NEW YORK (WCBS 880) – New details are emerging each day in the case of Long Island native Gabby Petito, who went missing in August while on a cross-country “van life” road trip with fiancé Brian Laundrie. He returned without her and then disappeared himself. A body believed to be Petito's was later discovered near a camp site in Wyoming, but Laundrie was still nowhere to be found as FBI agents searched his parents' Florida home.
Background:
Petito, 22, and Laundrie, 23, set out on the trip back in early July with the plans of documenting their journeys for a blog Petito was working on. While social media posts show the couple seemingly enjoying their time at various national parks, an Aug. 12 domestic dispute involving police shed new light on their relationship. A responding officer recounted Laundrie telling him that the two had been traveling together for months and that the time “created emotional strain between them and increased the number of arguments.”
The North Port Police Department, the Florida agency leading the investigation, said Petito “maintained regular contact with her family members during her travels, however that communication abruptly stopped around the end of August.” By early September, Laundrie had returned to the Florida house the couple shared with his parents and declined to speak with authorities. Laundrie then went missing himself, sparking a massive search in Florida, before a body believed to be Petito's was found near Grand Teton National Park on Sept. 19. The FBI executed a search warrant at his parents' house on Sept. 20.
Here’s a timeline of the couple’s trip, as well as the events since Laundrie returned and Petito was reported missing:
July 2 – The couple begins their cross-country trip from Long Island, leaving Petito’s hometown of Blue Point in a converted white 2012 Ford Transit van. They intend to reach Oregon by Halloween, touring national parks along the way, according to social media posts.
July 4 – Petito posts photos to Instagram of Monument Rocks Natural Landmark in Kansas.
July 8 – Petito shares photos on Instagram of Colorado Springs, Colorado.
July 10–11 – Instagram photos show Petito in Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve in southern Colorado.
July 16–18 – Petito posts photos to Instagram of the couple in Zion National Park in southern Utah.
July 21–22 – Photos posted to Instagram show Petito and Laundrie at Bryce Canyon National Park in southern Utah.
July 26 – Petito posts photos to Instagram of Mystic Hot Springs in central Utah. One shows the couple embracing under a rock formation.
July 30–31 – Instagram photos show Petito and Laundrie at Canyonlands National Park in southeastern Utah.
Aug. 12 – Photos posted to Instagram show the couple at Arches National Park in eastern Utah.
Aug. 12 – Police in Moab, Utah, respond to a domestic dispute between Petito and Laundrie. A witness dialed 911 after the couple “engaged in some sort of altercation” outside the town’s Moonflower co-op. The two are pulled over after the van is seen speeding and hits a curb near the entrance to Arches National Park. Hour-long bodycam video captures their interaction with police, who consider charging Petito with domestic violence but ultimately separate the couple for the night, describing the incident as a “mental health crisis.” Laundrie was put in a hotel, while Petito stayed with the van.
Aug 19 – An eight-minute video titled "VAN LIFE | Beginning Our Van Life Journey" is uploaded to the couple's YouTube page, "Nomadic Statik." It is the only video that has been uploaded to the page. Petito had been working on the "Nomadic Statik" blog in August, according to comments she made to officers in the bodycam video.
Aug. 24 – Petito’s last video call with her mother, Nichole Schmidt.
Aug. 25 – Petito is believed to be in Grand Teton National Park in northwestern Wyoming and “heading towards Yellowstone National Park” at the time of her last contact with family, according to an official GoFundMe page. Police have said investigators are concentrating on Wyoming as they seek to narrow down an area to search.
Aug. 30 – Petito’s mother, Nichole Schmidt, receives a final text message from her daughter’s phone, “No service in Yosemite.” Petito’s family has said they don’t believe she sent the message but have not elaborated.
Sept. 1 – Laundrie returns to his parents’ home in Florida alone with the Ford Transit van.
Sept. 11 – Petito’s family reports her missing with Suffolk County Police at 6:55 p.m. Back in Florida, the Ford Transit van is recovered at the home of Laundrie’s parents. Police attempt to speak with the Laundries but “were essentially handed the information for their attorney,” according to North Port Police Chief Todd Garrison.
Sept. 13 – Suffolk County Police announce they’re investigating the disappearance of Petito and seek the public’s help in finding her.
Sept. 14 – The FBI assists police in fully processing the Ford Transit van for evidence.
Sept. 15 – North Port Police describe Laundrie as a “person of interest.” His lawyer says he “will continue to remain silent on the advice of counsel.” Petito’s family release a statement saying in part, “Brian, your silence is reprehensible!” The FBI sets up a national tipline: 1-800-CALLFBI (225-5324).
Sept. 16 – Bodycam video of the Aug. 12 domestic incident is released by the Moab Police Department. North Port Police say “no criminality” is suspected in Petito’s disappearance and that it remains a missing person case. Petito’s family again pleads with the Laundries for help, saying in a statement, “Please if you or your family have any decency left, please tell us where Gabby is located.” Authorities in Utah also announce that they're looking for any possible connection between Petito's disappearance and the unsolved double murder of a newlywed couple. Laundrie’s sister, Cassie, speaks publicly about the case in a “Good Morning America” interview, revealing she hasn’t spoken with her brother since he returned to Florida. “Obviously me and my family want Gabby to be found safe,” she says.
Sept. 17 – Several law enforcement officers are seen going into the home of Laundrie's parents in North Port, sparking speculation about what they're doing there. It's revealed that the Laundries reported their son missing to police; they believe he went to the Carlton Reserve—a vast, swampy nature park north of their home—on Tuesday, days before they filed the report with police. The Petito and Schmidt families release a statement, saying Laundrie "is not missing ... he is hiding."
Sept. 18 – A search for Laundrie involving multiple law enforcement agencies is launched at the Carlton Reserve. More than 50 law enforcement officers use bloodhounds, drones and 4x4 vehicles in their search of the 24,500-acre nature park before calling the search off as darkness falls. Meanwhile, the FBI confirms that authorities in Wyoming are conducting "ground surveys" at Spread Creek Dispersed Camping Area near Teton National Park, the last place authorities believe Petito visited before she disappeared.
Sept. 19 – The search for Petito in Wyoming and the search for Laundrie in Florida continue. A YouTube couple traveling in the Grand Teton National Park area posts video they say shows Petito's van in the Spread Creek camping site on Aug. 27; the FBI is made aware of the video.
While a second day of searching for Laundrie turns up nothing in Florida, a body is recovered near the Spread Creek camping site in Wyoming. At an evening press conference, FBI agent Charles Jones reveals "human remains were discovered consistent with the description of Gabrielle 'Gabby' Petito." A full forensic identification has not been completed yet, but authorities and family members of Petito indicate they are all but certain the remains are hers.
Sept. 20 – An autopsy of the body found at the Wyoming camping site is planned for Tuesday, according to the Teton County Coroner's Office. Back in Florida, North Port Police say there are "no plans" for a "major search" at the Carlton Reserve, where they've been looking for Laundrie. Police say they believe they've "exhausted all avenues in searching of the grounds there."
Later in the morning, FBI agents descends on the house of Laundrie's parents to execute a "court-authorized search warrant." Boxes, documents and a Ford Mustang are removed from the home.
Sept. 21 – Authorities resume their search for Laundrie at the Carlton Reserve, focusing on a new area of the swampy park. North Port Police announce that the FBI is now the lead agency in the "criminal investigation." In Wyoming, an autopsy is scheduled for the remains believed to be those of Petito.