WATCH: Police Body-Cam Footage of Missing 22 Year-Old Gabby Petito and ‘Person of Interest’ Fiancé Prior to Disappearance
The Moab City, Utah Police Department released body-cam footage of a traffic stop involving Gabby Petito and her fiance Brian Laundrie that occurred prior to Ms. Petito’s disappearance.
Ms. Petito was reported missing on September 11, 2021 by her family after they failed to hear from her for several days after Laundrie returned from a road trip that the couple had taken. The story has garnered intense national coverage, and police have declared Laundrie a “person of interest” in the case.
Laundrie has not been cooperating with police, and on Friday, Richard Stafford, an attorney for Petito’s family, said Laundrie is “hiding” after Laundrie family attorney Steven Bertolino said his whereabouts are “unknown.”
But on August 12, a month before Petito was reported missing, police in Utah pulled the couple over a report of a potential domestic violence incident. The newly-released body-worn camera footage shows that stop, during which a crying Petito and a coolly apologetic Laundrie describe an argument earlier in the day that became physical after Laundrie locked Petito out of their car. Police were left with the impression that Petito was the aggressor.
The couple embarked on the trip months ago, and were documenting their travels on Instagram and YouTube.
CNN published a timeline of events that included:
- On August 24, Petito FaceTimed with her mother and told her she was leaving Utah and heading to the Teton range in Wyoming.
On August 25, there were multiple texts between Petito and her mother. The young woman’s family believes she was in the Tetons on this date.
On August 27, there were more texts between Petito and her mother, during which her family believes she remained in the Tetons.
On August 30, her family receives their last text from Petito. They doubt she wrote that text. According to Stafford, that message read, “No service in Yosemite.”September 1, 2021
Laundrie returned to the couple’s North Port home, where his parents also live, on September 1, according to police.
The white vehicle Petito and Laundrie had been traveling in was later recovered by police at the home. It was processed and “there was some material in there” that authorities will be going through, North Port police spokesperson Josh Taylor said at a news briefing on Wednesday.
And on September 11, Petito’s family reported her missing. When police went to question Laundrie, they were immediately referred to the attorney.
Watch above via NBC2 News.