Gabby Petito

I know it’s not related to this area, but she’s from New York. I am just upset about it, maybe it’s because my daughter is the same age and has the same name. I am very familiar with North Port Florida, as I own a home down there that I bought when the real estate market had crashed back about 10 years ago. I still have friends there and I know the people down there will continue to protest in front of the Laundrie residence. But now Brian Laundrie is nowhere to be found. Police finally got to speak with the parents yesterday and he’s not in the house. 
How do you go on a cross country camping trip, return home in her van, and won’t talk to police investigating the disappearance of Gabby? For one week he’s hiding in his parents home, then when the police finally got to go inside his house he’s gone! 
Floriduh never ceases to amaze me.

It’s such a bizarre, upsetting story. 

I think the boyfriend got some good ol' boy deference from the police.

nohero said:

I think the boyfriend got some good ol' boy deference from the police.

 That’s what some people are saying down there. 

Sounds like New York snowbirds get all the breaks in South Florida.

DaveSchmidt said:

Sounds like New York snowbirds get all the breaks in South Florida.

Brian Laundrie is a resident of the town. It's where he and the missing woman were living.

nohero said:

Brian Laundrie is a resident of the town. It's where he and the missing woman were living.

Since 2019. According to news reports, Laundrie was raised on Long Island, where he and Petito first met in high school. His parents later moved to North Port, and Laundrie and Petito joined them there two years ago, the reports said.

DaveSchmidt said:

nohero said:

Brian Laundrie is a resident of the town. It's where he and the missing woman were living.

Since 2019. According to news reports, Laundrie was raised on Long Island, where he and Petito first met in high school. His parents later moved to North Port, and Laundrie and Petito joined them there two years ago, the reports said.

 In light of that, I don't understand the purpose of your earlier comment.

DaveSchmidt said:

Sounds like New York snowbirds get all the breaks in South Florida.

DaveSchmidt said:

Sounds like New York snowbirds get all the breaks in South Florida.

 Not so much in Sarasota county. He was no snowbird. 

nohero said:

In light of that, I don't understand the purpose of your earlier comment.

In my hometown, the “good ol’ boys” weren’t so quick to treat newcomers as locals. Now, if I read Jaytee correctly, I’ve learned Sarasota County isn’t like that. Live there a few-plus years (according to the reports) and you’re no longer a snowbird.

Jaytee said:

…. and won’t talk to police investigating the disappearance of Gabby? …

 He doesn’t have to talk to the police. 5th Amendment 

Formerlyjerseyjack said:

Jaytee said:

…. and won’t talk to police investigating the disappearance of Gabby? …

 He doesn’t have to talk to the police. 5th Amendment 

If you’re innocent, the worst thing you can do is talk to the police. 

RobB said:

If you’re innocent, the worst thing you can do is talk to the police. 

 If you’re innocent you can tell them where and when you last saw her. Seems like he’s not so innocent. 

Jaytee said:

RobB said:

If you’re innocent, the worst thing you can do is talk to the police. 

 If you’re innocent you can tell them where and when you last saw her. Seems like he’s not so innocent. 

 I'm not reading anything into his refusal to talk to the police.  There's a lot of space between totally innocent and first degree murder.  Especially given what other info has come out regarding Petito's fragile mental health, and the couple's arguments.  For all we know she demanded to be let out of their van, and he agreed and left her in the middle of nowhere.  Under various circumstances that might not be criminal at all, or it may be some sort of criminal negligence.  And at the very least, it would really look bad for Laundrie even it if wasn't criminal.  Just because he doesn't want to tell authorities what happened, it doesn't mean he killed her, and it doesn't even mean he has any good information that would lead to her recovery.

The whole thing is very sad and tragic because it appears she had serious anxiety and other issues that needed to be addressed by doctors.

Jaytee said:

RobB said:

If you’re innocent, the worst thing you can do is talk to the police. 

 If you’re innocent you can tell them where and when you last saw her. Seems like he’s not so innocent. 

Him: We had a big fight in the rest area by mile marker 17. She kicked me out and I walked 5 miles to the next town and caught a bus to Cheyenne and flew home.

Cop: Well that makes sense. It’s not yet public but we searched that rest area and found her body there yesterday. 

Now, if he killed and buried her there - there is no damn chance he’d tell the cops that story. If he’s innocent and a drifter killed her after this guy walked off, he’s basically gotten himself a first degree murder charge by opening his big dumb mouth. 

ml1 said:

 I'm not reading anything into his refusal to talk to the police.  There's a lot of space between totally innocent and first degree murder.  Especially given what other info has come out regarding Petito's fragile mental health, and the couple's arguments.  For all we know she demanded to be let out of their van, and he agreed and left her in the middle of nowhere.  Under various circumstances that might not be criminal at all, or it may be some sort of criminal negligence.  And at the very least, it would really look bad for Laundrie even it if wasn't criminal.  Just because he doesn't want to tell authorities what happened, it doesn't mean he killed her, and it doesn't even mean he has any good information that would lead to her recovery.

The whole thing is very sad and tragic because it appears she had serious anxiety and other issues that needed to be addressed by doctors.

 You’re not reading anything into his refusal to talk to the police? Well how about him talking to her parents? I can not begin to imagine how some people can just be so flippant and relaxed about the fact that a young woman is missing, her phone is dead, she’s not been seen anywhere. Why don’t he just tell her father or mother she was acting up and left him and wandered off? This makes no sense! By the way, the van is hers not theirs. And they had called off the engagement before they left for the cross country adventure. The van is in her name. If he was man enough, he would have leave her vehicle with her and take the train or bus or whatever back home to Florida. Regardless is she’s got anxiety issues or acute OCD, as she told the police they both have OCD. 
only a guilty person would do what he did, drive back to mommy and daddy in her van, then lawyer up. How can people even think he’s just being silent because of the 5th amendment? All he has to say is where he left her. Now he’s not in his parents house, and they only decided to call the police 3 days after they say he just walked out. 
can they be charged with aiding and abetting or obstruction if this becomes a homicide investigation? I’m not a lawyer, but I’m thinking his parents are going to be in some kind of jeopardy. 

CNN says they've found a body in the search area. no details yet.

ETA: FBI says remains match description of Petito.

Jaytee said:

I can not begin to imagine how some people can just be so …

... speculative. But social media is nothing if not a triumph of informed speculation.

Jaytee said:

 You’re not reading anything into his refusal to talk to the police? Well how about him talking to her parents? I can not begin to imagine how some people can just be so flippant and relaxed about the fact that a young woman is missing, her phone is dead, she’s not been seen anywhere. Why don’t he just tell her father or mother she was acting up and left him and wandered off? This makes no sense! By the way, the van is hers not theirs. And they had called off the engagement before they left for the cross country adventure. The van is in her name. If he was man enough, he would have leave her vehicle with her and take the train or bus or whatever back home to Florida. Regardless is she’s got anxiety issues or acute OCD, as she told the police they both have OCD. 
only a guilty person would do what he did, drive back to mommy and daddy in her van, then lawyer up. How can people even think he’s just being silent because of the 5th amendment? All he has to say is where he left her. Now he’s not in his parents house, and they only decided to call the police 3 days after they say he just walked out. 
can they be charged with aiding and abetting or obstruction if this becomes a homicide investigation? I’m not a lawyer, but I’m thinking his parents are going to be in some kind of jeopardy. 

 I'm not being flippant. I'm just not deciding that a guy is a murderer when I don't know anything about what really happened.

This guy pretty clearly killed her and that’s my point. Everyone thinks he did it. If he’s innocent he’d have to be insane to talk to the police because they think he did it to.

I don’t talk to the police. I’ve told my kids not to talk to the police. You shouldn’t talk to the police either.  

ml1 said:

 I'm not reading anything into his refusal to talk to the police.  There's a lot of space between totally innocent and first degree murder.  Especially given what other info has come out regarding Petito's fragile mental health, and the couple's arguments.  For all we know she demanded to be let out of their van, and he agreed and left her in the middle of nowhere.  Under various circumstances that might not be criminal at all, or it may be some sort of criminal negligence.  And at the very least, it would really look bad for Laundrie even it if wasn't criminal.  Just because he doesn't want to tell authorities what happened, it doesn't mean he killed her, and it doesn't even mean he has any good information that would lead to her recovery.

The whole thing is very sad and tragic because it appears she had serious anxiety and other issues that needed to be addressed by doctors.

They already knew he had the van and she wasn't with him. If he's going to say that she walked away from the van, the next questions will be about why didn't he mention it at any time.

nohero said:

They already knew he had the van and she wasn't with him. If he's going to say that she walked away from the van, the next questions will be about why didn't he mention it at any time.

I'm not suggesting none of it seems suspicious, because it does. But anyone convinced they know what happened is just guessing at this point.  

If I was ever involved in a serious incident, and was innocent, i wouldn't completely refuse to talk to police.  I would prepare a statement of details I know and hand it over to help find the person.....i would let PD ask questions through my lawyer, not under interrogation.....

RobB said:

This guy pretty clearly killed her and that’s my point. Everyone thinks he did it. If he’s innocent he’d have to be insane to talk to the police because they think he did it to.

I don’t talk to the police. I’ve told my kids not to talk to the police. You shouldn’t talk to the police either.  

Always talk to a lawyer first.

If he's going to talk, he'd be better wait until an arrest so can take a plea to spare a death penalty sentence.

Who really knows, she could have killed herself, she struggled terribly with mental health issues. He’s not talking because they’re looking to pin the case on him as to hurry and close it. Let’s wait until  they release the cause of death

Not that it matters now, but there is a difference between these two situations:

- a young woman is missing, no clues to her disappearance, police want to talk to her boyfriend; and

- a young woman is missing, last seen driving out west in her van with her boyfriend, boyfriend returned back to Florida with her van but without her, police want to talk to her boyfriend.

BlueShirt88 said:

Who really knows, she could have killed herself, she struggled terribly with mental health issues. He’s not talking because they’re looking to pin the case on him as to hurry and close it. Let’s wait until  they release the cause of death

 How do you know she had terrible mental health issues? From what she said she said she has OCD, in fact both of them have it. 
furthermore, if she killed herself why wouldn’t he call 911? Why drive for days on end back to Florida without calling anyone? I can’t believe people are actually rationalizing this. 

Her body was found at a remote campground this weekend.  The van was also seen at the same campground after she disappeared and then the boyfriend shows up in Florida with the van.

He killed her.

watching that show "the first 48 hours" or something has led me to remind my children to never make statements without a lawyer.