“# Where’s Gabby?” On social media, Internet users are increasing their use of this hashtag to try to find Gabrielle Petito, 22, nicknamed “Gabby”, who went on a trip across the United States in a renovated van last July and who remains undetectable. An even more mysterious disappearance when his 23-year-old partner Brian Laundrie returned alone to his home in North Port (Florida) on September 1st. “Person of interest in the investigation”, he initially refused to cooperate with police officers before disappearing on Friday, September 17th. Back to the main elements of this case that moves the United States.
A four-month car trip
It is in July that the two newlyweds leave New York to start a trip that should last four months across the country. A “drive trip” in a converted van to reach the west coast and the vastness of its national parks. The couple continues to document their journey in photos and videos on YouTube and Instagram.
It is precisely the video of a police officer released after the investigation began that gave the public something to think about: Gabrielle Petito appears there in tears, filmed by police in Moab, Utah, after an argument and reckless driving, notes police report cited by Internal media *.
The journey finally continues and the young woman exchanges with her New York family until the end of August, when the couple should be in Grand Teton National Park, in the state of Wyoming. But later on, the young woman no longer shows any signs of life, CNN Channel Reports*.
Gabby Petito’s boyfriend comes home alone…
On September 1, Brian Laundrie returned alone to his home in North Port, Florida, aboard his travel van, a white 2012 Ford Transit. September to the authorities of your municipality. Brian Laundrie he decides to wall himself in silence, when he is the last person to have seen Gabrielle Petito.
“So far, Brian hasn’t offered to be heard by investigators and hasn’t provided any useful details.”, laments the North Port police in a press release published on Wednesday*, who then considers Brian Laundrie as “a person worthy of interest in the investigation”. “Two people went on a trip, only one came back, and that person who came back isn’t giving us any information.”, summed up the next day Todd Garrison, chief of police in North Port.
/2021/09/18/phpngLYj7.jpg)
A silence that would have encouraged Brian Laundrie’s lawyer, for whom a missing person’s partner is often the number one suspect, reports The New York Times*, and which the US Fifth Amendment allows, remember CNN*.
Gabrielle Petito’s family also faces the young man’s silence despite his requests. Brian refuses to tell Gabby’s family where he last saw her. Brian also refuses to explain why he left Gabby alone and drove the van to Florida. These are critical questions that require immediate answers “, the missing person’s family lawyer said the NBC channel*.
… then disappears
Although the investigation stopped for several days anda call for witnesses was launched across the country.* by the FBI, main protesters to stand in front of the Laundrie family house*, the young man disappears. His family tells police they haven’t seen him since Tuesday, September 14, lists CNN*.
/2021/09/18/phpmeSL8G.jpg)
“We tried all week to talk to his family, talk to Brian (…) we went to the house, and now they say they haven’t seen their son (…). It’s a twist in this story “, said the spokesman for the local police.
A story that moves America
As evidence of media interest in the case, North Port police said they had given interviews to “all major TV channels and about 60 media in the last 48 hours”.
Many internet users are mobilized to try to find the young woman, posting many messages on social networks with the hashtags #findgabby (“find Gabby”) or #bringgabyhome (“bring Gabby home”), he indicates the Florida newspaper Herald Tribune*. Instagram accounts and Facebook groups also list many subscribers who follow the investigation’s progress, such as “What happened to Gabby Petito?”, a facebook community* 92,000 strong.
And to help the family of the missing to deploy more resources for the investigation, a pot was created on the GoFundMe website*: on September 18, it raised more than $61,000.
* These links refer to articles in English.