Gabby Petito – live: Brian Laundrie also now ‘missing’ as her family accuse him of hiding

A couple claims they saw missing YouTuber Gabby Petito’s van near Jenny lake in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming.

The couple said they saw the van on 25 August, narrowing the potential search area for investigators if they deem the tip credible.

The couple did not see Ms Petito or her fiancé Brian Laundrie. However, Ms Petito did tag numerous potential campsites on an app called The Dyrt, which may provide insight into the general area she planned to explore on her trip.

Protesters gathered outside Mr Laundrie’s house on Thursday and plan to return on Friday, hoping to pressure him into cooperating with law enforcement. Ms Petito’s family called on Mr Laundrie’s family to help them find their daughter.

The Petitos asked the Laundries “as parents, how can you put us through this pain” and begged them to at least tell them where Ms Petito was left, or if they are even looking in the right area.

The family also revealed they do not believe Ms Petito’s final text message on 30 August actually came from her.

Ms Petito and her fiancé were reportedly arguing and hitting each other, according to a police report from Utah.

The couple, who were on a road trip in Ms Petito’s van, were spotted having an argument in Moab City, Utah on 12 August.

Bodycamera footage of a police encounter with the couple shows Ms Petito crying over the argument she and Mr Laundrie had been having during their trip.

On Wednesday, the North Port Police Department in Florida announced they were treating Ms Petito’s fiancé as a person of interest in their investigation. He has thus far refused to cooperate with law enforcement.

Ms Petito disappeared while on a road trip with her fiancé, Mr Laundrie, who returned without her, prompting a frantic search for the 22-year-old woman that began on 11 September.

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Read More

Gabby Petito: Everything we know about YouTuber’s mysterious disappearance on road trip

Moonflower Co-op worker speaks out on eerie connection between Gabby Petito and double murder of couple

Police share body cam footage of Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie after violent spat weeks before she vanished

Gabby Petito: A timeline of the social media star’s disappearance

Keypoints

• Gabrielle Petito disappears

• Brian Laundrie named as person of interest

• Gabby Petito’s family accuses fiancé of leaving her in the wilderness with ‘grizzly bears and wolves’

• Police release bodycam footage showing emotional Gabby Petito before disappearance

• Gabby Petito’s disappearance and the link to the murder of two campers near Moab City, Utah

• Gabby Petito’s mother thinks her daughter’s final text came from someone else

• Police and FBI now also searching for Laundrie

Police and FBI now also searching for Laundrie

08:30 , Lamiat Sabin

Police and the FBI are now searching for both Gabby Petito and her partner Brian Laundrie.

North Port police said in a statement that Laundrie’s family told officers they haven’t seen him since Tuesday.

Laundrie is a person of interest in the disappearance of his fiancée Gabby, who was reported missing by her family on 11 September.

Here’s the full report:

Family says Laundrie is now missing, Petito still not found

ICYMI: A timeline of social media star Gabby Petito’s disappearance

07:45 , Josh Marcus

Each day brings new developments in the hunt for missing YouTuber Gabby Petito.

The Independent’s Joe Sommerlad has been tracking all the latest news, and has put together a handy timeline of the case here.

A timeline of the disappearance of Gabby Petito

‘North Port Loves Gabby’: Community rallies behind missing Gabby Petito

07:00 , Josh Marcus

The community of North Port Florida has rallied behind Gabby Petito, the YouTuber who went missing while on a cross-country van trip with her fiancé Brian Laundrie.Neighbours were pictured this week driving by Mr Laundrie’s home in a golf cart, holding signs that read ‘North Port Loves Gabby’ and ‘Talk Brian!’

Mr Laundrie, who arrived back home in Florida in the couple’s van without Gabby, is a person of interest in the investigation.

Petito family is ‘extremely thankful’ for nationwide support, lawyer says

06:20 , Josh Marcus

The Gabby Petito disappearance has captured attention nationwide, and her family says they are grateful to feel support coming in from across the country.

“At this point, they are glad. If nobody took it seriously and if no one looked at it, not as many people would be looking for Gabby,” family attorney Rick Stafford told The Independent. “They like that Gabby’s picture is everywhere.”

“The family, as much as they are upset and exhausted, they are extremely thankful that the FBI and the various police agencies are doing everything they can to bring Gabby home,” he added.

One thing the family is furious at, however, is how Gabby’s fiancé Brian Laundrie’s family has expressed their public support for the search, even though he has yet to publicly help police locate the missing woman.Read more of our coverage on the conflict below.

Conspiracy theories flourish as hunt for Gabby Petito continues

05:30 , Josh Marcus

Conspiracy theories have flourished on social media platforms like TikTok as the hunt for Gabby Petito continues, including one that she went missing in the “Zone of Death,” a hypothetical strip of federal park land in which people have speculated it would be difficult to prosecute a crime.

The Independent’s Graig Graziosi took a closer look here.

Debunking the relevancy of Yellowstone’s ‘Zone of Death’ to the Gabby Petito case

Petito family is ‘exhausted’ after weeks of searching for daughter, lawyer says

04:40 , Josh Marcus

The Petito family is “exhausted” after weeks of searching for their missing daughter Gabby.“They’re exhausted, they’re upset,” family attorney Rick Stafford told The Independent. “They go from being sad and despondent one second to being angry the next second. Then, 20 seconds later, back to being sad. They’re just exhausted.”

Catch up on The Independent’s coverage of the case here.

Everything we know about the mysterious disappearance of Gabby Petito

Petito’s father linked to police call at Laundrie’s house day before reporting daughter missing, report says

03:50 , Josh Marcus

New details have further illuminated what’s known about the disappearance of Gabby Petito, a YouTuber from Florida who did not return from a cross-country van trip in August with her fiancé Brian Laundrie, who police have labeled a person of interest in the case.

Read more here:

Gabby Petito: Father linked to police call day before reporting daughter missing

Petito left clues to her location on campsite planning app

03:00 , Josh Marcus

Gabby Petito used a popular camping app to document her van-life road trip with boyfriend Brian Laundrie, offering new leads for investigators trying to locate the missing YouTuber.

The locations listed on her public account on The Dyrt show locations where the couple visited across several states on their cross-country trip, and indicate where they may have been heading next.

It also sheds new light where they may have stayed in and around Moab, Utah, on 12 August, where police were called to a violent argument between the couple.

Read more here:

Gabby Petito left clues to her location on campsite planning app

Hostile crowd forms outside of Brian Laundrie’s home

02:15 , Josh Marcus

A hostile crowd has formed around the home of Brian Laundrie, Gabby Petito’s fiancé and a person of interest in her disappearance.

As police searched his home on Friday evening, an angry group of onlookers chanted “dirty Laundrie.”

“We’re not going anywhere get your a**** out here,” another member of the crowd said.Mr Laundrie arrived home on his own from the couple’s cross-country trip in the van they shared, and so far hasn’t publicly spoken about the disappearance.

Brian Laundrie wasn’t present as police entered home

01:51 , Josh Marcus

Brian Laundrie, the fiancé of Gabby Petito and a person of interest in her disappearance, wasn’t present at his home on Friday evening as North Port, Florida police entered the building and spoke with his family, a spokesperson told Fox News.

‘Dirty Laundrie’: Police searched through car outside Laundrie’s home

01:30 , Josh Marcus

Police were seen searching a silver convertible outside Brian Laundrie’s house, multiple photos and videos have shown. It is not clear what they were searching for.

Police seen reentering Laundrie’s house with brown bag

Saturday 18 September 2021 00:39 , Nathan Place

Police have been spotted leaving Brian Laundrie’s house and then reentering it with what could be an evidence bag, Fox News has reported.

Police say they’re currently speaking with Laundrie’s family

Saturday 18 September 2021 00:16 , Nathan Place

North Port Police say they’re currently talking to Brian Laundrie’s family “at their request,” but not to Mr Laundrie himself.

Video shows detective entering Laundrie’s home

Saturday 18 September 2021 00:10 , Nathan Place

Video from ABC 7 SWFL shows the moment a North Port Police detective entered the Florida home of Brian Laundrie, Gabby Petito’s boyfriend and a person of interest in her missing person case.

Livestream shows crowd outside Laundrie’s house

Saturday 18 September 2021 00:07 , Nathan Place

As a police detective remains inside, a livestream video from Fox 13 News Utah shows the scene outside Brian Laundrie’s house:

Police say Petito’s father was involved in ‘incident’ at Laundrie’s house one day before YouTuber was reported missing

Saturday 18 September 2021 00:00 , Nathan Place

A day before her family reported her missing, Gabby Petito’s father, Joseph, was involved in a “public service” incident at Mr Laundrie’s home, where he and Gabby lived with Mr Laundrie’s parents, according to heavily redacted police documents reported by Fox News.

The records, which are largely obscured due to the ongoing investigation, do not indicate the reason for the call on 10 September, but note that police came back twice the following day and seized the couple’s Ford Transit van, which they had used to cross the country.

Read more here:

Gabby Petito: Father linked to police call day before reporting daughter missing

Reports confirm that detective is inside Laundrie’s house

Friday 17 September 2021 23:56 , Nathan Place

A detective with the North Port Police Department has entered Brian Laundrie’s house, ABC 7 has confirmed.

Police are now inside Brian Laundrie’s home, report says

Friday 17 September 2021 23:40 , Nathan Place

Police have entered the Florida home of Gabby Petito’s boyfriend, Brian Laundrie, according to Fox News.

It is not yet clear whether they are there to conduct an arrest, a search, or something else.

Police say Gabby Petito case is 'not related’ to Moab homicides

Friday 17 September 2021 23:32 , Nathan Place

Police have announced that Gabby Petito’s disappearance was not, in fact, connected to the killing of two women in Moab, Utah.

“It has been determined that the Gabby Petito missing person case is not related to the double-homicide case involving Crystal Turner and Kylen Schulte,” the Office of the Grand County Sheriff said in a statement on Friday.

Read more here:

Utah double homicide ‘not related’ to Gabby Petito disappearance

Police say they’ve received over 1,000 tips on Gabby Petito case

Friday 17 September 2021 23:22 , Nathan Place

The North Port Police Department has received more than 1,000 tips on Gabby Petito’s missing person case, Public Information Officer Josh Taylor told Fox News.

Unfortunately, most of those tips have not been helpful, Mr Taylor said, but a few have provided useful clues. The police are actively encouraging the public to continue sending in any information they might have.

Police speak with TikTok ‘witness’ who claims she picked up Brian Laundrie in Grand Teton

Friday 17 September 2021 23:03 , Nathan Place

Police have confirmed they have spoken to a TikTok “witness” who claims she gave a ride to Gabby Petito’s boyfriend, Brian Laundrie, by himself.

As the search continues for the 22-year-old woman without the help of her boyfriend, police in Florida say they spoke to a woman who claims she and her own boyfriend picked up Mr Laundrie in Grand Teton National Park on 29 August.

In a series of videos posted on TikTok, Miranda Baker said they had picked up Mr Laundrie, who was hitch-hiking alone.

Read more here.

Cops speak with TikTok ‘witness’ who claims she picked up Gabby Petito boyfriend

Moab motel can’t confirm that Brian Laundrie stayed there

Friday 17 September 2021 22:45 , Nathan Place

A motel in Moab, Utah where Brian Laundrie was supposed to spend the night of 12 August cannot confirm that he actually stayed there, Fox News has reported.

Earlier that day, police had separated Mr Laundrie and his girlfriend, Gabby Petito, to help them cool off after a violent fight. The officers arranged for a non-profit to book Mr Laundrie a room at the Bowen Motel, where he was supposed to spend the night while Ms Petito slept in their van. On Friday, the Bowen Motel said one of its rooms that night was indeed booked by a non-profit, but could not confirm that Mr Laundrie stayed there.

Debunking the Yellowstone ‘Zone of Death’ connection to Gabby Petito

Friday 17 September 2021 22:15 , Graig Graziosi

Some internet detectives have been pointing to the “Zone of Death” in Yellowstone National Park as a potential place of interest in the search for Gabby Petito.

The Independent’s Graig Graziosi explores what the Zone of Death is and why people are connecting it to Ms Petito’s disappearance below...

Debunking the relevancy of Yellowstone’s ‘Zone of Death’ to the Gabby Petito case

Salt Lake City police are assisting with the search for Gabby Petito

Friday 17 September 2021 21:53 , Graig Graziosi

KSL 5 News confirmed that police in Salt Lake City are working with the FBI in the search for Gabby Petito.

Ms Petito was seen checking out of a hotel in Salt Lake City on 24 August. She was last seen in a video chat by her mother the following day.

The current search for Ms Petito is centered on Grand Teton National Park, particularly around Jenny Lake, where a witness claimed they saw the van.

North Port organises prayer vigil for Gabby Petito

Friday 17 September 2021 21:41 , Graig Graziosi

North Port, Florida residents have organised a prayer vigil tonight at 7:00pm.

The vigil will be held at North Port’s city hall.

Gabby Petito’s godmother calls on Brian Laundrie to assist the investigation

Friday 17 September 2021 21:01 , Graig Graziosi

Flora Rocco, Gabby Petito’s godmother, appeared on Fox News and called on Brian Laundrie to cooperate with the police investigation into Ms Petito’s disappearance.

“It's not that you're not even helping anymore, it's that you're hindering this investigation.You're using up resources and people's time and it's been beyond days that you could have talked and you're still choosing to keep silent,” she said. “It's reprehensible.”

Internet sensationalists speculate on Yellowstone’s “Zone of Death”

Friday 17 September 2021 20:15 , Graig Graziosi

A portion of Yellowstone National Park colloquially known as the “Zone of Death” has become a topic of conversation among amateur sleuths following the Gabby Petito disappearance online thanks to sensational claims that someone could commit a murder in the area and get away with it due to an inability to gather a jury, as no one lives there and it is under different state and federal jurisdictions.

Ms Petito’s last known location was in Grand Teton National Park, though she may have been on her way to Yellowstone at some point after that. Her final text to her mother says “No service in Yosemite.” It is possible Ms Petito - or whoever sent the text, as her family does not believe she sent the message - intended to say “Yellowstone,” as Yosemite would have been 12 hours away from their last known location. Yellowstone National Park is adjacent to Grand Teton National Park.

Either way, murder is not technically legal in the “Zone of Death.” Though it is unprecedented, if a murder occurred in the Zone of Death it would be prosecuted. Jurisdiction would have to be established, which would also establish precedent for cases originating from the area.

The latest timeline updated in the disappearance of Gabby Petito

Friday 17 September 2021 19:54 , Graig Graziosi

Check out The Independent’s timeline of the Gabby Petito disappearance, with updated information as it happens.

A timeline of the disappearance of Gabby Petito

Law enforcement agencies working to find Gabby Petito

Friday 17 September 2021 19:30 , Graig Graziosi

These are the known law enforcement agencies working to locate Gabby Petito.

• North Port Police

• Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office

• The FBI

• Moab City Police

• Salt Lake City police

• Local police near Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming

• National Parks police

FBI has taken over the search for Gabby Petito in Grand Teton National Park

Friday 17 September 2021 19:10 , Graig Graziosi

The FBI has taken over the search for Gabby Petito in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming.

Federal agents are being assisted by local police and National Parks investigators in their search for Ms Petito.

Grant Teton is believed to be the last place Ms Petito is known to have traveled on her road trip with Brian Laundrie.

Family friend says Gabby Petito never would have run off by herself

Friday 17 September 2021 18:45 , Graig Graziosi

A friend of Gabby Petito told Insider that she would never run off on her own.

“She would never ever disappear like this without her parents knowing where she is. This is so out of character, and I don’t think anything that’s going on is due to her own doing,” Nikki Passannante told the outlet.

She said she thought something “devilish” has occurred.

Law enforcement has spoken with Brian Laundrie’s sister

Friday 17 September 2021 18:30 , Graig Graziosi

A reporter at Deseret News has confirmed that police have spoken with Brian Laundrie’s sister, who appeared on Good Morning America on Friday morning.

According to the reporter, the police did not obtain any additional information to assist in their investigation.

Redditors are pouring over Yellowstone webcam footage looking for Gabby Petito

Friday 17 September 2021 18:10 , Graig Graziosi

Users on Reddit are pouring over webcam footage archived by Yellowstone National Park in an attempt to gather clues on the whereabouts of Gabby Petito.

A user found archived footage from a webcam pointed at Yellowstone’s geysers that shows a portion of the parking lot nearby. The Redditors are attempting to spot any vans that could be Ms Petito’s.

The geyser archive can be found here.

Gabby Petito left clues to her locations on a camping app

Friday 17 September 2021 17:48 , Graig Graziosi

KSL’s COLD podcast team found Gabby Petito’s account on a camping app called The Dyrt. She left tags on potential campsites, which has provided investigators with some insight into where she considered staying while she was on the road with Brian Laundrie.

The Independent’s Bevan Hurley has the full story below...

Gabby Petito left clues to her location on campsite planning app

What did Gabby Petito do before the trip?

Friday 17 September 2021 17:22 , Graig Graziosi

Gabby Petito was pursuing the social media influencer life, but had not yet achieved a level where it could sustain her financially when she disappeared.

According to The New York Times, before she and Brian Laundrie took off on their trip, Ms Petito worked as a pharmacy technician. She saved her money from the job to outfit her van and save up for her trip with her fiancé, Mr Laundrie.

Protest planned at Brian Laundrie’s home in Florida

Friday 17 September 2021 17:00 , Graig Graziosi

Protesters apparently plan to surround Brian Laundrie’s house today at 5pm EST.

The protesters told Fox News that they are going to demand that Mr Laundrie assist with the search for Ms Petito.

Crowds gathered outside the Laundrie family home on Thursday night as well. Protesters carried signs demanding “where is Gabby” and claiming “the truth always comes out.”

Searchers believe they have narrowed down the areas where Gabby Petito might be located

Friday 17 September 2021 16:45 , Graig Graziosi

Witnesses who claim they saw Gabby Petito’s van have helped searchers narrow down the possible places Ms Petito could be located.

A couple claims they saw Ms Petito’s van in Grand Teton National Park near a lake.

The Independent’s Bevan Hurley explains the sighting, as well as Ms Petito’s family’s reaction, in the story below...

Search for missing Gabby Petito narrows as witness spots her van in Grand Teton

Murdered Utah woman got off work an hour and a half before Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie had their fight

Friday 17 September 2021 16:30 , Graig Graziosi

A reporter at KSL confirmed that Kylen Schulte, a woman who was murdered alongside her wife, Crystal Turner, in the mountains outside Moab City, Utah, left her job at the Moonflower Co-op an hour and a half before Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie were spotted fighting nearby.

Ms Schulte and her wife are believed to have been killed a day after Ms Petito and Mr Laundrie argued near the co-op.

A witness called police on Ms Petito and Mr Laundrie because he saw them having a physical confrontation reportedly over the keys to the van.

Police in Utah said they are investigating both the murders and assisting with the search for Ms Petito. They said they would not rule anything out in either investigation.

Witnesses claim they saw Gabby Petito’s van on 25 August

Friday 17 September 2021 15:18 , Graig Graziosi

Shannon Baker and her husband told KSLTV’s Garna Mejia that they saw Gabby Petito’s van near Jenny Lake in Grand Teton National Park.

“I’m sure of it,” Ms Baker said. “It had the black ladder on the back and the two black rooftops on top, the two bars, and we made the comment that would be the perfect little camper van to go around in.”

Ms Petito’s family said the couple’s description was accurate to the van and believe that the Bakers did see their daughter’s vehicle.

The Bakers said they saw the van in a parking lot near Jenny Lake on 25 August. They did not see Ms Petito or her fiancé, Brian Laundrie.

Gabby Petito’s father slams Laundrie family over statement claiming they love his daughter

Friday 17 September 2021 15:00 , Graig Graziosi

Gabby Petito’s father, Joe Petito, had strong words for Brian Laundrie’s sister, who appeared in an interview on Good Morning America to talk about the ongoing search for Ms Petito.

During her appearance, she said she and her family loved Ms Petito. The Independent’s Bevan Hurley has the rest of her statement and the reaction of Mr Petito, in the story below...

Gabby Petito’s father blasts Laundrie family for claiming they ‘love’ his daughter

Authorities focusing search on Grand Teton National Park

Friday 17 September 2021 14:45 , Celine Wadhera

In the search for Gabby Pepito, in the YouTuber’s mysterious disappearance, following a months-long road trip with her fiancé, Brian Laundrie, authorities are focusing on Grand Teton National Park.

National Park investigators alongside local police and the FBI are searching the park for any sign of the 22-year-old woman, CNN reported.

The couple was in the park in late August, around the time that Ms Pepito last spoke with her mother, on 25 August.

Multi-jurisdictional investigations are ongoing in Colorado, Florida, Utah and Wyoming.

Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie: typical fights or couple goals?

Friday 17 September 2021 14:19 , Celine Wadhera

Yesterday, one of Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie were described as “couple goals” by Ms Petito’s friend, Nicole Kalanich, but today, Mr Laundrie’s sister described the couple’s fight, captured on police body camera footage as “typical”.

So, what was the nature of Ms Petito and Mr Laundrie’s relationship?

Speaking with NBC2, Ms Kalanich said that the couple seemed to be happy and excited about their trip. She added that they “always smiled”and said that the two were “couple goals”.

But this morning, Cassie Laundrie told Good Morning America that the fight between Ms Pepito and Mr Laundrie in Moab, Utah, where Ms Pepito is crying, was “typical” for the couple.

“It looked typical of both of them,” she said. “Whenever they would fight, they would take a little break and come back and be fine.”

In the video, the couple admit that the stress of travelling together in the van had led them to argue more often. According to the police report, the couple were arguing and hitting each other when they arrived.

The officers who responded to the incident determined that it was a “mental health break” rather than a domestic assault situation, and advised the couple to separate for the evening.

Gabby’s father: ‘My gut tells me that something bad happened’

Friday 17 September 2021 13:34 , Celine Wadhera

Gabby’s father, Joe Pepito told HLN that he feared that “something bad” had happened to his daughter.

He said: “My gut tells me that something bad happened, and I am never going to be able to hold my baby girl again”.

“What my head tells me, is that if I focus on that, if I focus on that, I’m not going to be able to do the job that needs to be done, that her boyfriend, or fiancé should be doing. He should be leading this charge.”

He also responded to the clip of Cassie Laundrie, Brian Laundrie’s sister, speaking on Good Morning America, where Ms Laundrie said that Gabby was like a sister to her, and that she wanted Gabby to be found safe.

Mr Pepito said: “If you love Gabby as a sister, and you knew your brother was home on the 10^th, and no Gabby to be found, who lives in that house, and told no one, it explains a lot as to why we’re in the situation that we’re in now.

Cassie Laundrie: ‘I haven’t been able to speak to my brother’

Friday 17 September 2021 12:49 , Celine Wadhera

Speaking on Good Morning America, Cassie Laundrie said that she has not been able to speak with her brother, Brian Laundrie, since he returned from his road trip.

“I haven’t been able to talk to him,” she said. “I wish I could talk to him.”

Ms Laundrie said that she wished that she could be more helpful, but said she had “cooperated in every way” that she could.

“I wish I had more information, or I would give more. This is all I have, this, I gave to the police.”

Reacting to the body camera footage of the altercation between Ms Petito and her brother, Ms Laundrie said: “It looked typical of both of them.

“Whenever they fight they would take a little break and come back and be fine. Because that’s what you do in a couple.”

She said that her brother was a “wonderful” person who had always been there when needed, and added that she hoped Ms Pepito would return “safe and sound”.

“He’s a wonderful uncle, he’s always been there when I need him, he’s been there every time that Gabby needed him.

“Me and my family want Gabby to be found safe. She is like a sister and my children love her, and all I want is for her to come home safe and sound and for this to be just a big misunderstanding.”

Cassie Laundrie speaks on Good Morning America

Friday 17 September 2021 12:40 , Celine Wadhera

Cassie Laundrie, Brian Laundrie’s sister, speaks to Good Morning America about Gabby Petito’s disappearance.

Gabby Petito: Updates from the past 24 hours

Friday 17 September 2021 12:20 , Celine Wadhera

In case you missed it, or are just joining us now, here are some of the updates from the investigation into Gabby Peppito’s disappearance from the past 24 hours.

Ms Petito’s family issued a statement, calling on the family of Gabby’s fiance, Brian Laundrie, to help them find their daughter.

Police from Utah have shared bodycamera footage of an altercation between Ms Pepito and Mr Laundrie in Moab City, Utah on 12 August. Police in Utah are also investigating whether there is any connection between Ms Pepito’s disappearance and a double homicide in Moab.

Cassie Laundrie, Mr Laundrie’s sister, spoke with Good Morning America, and said she hopes that Ms Pepito will return home safely. The full interview is set to air this morning on Good Morning America.

For in-depth coverage of the investigation so far, see below.

Everything we know about the mysterious disappearance of Gabby Petito

Who’s jurisdiction?

Friday 17 September 2021 11:30 , Celine Wadhera

In the investigation to find YouTuber Gabby Pepito, who was on a months-long road trip with her fiancé Brian Laundrie, which began in New York, crossed Colorado, Kansas, Utah and Wyoming, and “ended” in Florida, who ultimately has jurisdiction?

According to Todd Garrison, North Port, Florida’s police chief, it’s a “multi-jurisdictional case”.

He told CNN that police in North Port – where Ms Pepito lived with her fiancé Brian Laundrie and his family – were actively working the case, alongside FBI and local authorities in Utah and Wyoming.

The Grand County Sheriff’s Office in Utah has reported that they are actively investigating any connection between Ms Pepito’s disappearance and a double homicide that occurred in Grand County – near where Ms Pepito and Mr Laundrie’s police-recorded altercation took place.

The FBI are also working alongside law enforcement partners in Wyoming’s Teton National Park, from where Ms Pepito last spoke with her mother on 25 August, as well as the Jackson Police Department, and other state and local law enforcement agencies across the country.

Anyone with any information regarding Ms Pepito’s whereabouts should call the FBI’s national tipline on 1-800-629-7171 (1-800-CALL-FBI) or use the Bureau’s online electronic tip form.

North Port police chief believes Brian Laundrie is withholding critical information

Friday 17 September 2021 10:46 , Celine Wadhera

The North Port police chief believes that Brian Laundrie is withholding critical information about Gabby Pepito’s disappearance.

Speaking to Don Lemon on CNN on Thursday evening, chief Todd Garrison confirmed that Mr Laundrie was a person of interest in the case, and pleaded with him and her family to come forward with any information regarding her whereabouts.

“We are conducting a missing person investigation. Two people went on a trip, and one person returned. And that Person is Brian. And we’re looking for Gabby, and he is not willing to provide us any information.”

“I believe Brian has the information. I believe people around Brian may also have the information, and we are pleading to those people to come forward.

“Provide us the information that we need to find Gabby and reunite Gabby with her family because she deserves it and her family deserves it.”

He added that Mr Laundrie was the only person who had been identified as a person of interest in the case.

Gabby’s cousin: ‘I’ve never seen her stressed out like that’

Friday 17 September 2021 10:01 , Celine Wadhera

Speaking on NewsNation Now, Zoey Wickman, responded to the police bodycamera footage of her visibly upset cousin.

When asked by anchor Ashleigh Banfield if the Gabby in the video was familiar to her, Ms Wickman said: “No … I’ve always known Gabby to just be so kind and caring”.

She added: “She was just a free-spirited mind. She was always happy. She literally lived in the middle of the desert and slept in a tent.

“I’ve never seen her cry, I’ve never seen her stressed out like that.”

Gabby Petito’s father responds to Cassie Laundrie Clip

Friday 17 September 2021 09:16 , Celine Wadhera

Speaking on NewsNation Now, Joe Petito, Gabby’s father, responded to the clip of Cassie Laundrie’s Good Morning America interview, where she said that she wanted Gabby to come home safely.

Ms Laundrie’s interview appears to be the only statement made by the Laundrie family after the Petito family wrote a letter to Brian Laundrie’s parents, begging them to help find her.

In that context, Mr Petito said that Ms Laundrie’s comments “made a lot of sense”.

“It actually made a lot of sense,” he said. “It brings things to light. Because, we’ve been looking for Gabby for how long? And they’ve known that Brian’s been there (North Port, Florida) since the 1^st.

“That was a very nice, well-written statement. But it does explain, that if that’s that family’s version of love to just ignore and not care that someone’s gone, and people are looking for them, and the entire country’s looking for them, I meant that explains to how we got to where we are today. ‘Cause I mean, look at their version of what they call love.”

What has the Laundrie said about Gabby’s disappearance?

Friday 17 September 2021 08:31 , Celine Wadhera

In a clip of an interview that is set to air later this morning on Good Morning America, Cassie Laundrie, Brian Laundrie’s sister, said that she hoped Gabby would be found safe, and added that Gabby was like a sister to her.

“Obviously me, and my family want Gabby to be found safe,” Ms Laundrie said.

“She is like a sister and my children love her, and all I want is for her to come home safe and found this to be just a big misunderstanding.”

Prior to Ms Laundrie’s statement, the only statement that Mr Laundrie has made was through the family’s attorney, Steve Bertolino.

The statement said: “This is an extremely difficult time for both the Petito family and the Laundrie family.

“On behalf of the Laundrie family, it is our hope that the search for Miss Petito is successful and that Miss Petito is re-united with her family.”

Timeline of Gabrielle Petito’s disappearance

Friday 17 September 2021 07:46 , Celine Wadhera

2 July 2021: Gabrielle Petito and her fiance, Brian Laundrie, leave New York on a cross-country trip in a camper van.

5 July 2021: The couple stops at Monument Rocks in Kansas.

12 August 2021: Moab, Utah, police respond to an altercation involving the couple, where Ms Petito was described as being “confused and emotional” by officers.

24 August 2021: Ms Petito is last seen with checking out of a Salt Lake City hotel with Mr Laundrie

25 August 2021: Ms Petito’s mother, Nicole Schmidt, video chats with her daughter for the last time via phone. Ms Petito reveals she is in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming.

30 August 2021: Ms Schmidt receives a text purportedly from Ms Petito. Ms Smith says she is unsure if the text was actually from her daughter.

1 September 2021: Mr Laundrie returns home alone to the couple’s North Port home in Ms Petito’s van.

11 September 2021: Ms Petito’s parents report her missing.

13 September 2021: The Laundrie family refuse to let North Port police speak with their son.

14 September 2021: Mr Laundrie declared a “person of interest” in police investigation.

15 September 2021: Police release body camera footage of Moab City encounter with the couple.

Protesters outside Brian Laundrie’s home chant ‘where’s Gabbie’

Friday 17 September 2021 06:31 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Protesters have gathered outside the Florida home of missing YouTuber Gabby Petito‘s fiance Brian Laundrie, as he continues to decline to cooperate with the police after her disappearance.

People drove golf carts across the street carrying posters with messages such as “Where is Gabby” and “Speak up”.

“We’re standing up for somebody who’s lost that’s in our city, and we’re a big family in our city, in North Port.”

Read the full story here.

Cassie Laundrie: 'Gabby is like a sister'

Friday 17 September 2021 05:47 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Brian Laundrie’s sister Cassie has spoken to Good Morning America in an interview that is set to broadcast in full on Friday morning in the US.

Here’s the full story on what we know so far.

Police say ‘no criminality’ in Gabby Petito disappearance at this time

Friday 17 September 2021 05:42 , Maroosha Muzaffar

The North Port Police Chief Todd Garrison on Thursday maintained that there was “no criminality” suspected in the Gabby Petito disappearance at this point.

He also said that the authorities are not focused on bringing in her boyfriend Brian Laundrie for questioning.

He told the media: “Right now, it’s a missing person case.” He added that there was no criminality “at this time” and said that the police can’t force Mr Laundrie to speak with them.

The 22-year-old YouTuber and #vanlife influencer’s boyfriend — who is a “person of interest” in the Gabby Petitio disappearance case — has refused to cooperate with authorities.

His lawyer, Steven Bertolino also said that the Laundrie family was hoping for Ms Petito’s safe return. But maintained that Mr Laundrie has the right to remain silent.

Brian Laundrie’s sister breaks silence on Gabby Petito

Friday 17 September 2021 05:00 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Brian Laundrie’s sister Cassie Laundrie has spoken out publicly for the first time since Gabby Petito’s disappearance, saying she is “like a sister”.

In an interview on Thursday, Ms Laundrie said: “Obviously me and my family want Gabby to be found safe. She is like a sister and my children love her, and all I want is for her to come home safe and found and this to be just a big misunderstanding.”

Brian Laundrie, the boyfriend of the missing 22-year-old Ms Petito, has refused to speak with the police, who have named him as a “person of interest” in the missing case but not accused him of any wrongdoing.

The full interview with Ms Laundrie is due to be broadcast on Friday morning on Good Morning America.

Gabby Petito’s final YouTube video reveals highlights from trip before disappearance

Friday 17 September 2021 04:45 , Josh Marcus

Gabby Petito’s YouTube channel has just one video: a joyous montage of footage from her and her fiancé Brian Laundrie’s cross-country trip in a converted van.

The film, which captures the pair getting caught in the rain, eating sushi on the beach, and driving across the desert, now has more than 1 million views, some of which likely came once Ms Petito went missing and inspired nationwide concern.

Watch the clip below.

How you can help find Gabby Petito

Friday 17 September 2021 03:45 , Josh Marcus

YouTuber Gabby Petito’s disappearance has captivated America. Law enforcement have been analysing her van, which has been recovered, as well as data on associated cell phones as part of the search.

“I’m asking for help from everyone here. I’m asking for help from everyone at home,” her father said today.Authorities are asking anyone with potential information about the disappearance to phone 1-800-CALLFBI (225-5324).Her family has also set up a GoFundMe page to help support the search.

Police ask Gabby Petito’s family to stop discussing relationship with Brian Laundrie

Friday 17 September 2021 13:55 , Celine Wadhera

Police have asked Gabby Petito’s family to stop discussing her relationship with Brian Laundrie, CBS news has reported.

An attorney for the Pepito family sent CBS a statement regarding the 12 August altercation in Moab, Utah that was recorded on a police officer’s body camera.

The statement said: “Gabby’s family was instructed by law enforcement not to discuss the details of Gabby and Brian’s relationship.”

It was not made immediately clear why the request was made.

Ms Petito’s Godmther , Flora Rocco, told NewsNation Thursday that the request from law enforcement was a mystery. “We don’t know why”, she said.

WATCH: Police body camera footage captures emotional argument between Gabby Petito and fiance

Friday 17 September 2021 02:45 , Josh Marcus

Police in Utah have released body camera footage of missing YouTube personality Gabby Petito and her fiance Brian Laundrie, almost a month before a search got underway for the 22-year-old. The almost hour-long video shows officers from Moab City Police Department separating Ms Petito and Mr Laundrie, who returned from a road trip without the Long Island native about a week ago, prompting an investigation. It was alleged that she slapped her fiance because she feared he was going to drive off without her following an argument. A witness called 911 with concerns for the pair, though no charges were filed. The incident was classed as a “mental/emotional health break” and not a domestic assault, according to police.

Watch the full clip below.

The Independent’s Gino Spocchia has more on the video here.

Police release body camera footage of Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie

‘She wouldn’t wander off’: Friend of Gabby Petito casts more doubts on final text

Friday 17 September 2021 01:47 , Josh Marcus

Gabby Petito’s final text to her family before disappearing was confounding: “No service in Yosemite.”

Her last known location was Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming, and Yosemite, in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains, is roughly 800 miles away.

Her family now says they doubt that Ms Petito was the one who sent that text, and a friend of the missing YouTuber told The Sun on Friday she has her doubts as well.The friend, who asked to remain anonymous, said she and Gabby had been planning to meet in Yellowstone National Park, which spans Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana. They were going to touch base with a phone call at the end of August, which never happened.

“That was the next spot. At least when we planned it. I was the only one going to see them,” the friend said. “She wouldn’t wander off and not contact her family. I know that for a fact...She wouldn’t blow me off either. She’s my person. And I can’t stop thinking about how scared she must be.”

“I also don’t think she’d text her mom ‘no service’. She’d call as soon as she had service, in my opinion,” the friend added.

Gabby Petito: Everything we know so far

Friday 17 September 2021 01:00 , Nathan Place

Over the past 24 hours, a number of new developments have emerged in the Gabby Petito case.

From new statements by police and the Petito family, to newly released body camera footage of Petito and Laundrie after their 12 August fight, to the potential connection to a double homicide in Moab, there’s a lot to catch up on.

Here’s all the latest news on Petito’s disappearance:

Everything we know about the mysterious disappearance of Gabby Petito

Utah police looking for ‘any connection’ between Petito case and Moab double homicide

Friday 17 September 2021 00:00 , Nathan Place

Police in Grand County, Utah say they’re “actively looking” for any connection between the disappearance of Gabby Petito and the fatal shooting of a married lesbian couple in Moab.

“The Grand County Sheriff’s Office has been in contact with Florida authorities and we are actively looking into any connection between the Gabby Petito missing person case and the double homicide that occurred in Grand County,” the Sheriff’s Office said on Thursday.

Kylen Schulte, 24, and Crystal Turner, 38, were found dead of gunshot wounds in Moab last month.

Read the full statement here:

Read Petito family’s anguished letter to Laundrie’s parents

Thursday 16 September 2021 23:00 , Nathan Place

The family of Gabby Petito has written a heartbreaking letter to the parents of her boyfriend, Brian Laundrie, begging them to help find her.

“We believe you know the location where Brian left Gabby,” the family writes. “We beg you to tell us. As a parent, how could you let us go through this pain and not help us?”

Read the full letter here:

Father of one of Brian Laundrie’s classmates describes him as “quiet” and “a good kid growing up"

Thursday 16 September 2021 22:45 , Graig Graziosi

Sean Leahy, the parent of a classmate who went to school with Brian Laundrie, told Fox News the man was “quiet” and “a good kid growing up.”

“The one thing that troubles me is that he came home. He didn’t say nothing,” he said. “And he got a lawyer.”

Mr Leahy told the outlet that he is “hoping for the best for her.”

Mr Leahy’s son, also named Sean, said he had classes with Mr Laundrie.

“All of this stuff coming out, I’m like surprised because every time I ever hung out with Brian, had classes with Brian, he was a really nice kid, a really funny kid,” he told the network.

Gabby Petito’s father asks public to “memorize her face"

Thursday 16 September 2021 22:15 , Graig Graziosi

Gabby Petito’s father, Joe Petito, asked the public to “memorize” her face during a press conference on Thursday.

Mr Petito said his only goal is bringing his daughter home and asked for anyone with information to call an FBI tip line.

Gabby Petito’s mother thinks her final text message was from someone else

Thursday 16 September 2021 21:19 , Graig Graziosi

Gabby Petito’s mother, Nichole Schmidt, believes the final text she received from her daughter on 30 August was sent from someone else.

The final text read “No service in Yosemite.”

The Independent’s Bevan Hurley examines the last known exchanges between Ms Petito and her mother below...

Gabby Petito’s mother says final text sent from daughter was ‘fake’

North Port police chief explains why he can’t force Brian Laundrie to talk

Thursday 16 September 2021 21:03 , Graig Graziosi

Commenters on social media have expressed frustration that police investigating the disappearance of Gabby Petito have not forced her fiancé Brian Laundrie to speak with them.

North Port Police Chief Todd Garrison explained why they can’t force Mr Laundrie - or any American - to cooperate with them.

The Independent’s Bevan Hurley goes in-depth below...

Why police can’t force Brian Laundrie to speak on Gabby Petito’s disappearance

Gabby Petito’s friend describes her and fiancé Brian Laundrie as “couple goals"

Thursday 16 September 2021 20:41 , Graig Graziosi

A friend of Gabby Petito’s described her and her fiancé Brian Laundrie as “couple goals” who were “always smiling,” NBC2 reported.

The Independent’s Graig Graziosi has more of the friend’s perspective - and her reaction to the news that Ms Petito is missing - below...

Gabby Petito’s friend says she and fiance Brian Laundrie were ‘couple goals’

Gabby Petito’s family do not believe she sent the final text her mother received on 30 August

Thursday 16 September 2021 20:30 , Graig Graziosi

During a press conference on Thursday the lawyer representing Gabby Petito’s family revealed that they do not believe that a text sent from Ms Petito’s phone on 30 August actually came from her.

The final text said “No service in Yosemite.”

Nichole Schmidt, Ms Petito’s mother, said the last time she video chatted with her daughter was on 25 August.

The family of Gabby Petito calls on Brian Laundrie’s family to help them find their daughter

Thursday 16 September 2021 20:15 , Graig Graziosi

Gabby Petito’s family issued a letter to the family of her fiancé, Brian Laundrie, asking for their help locating the missing woman.

“As a parent, how can you put us through this pain?” they asked.

The Independent’s Bevan Hurley digs deeper into the letter below...

Gabby Petito’s parents call on Brian Laundrie’s family to reveal where she is

Gabby Petito’s family calls on Laundrie family to help them find their daughter

Thursday 16 September 2021 19:58 , Graig Graziosi

Gabby Petito’s family called on her fiance, Brian Laundrie’s family to help them find their daughter.

The family made their plea through a press conference held by their lawyer.

The family said they understood the Laundrie’s “instinct to protect their son” but asked “as parents how could let us go through this pain?”

They asked for the Laundries to tell them where Ms Petito was left, or “even if we’re looking in the right place.”

Florida journalist shares scene of media frenzy outside Brian Laundrie’s house

Thursday 16 September 2021 19:13 , Graig Graziosi

A journalist in Florida recorded the scene outside Brian Laundrie’s house, where he and Gabby Petito lived with his parents.

Reporters can be seen lining the residential street with cameras pointed at the house.

Stay up to date with The Independent’s breaking news emails

Thursday 16 September 2021 18:10 , Graig Graziosi

To be kept up to speed with all the latest breaking news from The Independent sign up to our breaking news email alerts. The real time newsletter is sent at a maximum of twice a day for only the most urgent news.

To find out how to sign up click here.

Gabby Petito’s father pleads for the public and the friends and family of the Laundries to help him bring his daughter home

Thursday 16 September 2021 17:40 , Graig Graziosi

Joe Petito, the father of Gabby Petito, participated in a North Port Police Department press conference on Thursday, calling on the public and on Brian Laundrie’s family to help him bring his daughter home.

The Independent’s Bevan Hurley recaps the press conference and the father’s call for help in the story below...

Father of Gabby Petito asks family and friends of Brian Laundrie to call tipline

North Port police chief says Gabby Petito’s van is undergoing a forensic examination and said he cannot force her fiance to speak

Thursday 16 September 2021 17:20 , Graig Graziosi

North Port Police Chief Todd Garrison held a press conference Thursday at noon to discuss the latest updates on the search for Gabby Petito. During the appearance he revealed that the van the couple had been living out of during their road trip was currently undergoing a forensic examination.

Yesterday a spokesman for the city of North Port told reporters that “materials” had been recovered from the inside of the van, but did not reveal details concerning those items.

Mr Garrison also took questions from reporters, several which asked why he could not just haul Brian Laundrie, Ms Petito’s fiance, in for questioning. He reminded the reporters that Mr Laundrie has 5th Amendment Rights under the US Constitution. Mr Laundrie is well within his rights to refuse speaking to the police.

Explore the strange connection between the disappearance of Gabby Petito and the murders of Kylen Schulte and Crystal Turner

Thursday 16 September 2021 16:48 , Graig Graziosi

Gabby Petito and her fiance, Brian Laundrie, fought outside the Moonflower Co-op in Moab City, Utah, on 12 August. On 14 August, one of the employees of the co-op, Kylen Schulte, and her wife Crystal Turner, are believed to have been murdered in the nearby mountains.

The Independent’s Bevan Hurley examines the odd connection in the story below...

Moonflower Co-op worker speaks of eerie link between Gabby Petito and double murder

Utah fight between Gabby Petito and fiance Brian Laundrie occurred outside Moonflower Co-op, the workplace of one of women killed in the surrounding mountains

Thursday 16 September 2021 16:21 , Graig Graziosi

The police report out of Moab, City, Utah, reveals that the night Gabby Petito and her fiance Brian Laundrie fought - 12 August - they did so near the Moonflower Co-op.

The Moonflower Co-op is where Kylen Schulte worked. Ms Schulte and her wife, Crystal Turner, were murdered during a camping trip into the nearby mountains. The couple told other campers about a “creeper dude” stalking around their campsite.

There is no evidence other than proximity and the time at which they took place to link Ms Petito and Mr Laundrie to Ms Schulte and Ms Beck. However, the Utah police said they would not rule anything out while investigating both the murders and the disappearance of Ms Petito.

A timeline of Gabby Petito’s disappearance

Thursday 16 September 2021 16:06 , Graig Graziosi

The disappearance of Gabby Petito is an incident spanning three months and several states. The Independent’s Joe Sommerlad has compiled a detailed timeline to help put key events in context.

Check out Joe’s story below...

A timeline of the disappearance of Gabby Petito

Update at noon

Thursday 16 September 2021 15:41 , Graig Graziosi

The North Port Police will hold a press conference today at noon to update the public on the search for Gabby Petito.

North Port Police Chief Todd Garrison will speak and will be joined by a member of Ms Petito’s family and by an FBI representative.

The North Port police are the lead investigative agency on the search for Ms Petito.

North Port Police Chief appears on Good Morning America

Thursday 16 September 2021 14:59 , Graig Graziosi

North Port Police Chief Todd Garrison appeared on Good Morning America on Friday to discuss the latest in their search for Gabby Petito.

During the segment, Mr Garrison explained why the North Port police are so desperate to get Ms Petito’s fiance, Brian Laundrie, to talk to them.

“Two people went on a trip and one person returned, and that one person is not talking to us,” he said. “He’s got all the answers. My number one question is, where’s Gabby?”

On Thursday, Mr Garrison tweeted at Mr Laundrie’s lawyer, Steven Bertolino, asking for his help in convincing Mr Laundrie to talk about what happened to Ms Petito. Earlier that day Mr Bertolino released a statement explaining why he has advised Mr Laundrie to keep quiet, alleging a history of wrongful convictions by police and prosecutors in crimes centered on romantic partners.

Witness came forward because he ‘feared the worst’

Thursday 16 September 2021 14:16 , Lamiat Sabin

The name of the witness who saw the incident between Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie is noted in the police report only as Christopher.

His name appears in one of the last paragraphs of the four-page report.

The report said he “was not entirely sure what it is he had seen, but feared the worse, which is why he came forward as a witness and agreed to complete a written statement.”

What we know so far

Thursday 16 September 2021 13:49 , Lamiat Sabin

Here’s a summary of who Gabby Petito is, and what we know so far about her disappearance.

Ellie Abraham from indy100 reports

Gabby Petito: Who is she and what do we know about her disappearance?

IG users notice something amiss with Petito’s posts

Thursday 16 September 2021 13:04 , Lamiat Sabin

Gabby Petito, who has been missing since earlier this month, last posted a photo on her Instagram account on 26 August.

The post shows her in front of a butterfly mural with a small knitted pumpkin with the caption “happy halloween”.

Her previous post, on 19 August, showed the view of a park from inside her van.

Unlike her usual posts, these two did not have a location tag.

Some Instagram users pointed out that this was not her usual style.

Stuti Mishra reports

Gabby Petito’s followers question ‘unusual’ last posts on Instagram

Missing YouTuber’s stepfather says fiance ‘has to know something’ as he urges him to speak to police

Thursday 16 September 2021 12:34 , Chiara Giordano

The stepfather of missing YouTube and Instagram star Gabby Petito, 22, has urged her fiance Brian Laundrie, 23, to “step up and do the right thing” and assist police with their inquiries into her disappearance.

My colleague Joe Sommerlad has the full story:

Missing YouTuber’s stepfather urges fiancé to help police: ‘He has to know something’

Police release body camera footage of Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie from 30 days before she went missing

Thursday 16 September 2021 12:30 , Chiara Giordano

Police in Utah have released body camera footage of missing YouTube personality Gabby Petito and her fiance Brian Laundrie, almost a month before she was reported missing.

The video, which reportedly lasts for an hour, shows officers from Moab City Police Department separating Ms Petito and Mr Laundrie, who returned from a road trip without the 22-year-old.

Police had been called to investigate an alleged domestic incident between the couple by a passer by.

Gino Spocchia has the full details:

Police release body camera footage of Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie

Police release bodycam footage showing emotional Gabby Petito and boyfriend

Thursday 16 September 2021 12:12 , Chiara Giordano

Moab City Police Department has released body-worn camera footage of their interaction with Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie from when they pulled the couple over in their van on 12 August.

Police at the time were responding to a 911 call which reported a domestic incident between the pair.

In the footage, Gabby can be seen crying as she stands beside a police car, while another clip shows boyfriend Brian Laundrie speaking also speaking to officers separately.

Father of Gabby Petito makes emotional appeal for her safe return

Thursday 16 September 2021 10:59 , Chiara Giordano

Gabby Petito’s father made an emotional appeal for her safe return as the YouTuber’s stepfather and a family friend headed to Wyoming to help in the search.

Joe Petito told Fox News: “We’ve got to find Gabby. We’ve got to bring her home.”

My colleague Andrew Buncombe has more details:

‘We’ve got to bring her home’ says father of Gabby Petito

Nonprofit in Gabby Petito’s hometown raising funds to help search

Thursday 16 September 2021 09:12 , Chiara Giordano

The Johnny Mac Foundation, a nonprofit set up by the wife of an FDNY firefighter who died from 9/11 related cancer, which is based in Gabby Petito’s hometown in New York, is raising funds to assist the search for Gabby Petito.

According to the organisation’s website, Gabby’s mother is a long-time volunteer and current board member.

A message on the website read: “With family permission we are raising funds to assist them with travel and other needs as they search for Gabby.

“Please help! We are heartbroken and want to do anything we can to help find this beautiful soul! All funds are tax deductible and will go directly to the family to defray expenses.”

Petito and Laundrie 'called off engagement', mother claims

Thursday 16 September 2021 08:19 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Missing YouTuber Gabby Petito’s mother Nicole Schmidt has claimed that her daughter and fiance Brian Laundrie called off their engagement before they embarked on their cross-country road trip.

Ms Petito and Mr Laundrie had been dating for over two years and got engaged in July last year, according to Ms Petito’s Instagram.

At the time, she posted: “Brian asked me to marry him and I said yes!”Ms Schmidt said in an interview with the Daily Mail: “I think they kind of put that on hold just because they felt it was a little fast.”

She added: “They were excited at first, but then they were like, let’s just wait, we’re very young. So they were really just boyfriend and girlfriend.”

The 22-year-old #vanlife influencer’s mother also said that they both “went to high school together. They were friends. They got back in touch and started dating.”

However, after her daughter went missing, Ms Schmidt says Mr Laundrie and his family stopped responding to her messages, adding “Maybe the relationship wasn’t what I thought.”

Bodycam footage of the incident between Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie expected to be released today

Thursday 16 September 2021 07:06 , Maroosha Muzaffar

The Moab police that responded to an incident in August involving the 22-year-old Gabby Petito and her fiance Brian Laundie is expected to release the bodycam footage today.

Moab Police Department Chief, Bret Edge told the media: “Our officers did respond to an incident involving Brian Laundrie and Gabrielle Petito on 12 August 2021 however, neither Brian nor Gabrielle were the reporting party.”

He said that the officers conducted an investigation and “determined that insufficient evidence existed to justify criminal charges.”

Now, local reporters are saying that the bodycam footage of the incident will be released today.

Ms Petito had left her home in North Port, Florida, to embark on a cross country road trip with her fiance, Brian Laundrie.

While Mr Laundrie returned home early and without Ms Petito, her family alerted the police. Ms Petito’s fiance, Mr Laundrie, has refused to cooperate with the police.

Followers of missing YouTuber Gabby Petito distraught by her disappearance

Thursday 16 September 2021 06:47 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Thousands of followers of the missing YouTuber and #vanlife influencer Gabby Petito are “praying” for her safe return and desperately following updates.

On her YouTube and Instagram pages, several thousand of her followers are leaving heartfelt messages for her safe return.

Some are critical of her fiance Brian Laundrie, who has been named by the police as a “person of interest” in the case but not accused of any wrongdoing.

Laundrie’s lawyer has said he is exercising his right to silence on the case.

One follower commented on her last Instagram post: “You have an army praying for you and your safe return.”

Another said: “​​I don’t know you but I’m praying you are safe and unharmed. You remind me of my beautiful daughters and I just can’t imagine the heartache your family is feeling.”

Media camp outside Brian Laundrie's home

Thursday 16 September 2021 06:10 , Maroosha Muzaffar

With Gabby Petito’s fiance Brian Laundrie now named by police as a “person of interest” in the case of the missing YouTuber, there’s a lot of attention on his whereabouts.

Several members of the media are camped outside his home and one of them, a correspondent for News Nation Now, tweeted that people now appear to be “pranking” Mr Laundrie by sending food deliveries to his home address.

The reporter tweeted that “several pizza deliveries arrived” at Mr Laundrie’s home but “no one answered the door. Appears to be a prank.”

Mr Laundrie’s lawyer Steven Bertolino has said in a statement that he will “continue to remain silent on the advice of counsel.”

ICYMI: Everything we know about YouTuber’s mysterious disappearance on road trip

Thursday 16 September 2021 05:30 , Josh Marcus

The search for missing YouTuber Gabby Petito continues to evolve.

The Independent’s Hele Elfer, Jade Bremmer, and Bevan Hurley have rounded up the latest on the young woman’s tragic disappearance.

Read more here.

Everything we know about the mysterious disappearance of Gabby Petito

Police chief appeals to Brian Laundrie's lawyer for help

Thursday 16 September 2021 05:29 , Maroosha Muzaffar

North Port Police Chief, Todd Garrison appealed publicly to Brian Laundrie’s lawyer on Wednesday and asked him to help the police “arrange a conversation” with 22-year-old YouTuber Gabby Petito’s fiance.

Mr Garrison tweeted at Steven Bertolino, Mr Laundrie’s lawyer and said that the North Port police “needs your help in finding Gabby Petito. Please call us to arrange a conversation with Brian Laundrie.”

He added: “Two people left on a trip and one person returned!”

The police earlier had also called Mr Laundrie a “person of interest” in Gabby Petito’s disappearance.

Mr Bertolino had also issued a statement saying that “Mr Laundrie will continue to remain silent on the advice of counsel.”

What is ‘vanlife,’ the travel subculture that counted Gaby Petito as a member?

Thursday 16 September 2021 04:45 , Josh Marcus

Before she went missing, Gabby Petito and her boyfriend were part of the “vanlife” travel subculture, where participants live a nomadic lifestyle inside of modified vans and journey around the world.

Earlier this year, The Independent had this look into what vanlife is all about.

Read more here.

Is ‘vanlife’ a dream of adventure, or just another Instagram fad?

Family shares heartbreaking photos of Gabby from before disapearance

Thursday 16 September 2021 04:00 , Josh Marcus

Find Gabby, a Facebook page associated with the Petito family which has been sharing updates about the search-and-rescue effort, has released new photos showing a carefree Gabby playing in an arcade with her boyfriend, Brian Laundrie, from before her mysterious disappearance. Laundrie is now a “person of interest” in the investigation.

Read the full police report on Gabby Petito’s 'mental health crisis’ before she disappeared

Thursday 16 September 2021 03:00 , Josh Marcus

The Moab, Utah, police department has released sections of the police report it made in August about a conflict between Gabrielle Petito and her boy friend Brian Laundrie in the days before she went missing.

The documents describe how police responded to an apparent physical altercation between the two, which officials believed after investigation showed signs less of a “domestic assault as much as that of a mental health crisis.”Read more below.

Police aren’t ‘ruling out’ link between Gabby Petito disappearance and Utah double homicide

Thursday 16 September 2021 02:48 , Josh Marcus

Police in Utah say they are exploring the connection between the disappearance of Gabby Petito, and the gruesome double-homicide of a couple in Utah that occurred a few days after she and her boyfriend Brian Laundrie were seen in the Moab area.

“We’re looking at everything, I mean, anything and everything that was suspicious around that time or we’re not ruling anything out at this time,” a spokesman for the Grand County Sheriff’s Office told Fox News on Wednesday. “So we’re just investigating the information as it comes in.”

On 18 August, Crystal Turner, 38, and Kylen Schulte, 24, who had recently married, were found shot to death in the La Sal Mountains near Moab, after having said they had encountered a “creeper dude” while they were camping. No suspects have yet emerged in that investigation.

About a week before their killing, Ms Petito and Mr Laundrie were spotted in Moab having an emotional argument, that police later said may have indicated they were going through a “mental health crisis.”

Petito’s last YouTube video shows her and Laundrie frolicking in western US

Thursday 16 September 2021 02:00 , Nathan Place

In the last known YouTube video posted by Gabby Petito, the 22-year-old and her boyfriend, Brian Laundrie, can be seen cheerfully traveling and enjoying beautiful scenery across the western United States. The video is dated 19 August, 2021. Ms Petito was reported missing on 11 September.

Click here to read the full blog on The Independent's website