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Wednesday, December 6, 2023 | 
U.S. & World Utah

Florida police say Gabby Petito’s boyfriend has important information related to the case

North Port Police Chief Todd Garrison said Brian Laundrie may know more than he’s let on

By Herb Scribner Herb Scribnerhscribner@deseretnews.com
SHARE Florida police say Gabby Petito’s boyfriend has important information related to the case
Gabrielle “Gabby” Petito talks to a police officer near the entrance to Arches National Park.

This still from police camera video provided by the Moab Police Department shows Gabrielle “Gabby” Petito talking to a police officer after police pulled over the van she was traveling in with her boyfriend, Brian Laundrie, near the entrance to Arches National Park on Aug. 12, 2021.

Moab Police Department via Associated Press

Gabby Petito’s family and the police involved in the missing person investigation want Petito’s boyfriend, Brian Laundrie, to talk about what’s happening in the case.

What happened to Gabby Petito?

Petito, 22, was reported missing on Sept. 11 after Petito and Laundrie spent months on a cross-country road trip, which included a brief stay in Utah. Laundrie returned home to North Port, Florida, on Sept. 1, which was 10 days before Petito was reported missing. Her last known appearance was in Grand Teton National Park on Aug. 30.

Does Brian Laundrie know what happened to Gabby Petito?

North Port Police Chief Todd Garrison said on CNN’s “Don Lemon Tonight” Thursday night that he thinks Laundrie has information related to the case.

  • “I believe Brian has the information,” he said.
  • “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 said.

Did Brian Laundrie comment on Gabby Petito?

But Laundrie has invoked his Fifth Amendment right so far in the case, Garrison said. So he doesn’t have to speak in the case. That said, he has become a person of interest in the case, as I wrote for the Deseret News.

  • “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,” Garrison said, according to CNN.
Related

Petito’s family said in a statement through their lawyer, Richard Stafford, that Laundrie should come forward, according to Insider. 

  • “Brian, how could you do this to Gabby? You selfishly remain silent while Gabby is all alone in the wilderness,” the statement said. “Brian, your silence is reprehensible! We beg you to do the right thing and help us bring Gabby home.”
  • “Brian, whatever happened in Wyoming, happened. The only thing you can control is what you do now. Tell us where Gabby is. You tarnish (your) love for her with your silence.”