Gabby Petito's family say they'll speak when 'she's home' as preliminary autopsy results likely to be revealed today

THE family of Gabby Petito said that they will speak out again when she's "home," as the autopsy results are likely to be revealed today.

"I want to personally thank the press and news media for giving the Petito and Schmidt family time to grieve," the family attorney said in a statement.

"We will be making a statement when Gabby is home. I will contact you to arrange a time and location."

Human remains were discovered in Grand Teton National Park, where the 22-year-old had been camping with her fiancé when she disappeared.

The coroner's van was seen leaving the national park after FBI and National Park Service officials held a press conference regarding the remains.

An FBI spokesperson said the bureau's staff will hold Gabby's family in their thoughts as they "mourn the loss" of their daughter.

"Today, the search revealed human remains consistent with the description of Gabrielle 'Gabby' Petito," the FBI statement said.

"Full forensic identification has not been completed and we do not yet know the cause of death. We appreciate your patience as we work through this process."

Read our Gabby Petito live blog for the very latest news and updates…

"The FBI and our partners extend our heartfelt condolences to Gabby's family and loved ones," the statement continued.

"This is an incredibly difficult time for them, and our thoughts are with them as they mourn the loss of their daughter."

An autopsy is currently being conducted to identify the body that was found.

Laundrie, 23, meanwhile, has been missing for a week. He told his parents he was going hiking in Carlton Reserve in Florida last Tuesday but has not been seen since.

Laundrie was named a person of interest in the case after returning home alone from the couple's cross-country trip on September 1 and refusing to cooperate with investigators.

North Port Police said on Tuesday morning they are searching for him on the Venice side of the Carlton Reserve, a 25,000-acre nature reserve near Venice, Florida.

His and Gabby's last known movements have been revealed in a search warrant affidavit obtained by The Sun.

The document details how, during the trip, Petito's mother, Nicole Schmidt, frequently spoke over the phone and by text with her daughter.

Schmidt told police that during these conversations, there "appeared to be more and more tension" between Petito and Laundrie.

LAST KNOWN MOVEMENTS

On August 12, as previously reported by The Sun, the Moab City Police Department was called to a domestic violence dispute involving Petito and Laundrie near a grocery store.

Bodycam footage from the incident showed a hysterical Petito admitting to police that she had hit Laundrie during a heated argument in which she tried to get the key to their van off of him.

Laundrie, meanwhile, told police with a smile that the pair were tired from a "long day" of camping and described tensions as being fraught between them.

Just over two weeks later, on August 27, Schmidt received what she described as a strange message from her daughter, which would also be her last.

The text message read: "Can you help Stan, I just keep getting his voicemails and missed calls."

According to Schmidt, "Stan" refers to Gabby's grandfather, however, Petito never reportedly refers to his as "Stan", the affidavit states.

This was the last time Petito's phone was switched on. She also stopped posting on social media about her and Laundrie's trip, something she'd been doing frequently in the weeks before.

"This was not normal behavior for [Gabby]," the affidavit states. "and [her family] became worried about her."

Days later, on September 1, Laundrie returned home alone to Florida in the pair's white Ford Transit van, but there was no sign of Gabby.

His parents reportedly told police that she wasn't at the home, but "refused to allow Brian to speak with law enforcement and directed the officers on scene to speak with their attorney."

Petito was officially reported missing to police by her mother on September 11.

REMAINS FOUND

A frantic and sprawling search ensued, resulting in the discovery of remains in Grand Teto National Park, in Wyoming on Sunday, which investigators believe belong to Gabby.

The following day, police were seen towing away Laundrie's silver Mustang from his parent's home in North Port as they carried out a search warrant.

The FBI removed Chris and Roberta Laundrie from the home as more than 20 agents went inside and hauled out serveral boxes of evidence.

It's believed that Laundrie may have driven the Mustang when he allegedly went for a hike in a 25,000 acre nature reserve in the Sarasota area on Tuesday, the last time his family says they saw him.

Laundrie's parents reportedly told police they realized Brian hadn't come back from his hike "on Wednesday or Thursday," and that's when they went to pick up the Mustang and drove it back to their home.

When asked by local reporter Brian Entin if Laundrie's parents could be leading them in the wrong direction, police said they are "working to corroborate their story."

"They did not say 'we believe the parents or we know for sure that Brian was hiking in this reserve'," shared Entin.

As part of the search police also gained access to a hard drive found in the couple's van.

According to the filing, the hard drive may contain "evidence relevant to proving that a felony has been committed."

Gabby Petito timeline

Gabby Petito, 22, was last seen on August 24, leaving a hotel in Utah. Here is a timeline of Gabby Petito’s disappearance:

• June 2021 – Gabby Petito and her fiancé Brian Laundrie set off on a cross-country trip across the US.
• July 4 – Gabby posts photos of herself barefoot in Gove County, Kansas.
• July 8 – Gabby posts photos of herself at the Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado.
• July 18 – Gabby and Brian post photos of themselves at Utah's Zion National Park.
• August 12 – Body camera footage was released in September showing an encounter Brian and Gabby had with police in Utah. Police confirmed that no significant injuries were reported.
• August 19 – Gabby and Brian post a video on their YouTube channel chronicling their trip. The video receives more than 200,000 views.
• August 24 – Gabby is last spotted leaving a hotel in Salt Lake City, Utah.
• September 1 – Brian returns home to Florida without Gabby.
• September 11 – Gabby's parents report her missing to Suffolk County police.
• September 15 – Florida's North Port police announce Brian is a person of interest in the case. He is not charged with any crime.
• September 16 – Utah police release body camera footage of the police encounter with Brian and Gabby.
• September 17 – Brian's parents say they have not seen their son in a couple of days.
• September 18 – Police announce they were searching Carlton Reserve in Florida for Brian. Police announce they have not found anything.
• September 19 – Authorities in Wyoming say they found a body in Grand Teton National Park. The FBI announces the body was believed to be Gabby's but a full forensic identification needs to be completed first to confirm.
• September 20 – Police execute a search warrant on Laundrie's home, seizing his silver Mustang and a hard drive that may contain "evidence relevant to proving that a felony has been committed."
• September 21 – Officials announce they will be conducting an autopsy on the remains found in Wyoming to confirm whether or not they belong to Gabby. Police also resumed their search for Laundrie, this time on the Venice side of Carlton Reserve.

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