“Gabby is magical, talented, and so spiritual!” wrote another contributor. “Your families are not alone in finding out Gabby's whereabouts. Law enforcement will do everything to discover what happened despite the eerie silence from her fiance.”

Nathan Place16 September 2021 00:401631746770Everything we know about the ‘incident’ between Petito and Laundrie

Utah police officers were called to an “incident” involving Gabby Petito and her boyfriend, Brian Laundrie, just two weeks before she was last seen or heard from.

According to the police report, Ms Petito and Mr Laundrie were arguing and hitting each other, but no charges were filed. Police characterized the event as a “mental health break.”

“Our officers did respond to an incident involving Brian Laundrie and Gabrielle Petito on 12 August 2021. However, neither Brian or Gabrielle were the reporting party,” Moab police chief Bret Edge told Fox News. “Officers conducted an investigation and determined that insufficient evidence existed to justify criminal charges.”

Here’s everything we know about the altercation:

Nathan Place15 September 2021 23:591631746050Read the full statement from police naming Laundrie as ‘person of interest'

Police named Gabby Petito’s boyfriend, Brian Laundrie, as a “person of interest” in its investigation on Wednesday.

“We know Brian returned here to North Port on September 1st â€" 10 days before her family reported her missing on September 11th,” the North Port Police said in a statement. “We have no information that a crime occurred here in North Port. Brian Laundrie is a person of interest in this case.”

Read the full statement here:

Nathan Place15 September 2021 23:471631744520Gabby Petito: Everything we know so far

There are many details to the missing person case of Gabby Petito, 22. From the dates when she was last heard from to the fight police witnessed between her and her boyfriend, here’s a look at what we know so far:

Nathan Place15 September 2021 23:221631742768Petito’s family starts GoFundMe to help with search

The family of Gabby Petito has launched a GoFundMe page to help fund the ongoing search for the 22-year-old.

The page has set a goal amount of $50,000, and has already raised more than $36,400 as of Wednesday night.

“The family would like to thank everyone who has been following our story, sending tips through our Facebook page or directly to the authorities,” family friend Gary Rider, who organized the GoFundMe, wrote in a post. “The best thing everyone can do right now to help is to continue to share this story. We intend to keep this story fresh and current while maintaining our hopes and prays of bringing Gabby home to her family.”

Nathan Place15 September 2021 22:521631739561North Port police chief tweets call for Brian Laundrie’s lawyer to assist in the search for Gabby Petito

North Port Police Chief Todd Garrison tweeted out a call for Brian Laundrie’s lawyer, Steve Bertolino, to convince his client to assist them in the search for Mr Laundrie’s fiance, Gabby Petito.

“Mr. Steven Bertolino, esq. the @NorthPortPolice needs your help in finding Gabby Petito,” Mr Garrison wrote. “Two people left on a trip and one person returned!”

Graig Graziosi15 September 2021 21:59

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