SUNDAY 9/19/21 4:20 p.m.
GRAND TETON, Wyo. (ABC4) – FBI Denver officials confirm a body that matches the description of Gabby Petito has been found in Grand Teton National Park on Sunday.
Authorities say the cause of death has not been determined and the investigation is still ongoing. The body was found in a remote area of the park, officials confirmed in a press conference.
The coroner’s office is still working to positively identify the body at this time.
“Full forensic identification has not been completed to confirm 100% that we found Gabby, but her family has been notified,” says FBI spokesperson Charles Jones.
Officials have been searching the Spread Creek Dispersed Camping Area in the Bridger-Teton National Forest.
“The FBI and our partners extend our heartfelt condolences to Gabby’s family and loved ones,” says Jones. “This is an incredibly difficult time for them as they mourn the loss of their daughter.”
To protect the integrity of the investigation, authorities have asked the public to avoid the area at this time. Officials are asking anyone who has traveled through the Spread Creek Dispersed Camping Area between August 27-30, 2021 and may have seen Petito or Laundrie to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or upload tips online at http://tips.fbi.gov.
Petito’s father, Joseph Petito posted his reaction to the breaking news about his daughter on Twitter, saying: “#GabbyPetito she touched the world.”
News Nation correspondent, Brian Entin reports the Laundrie family has released a statement via their attorney saying: “The news about Gabby Petito is heartbreaking. The Laundrie family prays for Gabby and her family.”
The main person of interest in Petito’s disappearance is her fiancé, Brian Laundrie, who has been missing since Tuesday this week. Police are still currently searching for Laundrie in the Carlton Reserve in Florida since Saturday. The search has concluded as of Sunday evening with no sign of Laundrie yet.
The North Port Police, who is currently leading the search for Laundrie released a statement after learning of today’s body discovery in Grand Teton National Park.
Follow ABC4 for breaking updates to the story as more information becomes available.
ORIGINAL STORY: Body discovered in Grand Teton Park search for Gabby Petiton
SUNDAY 9/19/21 3:19 p.m.
GRAND TETON, Wyo. (ABC4) – Officials have discovered a body in the search for Gabby Petito in Grand Teton Nation Park on Sunday.
Our News Nation correspondent Brian Entin reports that the Teton County Coroner, Brent Blue has confirmed that a body has been discovered in the Wyoming national park.
There is no identity or gender confirmation at this time and officials will be providing an update on the search findings today.
Entin reports the coroner says the body was discovered in a “remote area” of the park.
Stay with ABC4 as we update this story when more information becomes available.
On Saturday, multiple agencies joined the search effort focused on Grand Teton including the National Park Service, Teton County Sheriff’s Office, Jackson Police Department, the FBI Denver Field Office, and Wyoming Resident Agencies.
Petito was last believed to have been in Grand Teton National Park before her disappearance in late August. She was traveling in a van with her fiancé, Brian Laundrie, throughout the western U.S. and was last known to be traveling through Utah and Wyoming.
Currently, both Petito and Laundrie are being treated as missing person cases, with Laundrie disappearing earlier this week on Tuesday.
Authorities are still searching for Laundrie in the Carlton Reserve in North Port, Florida as of Sunday.
Editor’s Note: A previous version of this story misidentified Joseph Petito’s relationship to Gabby Petito. This story has been updated to identify him as her father.
