NEW YORK (WCBS 880) – A day after a police report from Moab, Utah, shed light on an argument between missing Long Island native Gabby Petito and her fiancé Brian Laundrie, police on Thursday released bodycam footage of the incident.
The video, obtained by ABC7 and several other news outlets, shows the altercation detailed in the Aug. 12 domestic dispute between Petito and Laundrie, who is now considered a “person of interest” in his fiancée’s disappearance.
Petito and Laundrie went on a cross-country “van life” trip this summer—a road trip that ultimately ended in Petito’s disappearance and with Laundrie at his parent’s Florida home declining to speak with police.
Petito’s family, who live on Long Island, received a final text from her phone on Aug. 30, and Petito’s mother last spoke with her daughter in a video call on Aug. 24.
Less than two weeks before that, the couple got into the Aug. 12 domestic dispute in Moab, with Laundrie telling police their months-long travels had created an "emotional strain" and "increased the number of arguments" between them.
Cops said a witness dialed 911 after the couple "engaged in some sort of altercation" at their white Ford Transit outside of Moonflower, a food co-op in Moab.
Responding to the domestic dispute call, police tracked down the couple's van as it allegedly sped toward the entrance to Arches National Park. One officer pulled the vehicle over near the front gates to the park after he observed the van abruptly swerving and crossing the center lane traveling 45 mph in a 15 mph zone, according to the report.
Cops said Petito had scratched Laundrie's face and that she was "crying uncontrollably" as she spoke to officers during their stop. She told an officer at the scene that they had been having "little arguments" that day.
"At no point in my investigation did Gabrielle stop crying, breathing heavily, or compose a sentence without needing to wipe away tears, wipe her nose, or rub her knees with her hands," an officer wrote in the report.
The couple told the officers they both have mental health issues and were not taking medication for them. Laundrie added that the relationship had strained over their cross-country trip from Long Island to Oregon and that they were arguing more than usual, according to the report.
A second officer at the scene detailed that the two were physical during the stop — that Petito at one point began slapping Laundrie and that he had "grabbed her face" to push her away.
Ultimately the officers decided there was not enough evidence to press charges in the case. Neither of the two had asked for charges to be filed either, according to police.
Petito abruptly stopped communicating with her mother just more than a week later in late August, when the couple was believed to be in Wyoming's Grand Teton National Park.
Petito’s mother, Nichole Schmidt, told the New York Post she received a brief, final message from her daughter’s phone on Aug. 30: “No service in Yosemite."
But Schmidt told the outlet she doesn't believe the final message was from her daughter, noting that Laundrie had already returned to Florida with the van on Sept. 1.
Laundrie has remained silent since Petito was reported missing. He has not been charged with a crime or been accused of playing a role in Petito’s disappearance.
"Many people are wondering why Mr. Laundrie would not make a statement or speak with law enforcement in the face of Ms. Petito's absence," Laundrie's attorney said in a statement Wednesday. "In my experience, intimate partners are often the first person law enforcement focuses their attention on in cases like this and the warning that 'any statement made will be used against you' is true, regardless of whether my client had anything to do with Ms. Petito's disappearance."
Florida's North Port police confirmed Laundrie as a "person of interest" Wednesday as Petito's family released a new statement pleading with her fiancé to speak with authorities.
“As of now, Brian has not made himself available to be interviewed by investigators or has provided any helpful details,” police said in a press release. “We know Brian returned here to North Port on Sept. 1 — ten days before her family reported her missing on Sept. 11. We have no information that a crime occurred here in North Port. Brian Laundrie is a person of interest in this case.”
Laundrie's attorney said the person-of-interest designation will not change his position.
"Mr. Laundrie will continue to remain silent on the advice of counsel," the spokesman added.
In a tweet, North Port's police chief asked Laundrie's attorney to arrange a conversation with his client and law enforcement.
"Two people left on a trip and one person returned!" North Port Police Chief Todd Garrison tweeted.
In a statement Wednesday afternoon, through their attorney Richard Stafford, Petito’s family said Laundrie “sits in the comfort of his home” as they search for her in two national parks.
“Every day the search for Gabby continues the Schmidt and Petito family becomes more desperate,” the family wrote. “They are frantically searching for answers and information in their daughter’s disappearance while Brian sits in the comfort of his home. Brian claims he wants to sit in the background while we search for Gabby in the wilderness of the Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks. Brian left Gabby in the wilderness with grizzly bears and wolves while he sits in the comfort of his home. In his home! Brian, how could you do this to Gabby? You selfishly remain silent while Gabby is all alone in the wilderness. Brian, your silence is reprehensible! We beg you to do the right thing and help us bring Gabby home. Brian, whatever happened in Wyoming, happened. The only thing you can control is what you do now. Tell us where Gabby is. You tarnish your love for her with your silence.”
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