Gabby Petito - update Missing YouTuber fought with boyfriend Brian Laundrie days before disappearance

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 13 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 1631733758Gabby Petito’s family accuses fiance of leaving her in wilderness with “grizzly bears and wolves”

The family of Gabby Petito released a statement on Wednesday through the family’s lawyer pleading with her fiance, Brian Laundrie, to assist the search for their daughter.

“Brian left Gabby in the wilderness with grizzly bears and wolves while he sits in the comfort of his home,” the statement says.

The statement calls Mr Laundrie’s refusal to cooperate with police “reprehensible” and asks for the family to “help bring Gabby home.”

Graig Graziosi15 September 2021 20:221631732743An in-depth look at Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie’s fight in Utah

A police report from Utah describing a “mental health break” that resulted in an argument and physical violence between Gabby Petito and her fiance Brian Laundrie has just been made public.

The Independent’s Bevan Hurley takes an in-depth look at the 13 August incident, which resulted in police separating the couple for the night.

Read the story below...

Graig Graziosi15 September 2021 20:051631730847Gabrielle Petito and fiance were having arguments, hitting each other according to Utah police report

Fox13’s Kim Kuizon shared a snipped of a Moab City police report detailing an incident that occurred in Utah involving Gabrielle Petito and her fiance, Brian Laundrie.

The police statement, attributed to Moab City police officer Daniel Robbins, reveals that a witness named Christopher witnessed a distressing enough scene play out between Ms Petito and Mr Laundrie that he reported it to the police.

According to Mr Robbins, Mr Laundrie told him that he and Ms Petito were having an argument and he went to sit in the couple’s van to give himself space. The witness said he saw Ms Petito climb through the passenger side window and begin slapping Mr Laundrie, possibly fearing he might leave without her. The witness said he saw Mr Laundrie pushed her away by her face to avoid the slap. Mr Robbins reported that Mr Laundrie had scratches on his face and arms, which Mr Laundrie said came from Ms Petito. Another office notes that Mr Laundrie was not in fear for his well-being and “not a victim of ‘battered boyfriend syndrome.’”

Ultimately Mr Robbins determined that the incident was more indicative of a “metal health crisis” than a domestic assault, and separated the two for the evening. Earlier in the report he writes that Mr Laundrie said the tensions between the couple had been increasing in recent days and that both suffered from a mental health issue that was redacted in the report.

Graig Graziosi15 September 2021 19:341631729279Gabrielle Petito’s stepfather flies to Utah to search for her

Gabrielle Petito’s stepfather, James Schmidt, along with a family friend have flown to Utah to search for the missing woman.

Richard Stafford, the family’s lawyer, said Mr Schmidt and the family friend are planning to centre their search on Grand Teton National Park, as it is was last place Ms Petito was seen.

Graig Graziosi15 September 2021 19:071631727704North Port police say they recovered “materials” from Gabrielle Petito’s van

North Port police said during a press conference on Wednesday that they recovered “materials” from Gabrielle Petito’s van, but said they were not prepared to release the details of their findings. The van was driven from Utah to Ms Petito’s home in Florida by her fiance, Brian Laundrie, after a road trip the couple took.

The department also said there is no active search warrant for Mr Laundrie’s family home, where the couple lives.

Graig Graziosi15 September 2021 18:411631727222Gabrielle Petito’s mother says her fiance his family have been ignoring her texts

Nicole Schmidt, Gabrielle Petito’s mother, told The Daily Mail that the woman’s fiance, Brian Laundrie, and his family have been ignoring her desperate attempts to find her daughter.

“I texted Brian’s mom that I was trying to get in touch with Gabby. I also texted Brian. I got no replies,” she said.

She said she knew something was wrong and felt she had to report her daughter’s disappearance “immediately.”

Mr Laundrie returned from a road trip the couple had taken on 1 September. Ms Schmidt reported Ms Petito as missing on 11 September. It is unclear when she first became suspicious of her daughter’s disappearance.

Ms Schmidt said that the last time she video chatted with her daughter was 25 August. She noted that she texted with her daughter on 30 August, but said she could not be sure she was speaking with her daughter since it was a text exchange.

Graig Graziosi15 September 2021 18:331631726587Gabrielle Petito’s father appears on Fox News

Gabrielle Petito’s father, Joe Petito, appeared on Fox News where he slammed a statement from the family of her fiance, Brian Laundrie.

The statement - issued through a lawyer - says the Laundrie family wishes to “remain in the background” during the investigation, and that they hope the search is “successful.” Mr Petito said it “wasn’t a statement.”

Gabrielle Petito’s father slams fiance’s statement

The Independent’s Bevan Hurley goes in depth with the father’s press appearance below...

Graig Graziosi15 September 2021 18:231631725625FBI establishes national tip hotline for information on Gabrielle Petito’s whereabouts

The North Port Police Department announced on Wednesday that it was setting up a national hotline for tips concerning the disappearance and current whereabouts of Gabrielle Petito.

Anyone with information on the woman’s location, disappearance, or anyone who saw her van should call 1-800-CALLFBI (225-5324).

The North Port Police Department said it had already received hundreds of tips and was in the process of vetting the information through various law enforcement agencies.

Graig Graziosi15 September 2021 18:071631724866Laundrie family says it will “remain in the background” of search for Gabrielle Petito

In a statement issued through an attorney, the family of Brian Laundrie, the fiance of Gabrielle Petito and the last known person to see her, said they will “remain in the background” of the search effort.

Ms Petito’s family issued a statement in response, frustrated that Mr Laundrie was refusing to cooperate with authorities.

“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,” their statement said.

Mr Laundrie has been named a person of interest in Ms Petito’s case by the North Port Police Department.

Graig Graziosi15 September 2021 17:541631723576Gabrielle Petito’s father slams fiance’s statement

Joe Petito, Gabrielle Petito’s father, appeared on Fox News to discuss his daughter’s disappearance and react to the statement put out by her fiance, Brian Laundrie.

“That wasn’t a statement. I’m sorry. That’s not a statement,” Mr Petito told Fox News host Bill Hemmer.

“Forget Brian, Brian’s home safe. His parents, yeah it’s hard for them. Bulls***. You know what? My daughter is not here. Our daughter is not here. We don’t even know what state she’s in.”

He said he was largely unconcerned with the statement.

“You know, we’re shooting from the hip here and trying to do what we can. So I don’t care about the statement. I care about finding Gabby,” he said.

Graig Graziosi15 September 2021 17:32

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