Gabby Petito Case: Cause of Death and Investigation Timeline

It started as a dream cross-country road trip, documented for thousands of followers on social media. But by September 2021, 22-year-old Gabby Petito had vanished, setting off a search that would grip the nation and lead to a heartbreaking discovery in Wyoming. Here’s what the evidence shows about her disappearance, her cause of death, and the investigation that followed.

Gabby Petito reported missing: September 11, 2021 ·
Body discovered: September 19, 2021, Bridger-Teton National Forest ·
Cause of death: blunt-force trauma and strangulation ·
Brian Laundrie found deceased: October 20, 2021 ·
Netflix documentary release: February 17, 2025

Nine key facts, one pattern: the official record tells a precise story of tragedy and investigation.

Has Gabby Petito ever been found?

When was Gabby Petito’s body discovered?

• Gabby Petito’s remains were found on September 19, 2021 (Netflix Tudum)
• Location: Spread Creek camping area, Bridger-Teton National Forest, Wyoming (ABC News)
• FBI confirmed identity on September 21, 2021 (FBI official website)

The family was notified on September 23, 2021 (Rev transcript).

The implication: the gap between last sighting (August 27) and recovery (September 19) left a three-week window that investigators would later fill with a criminal timeline.

Where was Gabby Petito found?

• In a dispersed camping area near Spread Creek in Bridger-Teton National Forest (Netflix Tudum top 10)
• The site is roughly 30 miles east of Jackson, Wyoming (Wikipedia case summary)

Why this matters: the remote location and decomposition indicated the body had been there for three to four weeks, consistent with the estimated time of death in late August (Coroner press conference transcript).

What was Gabby Petito’s cause of death?

Was Gabby Petito’s death ruled a homicide?

• Teton County Coroner Dr. Brent Blue ruled the manner of death as homicide (ABC News report)
• Cause of death: manual strangulation/throttling and blunt-force injuries to the head and neck (ABC7 New York)
• Announced by the Teton County Coroner on October 12, 2021 (Rev transcript)

The cause of death was updated on October 5, 2021 in a legal document to specify strangulation (ABC7 New York).

The pattern: both traumatic force and strangulation point to a physical struggle, consistent with evidence of domestic violence incidents during the trip.

What injuries did Gabby Petito sustain?

• Blunt-force injuries to the head and neck (Wikipedia case summary)
• Manual strangulation (throttling) (ABC News)
• Estimated time of death: three to four weeks before discovery, placing it in late August 2021 (Coroner press conference transcript)

The coroner’s findings confirm a physical struggle preceding death, underscoring the violent nature of the encounter.

How long was Brian Laundrie dead before they found him?

Where was Brian Laundrie found?

• Brian Laundrie’s remains were discovered on October 20, 2021 at Carlton Reserve in North Port, Florida (Wikipedia case summary)
• The reserve is a 25,000-acre wetlands area near his parents’ home (ABC News)

What was Brian Laundrie’s cause of death?

• Cause of death: self-inflicted gunshot wound (Wikipedia case summary)
• Time of death estimated to be in early October 2021, weeks before discovery (Rev transcript)
• The FBI closed the investigation into Laundrie’s death on January 21, 2022 (ABC News)

The catch: Laundrie’s body was in a heavily wooded area that had been searched multiple times. His remains were found in a part of the reserve that had been flooded earlier, possibly delaying discovery.

Is the FBI still looking for Brian Laundrie?

When did the FBI stop searching for Brian Laundrie?

• The FBI confirmed Laundrie’s remains were found on October 20, 2021 (Wikipedia case summary)
• The investigation into Laundrie’s death formally concluded in January 2022 (ABC News)
• No active manhunt remains; the case is considered closed for Laundrie (FBI official website)

However, the FBI has not publicly ruled out additional investigation into anyone who may have aided Laundrie after Petito’s death (ABC News).

What this means: while the suspect is deceased, legal scrutiny of other parties continues in civil court, not criminal.

Is the Brian Laundrie case closed?

• The criminal case against Laundrie is closed due to his death (Wikipedia case summary)
• But the Petito family has filed civil lawsuits against the Laundrie family, alleging wrongful death and intentional infliction of emotional distress (Netflix Tudum)

Where is the Laundrie family today?

Did the Laundrie family face legal consequences?

• No criminal charges have been filed against Christopher or Roberta Laundrie (Netflix Tudum)
• Civil lawsuits from the Petito family are ongoing as of 2025 (ABC News)
• The Laundries’ attorney, Steven Bertolino, has maintained that the family had no prior knowledge of the homicide (Rev transcript)

Are the Laundrie parents still in Florida?

• Christopher and Roberta Laundrie continue to reside in North Port, Florida (Wikipedia case summary)
• The family’s home was the subject of intense media scrutiny during the search (ABC7 New York)

The trade-off: without criminal charges, the Laundrie family remains largely out of the public eye, but the civil cases keep their involvement in the public record.

Timeline of key events

• July 2, 2021 – Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie begin cross-country road trip (Netflix Tudum)
• August 12, 2021 – Incident in Moab, Utah; police stop vehicle (ABC News)
• August 24, 2021 – Gabby Petito’s last known phone call with mother (Netflix Tudum)
• August 27, 2021 – Gabby Petito last seen; Brian Laundrie returns to Florida (Wikipedia case summary)
• September 11, 2021 – Gabby Petito reported missing; van found at Laundrie home (Netflix Official Site)
• September 17, 2021 – Brian Laundrie leaves home; parents report him missing (Wikipedia case summary)
• September 19, 2021 – Gabby Petito’s body discovered in Bridger-Teton National Forest (Netflix Tudum)
• September 21, 2021 – FBI confirms identity of remains (FBI official website)
• October 12, 2021 – Coroner announces cause of death: blunt-force trauma and strangulation (ABC7 New York)
• October 20, 2021 – Brian Laundrie’s remains found at Carlton Reserve (Wikipedia case summary)
• January 21, 2022 – FBI closes investigation into Brian Laundrie’s death (ABC News)
• February 17, 2025 – Netflix releases “American Murder: Gabby Petito” documentary (Netflix Tudum top 10)

The timeline underscores how quickly the investigation escalated and the critical gaps that remain filled only by inference.

Key quotes from the investigation

“The manner is homicide, the cause is strangulation.” – Dr. Brent Blue, Teton County Coroner, October 12, 2021

Coroner press conference transcript (Rev)

“The FBI remains dedicated to bringing justice to Gabby and her family.” – FBI Denver spokesperson (statement during search for Laundrie)

FBI official website

“We are heartbroken and we are thankful for the support from around the world.” – Nichole Schmidt, Gabby’s mother

Gabby Petito Foundation

“The family had no involvement in any of the events leading to Gabby’s death.” – Steven Bertolino, Laundrie family attorney

Netflix Tudum

The case became a national conversation about domestic violence and the justice system’s handling of missing persons cases. The Netflix documentary, which debuted at No.1 with 31.3 million views (Netflix Tudum top 10), renewed public interest but also raised new questions about how much was missed.

For the Petito family, the fight continues through the Gabby Petito Foundation, which funds resources for missing persons and domestic violence prevention (Gabby Petito Foundation official site). The foundation’s work is a concrete legacy from a case that many Americans followed in real time. For anyone looking for answers, the official record is clear on the causes of death – but the full story of what happened between Gabby and Brian in their final days remains incomplete.

Related reading: Christina Grimmie: What Happened, Funeral, Reactions

Investigators pieced together the final days of the couple’s road trip, and key facts of the case provides a comprehensive overview of the events.

Frequently asked questions