Body found in national park is ‘consistent’ with 22-year-old Gabby Petito

Police are outside the home of Brian Laundrie after a body “consistent with the description” of Gabby Petito was found in a forest.

Just hours after US federal police announced they had recovered a body in a Wyoming forest believed to be that that of missing New York woman Gabby Petito, police vehicles have been photographed outside the home of Brian Laundrie in North Port, Florida.

Authorities confirmed on Sunday local time that the body found was “consistent with the description” of Ms Petito, 22, who vanished late last month while on a cross-country trip with her fiance, Mr Laundrie. 

Speaking to media, FBI Denver special agent Charles Jones said the family of Ms Petito had been notified of the discovery.

“On behalf of the FBI personnel, I’d like to extend my sincere and heartfelt condolences to Gabby’s family,” Mr Jones said, adding that no cause of death had been confirmed.

“As every parent can imagine, this is an incredibly difficult time for the family. We ask that you all respect their privacy as they mourn the loss of their daughter.”

Police outside Brian Laundrie's home. Picture: Fox News/Twitter

Shortly after police made the announcement, the Laundrie family’s lawyer Steven Bertolino issued a statement that the discovery was “heartbreaking”.

“The news about Gabby Petito is heartbreaking. The Laundrie family prays for Gabby and her family,” Mr Bertolino said.

To date, the family — including Mr Laundrie, who police confirmed is a “person of interest” — have declined to speak to police about Gabby’s disappearance.

The lawyer representing Ms Petito’s family issued a statement requesting privacy as they process the news.

“I am making a personal request to members of the press and news media to refrain from contacting the Schmidt and Petito family,” the statement read, issued by the lawyer, Richard Stafford.

“Due to today’s developments, we are asking the press and news media to have some decorum and sensitivity for Gabby’s family and allow them to grieve.

“I will be in contact with you when Gabby’s family is ready to make a statement.

“I would also like to personally thank the FBI, the Suffolk County Police Department, the North Port Police Department and especially the Grand Teton Search and Rescue Team,” he added.

“Your tireless work and determination helped bring Gabby home to her parents. The family and I will be forever grateful.”

Police confirm body likely to be Gabby Petito has been found. Picture: KSL5

Ms Petito last spoke to her mum in Blue Point on August 25, and was reported missing September 11.

Mr Laundrie, 23, returned home in her van on September 1, but without Ms Petito.

In the days after being reported missing, Mr Laundrie has now also disappeared and is the subject of a second search in the 25,000-acre Carlton Reserve in Sarasota County, Florida.

Ms Petito is one of three people who have gone missing in or near Grand Teton park this summer.

The FBI said the discovery of the body — believed to be Ms Petito — was made in the Spread Creek Dispersed camping area, which remains closed for the “active investigation”.

“Earlier today, human remains were found in the area consistent with Gabby Petito,” Mr Jones said.

“Full forensic identification has not been completed to confirm 100 per cent that we found Gabby, but her family has been notified of this discovery. The cause of death has not been determined at this time.”

Shortly after the press conference, North Port Police confirmed the body was that of Ms Petito.

“Saddened and heartbroken to learn that Gabby has been found deceased,” the tweet read.

“Our focus from the start, along with the FBI, and national partners, has been to bring her home. We will continue to work with the FBI in the search for more answers.”

Ms Petito’s father Joseph has been the first family member to respond after his daugher’s shared a heartfelt tweet about his daughter.

“She touched the world,” the tweet read, alondside an image of the 22-year-old in front of coloured angel wings.

Gabby Petito’s father has tweeted following the likely discovery of his daughter’s remains in a Wyoming National Park. Picture: Octavio Jones/Getty Images/AFP.

Mobile phone tracking data found

Police earlier obtained mobile phone tracking data for Ms Petito and Mr Laundrie.

The breakthrough meant authorities had some information about the missing pair’s movements, but they still needed search warrants to gain “complete access”.

An “abandoned” van was also reportedly spotted, as authorities tightened the timeline of the couple’s movements.

An ‘abandoned’ van was spotted by YouTubers.

Laundrie hasn’t spoken with police and is now also missing. Picture: Instagram

A campsite in Teton Park, where Gabby Petito may have been before she went missing, was searched by police. Picture: FBI

The couple embarked on a cross-country road trip before Ms Petito vanished – and 23-year-old Laundrie mysteriously returned home without her.

Local police said they had been trying to speak to Mr Laundrie but he was refusing to talk.

His family later said he was missing too.

Now police in Florida are hoping the access to their devices could provide key clues to what happened to the duo, according to ABC7 reporter Jeff Butera.

He revealed in a tweet that although it would not allow police to track Ms Petito and Mr Laundrie in real-time, it could help piece together their movements since the 22-year-old travel blogger disappeared.

The “free-spirited” Long Island native was last seen on August 24, 2021, checking out of a hotel with Laundrie in Salt Lake City, Utah.

She had been travelling with her fiance in a converted van since July 2 and had planned to arrive in Portland, Oregon, and visit a family friend for Halloween.

Just weeks earlier, the pair had been stopped by police and questioned about an apparent domestic dispute that had been reported.

Gabby Petito speaks with police.

Brian Laundrie is questioned by a police officer.

Ms Petito’s mother, Nicole Schmidt, revealed that she heard from her daughter on August 27 and 30 but she told Fox News she is not sure if it was actually her as only text messages were exchanged.

She then reported her daughter missing on September 11 at around 6.55pm.

Police say Laundrie had returned home alone to his home in North Port on September 1, before hiring a lawyer and refusing to co-operate with the investigation.

Laundrie allegedly approached a couple at Grand Teton National Park in Colter Bay, Wyoming, on August 29, to ask for a ride.

Wisconsin-based TikTok user Miranda Baker said he told her and her boyfriend he was hiking alone and had been camping for numerous days.

The couple were on a trip around the United States when Gabby Petito went missing. Brian Laundrie returned home, refused to talk to police, and has now gone missing as well.

But as of Tuesday, his family said he has since also gone missing – sparking a huge double search operation.

His parents told police he had left home Tuesday with a backpack, telling them he was going for a hike in the area.

Police said it was “fair to say” that Laundrie could potentially pose a threat to himself or others.

‘Possibility’ Brian Laundrie hurt himself in Florida

There are concerns Mr Laundrie, who hasn’t been seen in almost a week, may have hurt himself in the sprawling Florida wildlife reservec where authorities believe he may be located.

According to the New York Post, there’s a “possibility” he hurt himself after telling his family he was going for a hike. His disappearance sparked a massive manhunt in the nearly 25,000-acre Carlton Reserve in Sarasota County.

“As far as hurting himself in there, we don’t know that one way or another. I think it’s a possibility certainly,” North Port Police spokesman Josh Taylor said.

“Does anyone not think it’s possible he went out there and shot himself in the head? Sure,” Tayor said, adding, “We don’t have any information about where he’s at.”

The search for Mr Laundrie by the FBI and about 50 police personnel got underway on Saturday, with no sign of the missing man.

‘Abandoned’ van reportedly discovered

Gabby Petito’s converted white van was spotted last month near Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming — two days after the missing Long Island native was last heard from, her family says.

Footage of the 2012 Ford Transit was spotted on Aug. 27 by travel bloggers Jenn and Kyle Bethune and posted to their YouTube Sunday.

“We came across a white van that had Florida plates,” Jenn Bethune said. “A small white van. We were going to stop and say hi because we’re from Florida too, but the van was completely dark. There was nobody there, so we decided to continue on our way.”

Jenn and Kyle Bethune’s video is only one of several sightings reported to authorities. Picture: YouTube

The couple, who are documenting their family’s travels across the country, said the van seemed “abandoned”.

The Bethunes said they saw the van around 6pm or 6:30pm, parked off to the side, and later travelled back on the road and saw it again.

“It’s kind of freaky for a late Saturday evening,” Kyle Bethune said. “But we just kind of had a brain fart, ‘Oh, there’s that van.’

The Bethunes’ video is only one of several sightings reported to authorities, who have asked for the public’s help to determine where Petito could be.

Petito’s family said they and the FBI were aware of the Bethune’s video.

“We believe this is the van for multiple reasons,” the kin wrote Sunday on the “Find Gabby” Facebook page. “Please do not clog up the tip line with the same video. This is in the hands of the right people. Thank you so much, this is exactly why we are asking people to review older photos and video. #FindGabby”

Among the other reported sightings was by traveller Shannon Baker, who told KST-TV that she and her husband were driving through the Jenny Lake area of Grand Teton on Aug. 25 when they saw the van around 5pm.

“I’m sure of it,” Ms Baker told KST. “It had the black ladder on the back and the two black rooftops on top, the two bars, and we made the comment that would be the perfect little camper to go around in.”

It wasn’t until last week, when they saw reports of Ms Petito going missing, that they realised that was the same vehicle.

“I said, ‘Oh my god!’ That’s the same van we saw,” Ms Baker said. “Without a doubt, on my husband’s life, I know for a fact that was their van.”

Authorities have been poring over hundreds of tips and searching large swathes of Wyoming and Utah since Petito was reported missing September 11 and news of her disappearance went viral.

“All those little pieces can be little pieces of the puzzle to helps us figure out where Gabby is,” St. Clayton Platt of the Teton County Sheriff’s Office told KST.

Ms Petito last spoke to her mum, Nichole Schmidt, on August 25, and later mysteriously vanished — while Mr Laundrie returned to their home in Florida alone September 1.

Meanwhile, Mr Laundrie, who lawyered up and refused to talk to investigators, is now the subject of another massive search after disappearing last week from the North Port, Florida, home he shared with Ms Petito and his parents.

Laundrie’s parents told police their son went off for a hike in the vast Carlton Reserve near their home on Tuesday and never returned.

– with the New York Post and the US Sun