American travel influencer Gabby Petito’s cause of death has been ruled as strangulation, a Wyoming coroner has today announced.
Petito, 22, died three to four weeks before her body was found on September 19 after disappearing, Teton County Coroner Dr Brent Blue said in a news conference, via CBS News.
She was found near an undeveloped camping area along the border of Grand Teton National Park in remote northern Wyoming.
Dr Blue said he was prevented by Wyoming law to give further details from the autopsy.
BREAKING: Autopsy determined that Gabby Petito’s cause of death was strangulation and her death was a homicide, coroner says https://t.co/vbfKrQKsKS pic.twitter.com/pzO2RHAL5t
— CBS News (@CBSNews) October 12, 2021
Coroner says they are estimating Gabby Petito died 3 to 4 weeks before the body was found.
— Brian Entin (@BrianEntin) October 12, 2021
2/2
…to Gabby Petito’s demise. At this time Brian is still missing and when he is located we will address the pending fraud charge against him.”— Brian Entin (@BrianEntin) October 12, 2021
Gabby Petito went missing while on a road trip with her fiancé, Brian Laundrie, who remains missing himself.
She was reported missing on September 11 by her parents after she did not respond to calls and texts for several days while the couple visited parks in the West.
Dr Blue previously classified Petito’s death as a homicide when the preliminary autopsy results were released a few weeks ago.
Following news of the initial autopsy report by the Teton County Coroner, the FBI released a statement.
The statement insisted that investigators are committed to making sure anyone involved in Petito’s death “is held accountable for their actions,” FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Michael Schneider said.
There is currently a search underway to find Laundrie, who went missing shortly after news of Petito’s disappearance went viral.
“Mr. Brian Laundrie has been named a person of interest,” Schneider said. “Anyone with information concerning Mr. Laundrie’s role in this matter or his current whereabouts should contact the FBI.”
New police footage recently emerged, which showed Gabby appearing distraught after an alleged fight with her partner while in Utah.
The footage, captured by the Moab City Police Department on August 12 and runs for over an hour, shows officers speaking with Petito and her 23-year-old fiancé after a potential domestic incident linked to them was reported to the local authorities.
In a statement shared with reporters, per ABC7 New York, Laundrie’s attorney Steven Bertolino said: “The FBI is currently at the Laundrie residence removing property to assist in locating Brian. As of now, the FBI is looking for both Gabby and Brian.”
Our thoughts are with the Petito family.
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