Gabby Petito's Relationship History With Brian Laundrie: How Did the Two Meet?
Published Sept. 27 2021, 2:17 p.m. ET
Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie set off on a cross-country van trip in July 2021 to visit several national parks across the United States. Things took a turn when Brian returned alone with the van to his parent's home in September.
Gabby's tragic disappearance took the nation by storm. The search for the 22-year-old blogger came to an end when law enforcement discovered human remains, later identified as those of Gabby, in the Spread Creek Dispersed Camping Area in Wyoming, near where she was last seen alive.
On Sept. 21, the FBI shared the results from the initial autopsy on Twitter.
"Teton County Coroner Dr. Brent Blue confirmed the remains are those of Gabrielle Venora Petito, date of birth March 19, 1999. Coroner Blue’s initial determination for the manner of death is homicide. The cause of death remains pending final autopsy results."
Police are now searching for Gabby's fiancé Brian Laundrie, who has been missing since Sept. 14. The 23-year-old is currently a "person of interest" in Gabby's case.
When he first arrived in Florida solo, he immediately hired a lawyer and refused to speak about Gabby's sudden disappearance. Though the Petito family begged Brian to speak up, he chose not to cooperate.
Based on his latest actions, things are not looking good for Brian.
As Florida authorities continue the search for Brian, followers of the case question how the couple met and got together. On the outside, their relationship looked healthy, and they seemed very much in love. However, things are not always as they seem.
How did Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie meet?
According to Gabby's stepfather, Jim Schmidt, Gabby and Brian met at Bayport-Blue Point High School in Long Island. At the start of their relationship, Gabby was a sophomore, and Brian was a junior.
Friends of the couple spoke with People, saying that it was difficult for them to know if they were together because of how often Gabby and Brian broke up and got back together.
"They had very high highs and very low lows," says Gabby's high school friend Alyssa Chen. "But she always said he was a good boyfriend."
Did either of them go to college?
After Gabby graduated from high school, she and Brian got back together and decided against college. The two quickly packed up and moved in with Brian's family in Florida. People reported that during this time, "Gabby worked as a pharmacy technician, while Laundrie sold his watercolors and digital artwork."
Gabby and Brian both dreamed of traveling. After pooling in their money, they purchased a Ford Transit van and transformed it into their home.
At this time, Brian Laundrie has not been named a suspect. As authorities continue to search for Gabby's missing fiancé and try to figure out what exactly happened between the two, Gabby's family and friends are living in total shock and grief.
If you have any information about Brian Laundrie's disappearance, you can call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS, the North Port Police Department at 941-429-7382, or the FBI Tampa Field Office at 1-800-CALL-FBI.