As the search for a young woman who did not return home from a cross-country trip she was on with her fiancé continues, her family says the lack of information about her disappearance is torturing them.
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Gabrielle (Gabby) Petito, 22 was last seen in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming on August 30.
Her fiancé, Brian Laundrie, 23, returned to their primary residence in Florida on September 1 without her. 10 days later, her family reported her missing.
Person of Interest
Police have named Laundrie a person of interest in the matter, but his lawyers advised him not to speak to anyone. He and his family have only issued statements through his lawyers since the news of Petito’s disappearance broke.
Authorities say Laundrie and his family are deliberately withholding information that could help in finding Petito whose family say they feel tortured by the lack of information. According to North Port Police communications manager, Josh Taylor, who spoke at a press conference on Friday,
They're being tortured right now by the potential of someone having information and not relaying it. I believe Brian has the information.
Tension
According to her social media posts, Petito and Laundrie started their cross-country journey in New York on July 02 in her 2012 Ford van.
The couple had been posting pictures and videos on YouTube and Instagram with the hashtag, #vanlife.
On August 12, police in Utah responded to an alleged domestic violence incident between the two. A bodycam footage released by the police showed Petito wiping away tears from her face. She explained to the officer why she was crying:
I’m sorry. We’ve just been fighting this morning. Some personal issues.
In the days following that incident, Petito’s communications with her family stopped. Her last post on Instagram was on August 25.
At a news conference on Friday, Gabby Petito's father, Joe, pleaded for information that could help find his daughter.
I'm asking for help from everyone at home. I'm asking for help from the parents of Brian, and I'm asking for the help of the family members and friends of the Laundrie family.
