July 2021: Discover new adventures
Petito and Laundrie depart New York on a four-month cross-country trip to visit and camp in national parks. They will sleep in their van, and they will document their journeys via Instagram and YouTube.
August 12, 2021: Stop disorderly conduct
Someone calls 911 to report seeing Brian and Gabby in a confrontation. A caller reported that he saw Laundrie hitting Petito. Police from Moab, Utah pull the van over. It is not clear if they were aware of details from the 911 call. Petito is seen crying and upset on a police bodycam. Although Petito was reported by police as having hit Laundrie, no arrests were made. The couple are separated for the night. Laundrie checks in at a hotel, while Petito remains in the van.
Petito and Laundrie posted a YouTube video called Van Life: Beginning our Van Life Journey. They are seen laughing and kissing in the images.
August 24, 2021: Seen at Salt Lake City
Petito and Laundrie were reportedly seen leaving a Salt Lake City hotel.
August 25, 2021: Gabby’s last blog
The van was spotted in Grand Teton National Park. This is also the last day Petito’s Instagram account will receive a post.
August 27, 2021: A strange text
According to a search warrant Petito’s mom received an odd text message from Gabby’s mobile phone on August 27. It said, “Can your help Stan, I keep getting his voicemails missed calls and voicemails.” Stan is Gabby’s grandfather. However, Gabby’s mother claims that Gabby never called him by his first name. Gabby’s mother stated that it was inappropriate and concerning.
August 29, 2021: Hitchhiking claims
Miranda Baker posted on TikTok that she met Brian Laundrie while hitchhiking solo, and claimed to have picked him up.
August 30, 2021: A different text
Petito’s mom claims that she gets a text message from Gabby’s cell phone. Although she wouldn’t say what it said, some reports have it saying that it was “no service to yosemite”.
September 1, 2021: Brian comes home
Police say that Laundrie returned to North Port, Florida where he lived with Gabby, but that he was not alone.
September 11, 2021: Gabby reported being missing
After Gabby has not heard from her mother since late August, Gabby’s mom files a missing persons report with Suffolk County, New York Police Department.
September 13, 2021: Where’s Brian?
Police were told by Laundrie’s parents that Brian had left their home to go on a hike in Sarasota’s Carlton Reserve.
September 14, 2021: Family fractures
Brian Laundrie’s family has issued a statement through their lawyer stating that they plan to remain behind the scenes while the search for Gabby continues. Petito’s family accuses Laundrie of not telling them where Gabby was last seen.
September 15, 2021: An individual of interest
North Port Police claim that Laundrie refuses to cooperate with them and they have named him as a person-of-interest in Petito’s disappearance.
September 16, 2021: A plea for help
North Port Police hold an press conference. Gabby’s father needs everyone’s help to find his daughter.
September 18, 2021: The Search for Brian
Laundrie begins the search in the 24,000-acre Carlton Reserve. According to his parents, that is where he was heading when he last saw them.
September 19, 2021: The remains are found
According to authorities, the van found remains close to Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming where it was previously seen.
October 12, 2021: Gabby is strangled to death by Gabby Petito, the coroner reports
Teton County coroner, Wyoming announces that Gabby Petito was killed by strangulation. Dr. Brent Blue stated that the manner of death was still a murder. This is in support of initial autopsy results released last month. According to the Blue, Petito’s body had been outside for three to four weeks before being found. He declined to say whether Petito died at the spot where she was discovered or if her body was buried.
October 20, 2021: Apparent human remains discovered at Carlton Reserve
According to the FBI, authorities found what appears to be human remains at the location where they were looking for Brian Laundrie. Special agent Michael McPherson claims that authorities also found personal items near the site, including a notebook and backpack believed to belong to Laundrie. According to the FBI, the suspected remains of human beings were discovered in an area that was previously submerged. The FBI said that authorities are currently investigating whether the remains belonged to Brian Laundrie.
October 21, 2021: FBI identifies Brian Laundrie’s remains
The FBI confirmed that human remains were found at a Florida reserve a day before by Brian Laundrie. After a long manhunt for Gabby Petito, his fiancee disappeared and was later killed, the discovery is made.
November 23, 2020: Lawyer: Brian Laundrie commits suicide
Brian Laundrie was killed by a self inflicted gunshot to the head. His family’s attorney Steven Bertolino believes that he committed suicide.
January 21, 2022: Brian Laundrie claimed “responsibility”, according to FBI, for Gabby Petito’s death in notebook.
The FBI’s final report regarding the investigation into Gabby’s death reports that Brian Laundrie claimed responsibility in the death of his fiancee. A notebook was found close to his remains. According to the FBI Denver, the notebook, backpack, and revolver were discovered near the remains later identified by Laundrie. The FBI claims that Laundrie’s written confession was found in the notebook. Laundrie also confirmed to the FBI that she had “tried to deceive law enforcement” by creating the impression that Ms. Petito is still alive by continuing a text-chain between their phones after her death.
March 11, 2022: Brian Laundrie’s parents are sued by Gabby Petito’s Family
In a new Florida lawsuit, the parents Gabby Petito claim that Brian Laundrie told their parents that he had murdered her before returning home from their disastrous western trip in an old van. According to the lawsuit filed in Sarasota County Circuit Court, Laundrie claimed that he killed Petito (22-year-old fiancee) on Aug. 28, 2012. According to the lawsuit, Roberta and Christopher Laundrie hid the fact that their son confessed the murder from Petito’s parents and investigators.
