Gabby Petito's Fiance Brian Laundrie Possibly Spotted After Body Found During Search

By Stephen Andrew

Gabby Petito's fiance Brian Laundrie has possibly been spotted in Alabama, after authorities reported that a body believed to be Petito was found during a search in Wyoming. According to the New York Post, Mobile police stated they were investigating unconfirmed reports that the 23-year-old was seen in an area known as Tillman's Corner. Mobile is located roughly 600 miles northwest from Laundrie's home in North Port, Florida. His parents reported him missing on Friday, telling authorities that left for a nature preserve on Sept. 14 but never came home. A body had been found in Tillman's Corner, which some thought might be Laundrie, but police confirmed that it was not him.

The nation has been gripped by the story of Petito's disappearance for the past two weeks, following her family reporting her missing on Sept. 11. According to reports, Petito and Laundrie had set off on a cross-country trip in June, which she regularly provided updates about on social media. Near the end of August, Petito reportedly began to be less communicative before sending one last text on Aug. 30, which her family believes may not have even been sent by her at all. Laundrie returned home to North Port on Sept. 1, but reportedly was unwilling to cooperate with police the investigation of Petito's disappearance after her family filed a missing person report 10 days later.

Notably, on Aug. 12, prior to Petito's disappearance, police officers in Moab, Utah responded to a situation where she and Laundrie were "engaged in some sort of altercation," per CNN. One officer who encountered the couple stated in his report that "both the male and female reported they are in love and engaged to be married and desperately didn't wish to see anyone charged with a crime," even though it seemed like a physical fight had taken place. "After evaluating the totality of the circumstances, I do not believe the situation escalated to the level of a domestic assault as much as that of a mental health crisis," another officer added.

Reuters reports that, per witness accounts, Petito was last seen alive on Aug 24 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Her family believed that she was headed toward Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming at that time. Medical examiners are set to conduct an autopsy on the body discovered in a remote area of Bridger-Teton National Forest, in Wyoming. That procedure will take place Tuesday, but there is no word on when the public can expect to learn the results.

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