Gabby Petito's Cause Of Death Revealed
The body of 22-year-old Gabby Petito was found in Grant Teton National Park in Wyoming on September 19, eight days after her parents reported her missing, according to Reuters. Petito had been on a cross-country road trip with her fiance, Brian Laundrie, when he returned home to Florida on September 1 without her, and her whereabouts were unknown, CNN reports. A search for Petito ensued, and authorities discovered remains about a week later. "Coroner Blue's initial determination for the manner of death is homicide. The cause of death remains pending final autopsy results," the FBI said at the time.
Laundrie, who is considered a person of interest in the case, went missing on September 13, according to his parents. A manhunt spanning several states has been ongoing for nearly one month as of October 12. A warrant for Laundrie's arrest was issued after he used an "unauthorized" credit card, according to Fox News, making a $1000 withdrawal. While several tips have poured in, police have yet to find Laundrie, and they are not sure if he's dead or alive.
Meanwhile, on October 12, the coroner revealed Petito's official cause of death, TMZ reports. Keep reading to find out what the coroner had to say.
Gabby Petito's cause of death was strangulation, according to the coroner
Gabby Petito's cause of death was caused by strangulation, according to the Teton County Coroner's Office, TMZ reported on October 12. The coroner also suggested that Petito may have been killed "three to four weeks before her remains were found," the outlet confirms. The autopsy results were pending a toxicology report, which is why there was an extended period of time between when Petito was found and when the report was released. The coroner was also able to confirme that Petito was not pregnant, despite some internet rumors that had been floating around that suggested the contrary.
Following the results of the autopsy, Brian Laundrie's family released a statement by way of their attorney, Steven Bertolino, according to Fox News. "Gabby Petito's death at such a young age is a tragedy. While Brian Laundrie is currently charged with the unauthorized use of a debit card belonging to Gabby, Brian is only considered a person of interest in relation to Gabby Petito's demise. At this time Brian is still missing and when he is located we will address the pending fraud charge against him," the statement read. The investigation into Petito's death and the manhunt for Laundrie are both ongoing.