Described as a free spirit and an old soul, fresh-faced adventurer Gabrielle “Gabby’’ Petito was living out her dream: crossing the American heartland with her fiancé in a converted van, while documenting her journey on social media to begin a career as a blogger and influencer.
Now those Instagram, TikTok posts and an eight-minute video titled “Van Life: Beginning Our Van Life Journey’’ on YouTube have become a tragic tribute to her last weeks alive.
Eight days after she was reported missing by her family, the 22-year-old’s body was found in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. A cause of death has not yet been established.
As police hunt for clues in the area where her body was found, another search is underway on the other side of the country for her fiancé Brian Laundrie, 23. He returned home without Petito almost three weeks ago and refused to speak with investigators about her whereabouts. While Laundrie’s family says he has gone missing after going for a hike, Petito’s loved ones say he’s hiding. The FBI conducted an extensive search of a large nature reserve near Laundrie’s family home in North Port, Florida, but found no trace of him. Investigators also searched the home, removing a number of items and seizing a Ford Mustang convertible.
This story is from the October 4, 2021 edition of WHO.
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This story is from the October 4, 2021 edition of WHO.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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