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Agence France-Presse

American authorities have launched a massive search for a 22-year-old woman who mysteriously vanished during a road trip with her boyfriend, now declared a “person of interest” in a case gripping the nation.
Gabrielle “Gabby” Petito quit her job and packed her life into a camper van for the cross-country adventure with Brian Laundrie, 23, documenting their journey in a stream of idyllic-seeming Instagram posts.
But, more two weeks ago, Laundrie returned to his home in North Port, Florida alone in Petito’s van. Ten days later, her family filed a missing-person report.
Laundrie has declined to cooperate with police.
“We share the frustration with the world right now,” North Port Police Chief Todd Garrison told reporters on Thursday.

“Two people went on a trip, one person returned and that person that returned isn’t providing us any information.”
Garrison said the Federal Bureau of Investigation was helping with the investigation.
The couple embarked on their journey across the US in July, leaving from New York on the east coast, and posting photos of magnificent views of the American West and themselves smiling happily next to their small white van.
Remains in Missouri identified as missing Chinese woman Mengqi Ji
In one YouTube video published during their trip, Petito and Laundrie are shown kissing tenderly, enjoying a sunset together and strolling on a beach.
However, in August, police in Utah responded to a domestic violence report involving Petito and Laundrie.

Police bodycam footage published by US media showed a distraught Petito saying she had an altercation with Laundrie.
Speaking to a police officer after their van was pulled over, Petito was seen crying and saying she struggles with mental health problems.
Petito said she slapped Laundrie after an argument, but added that she meant no harm.
“We’ve just been fighting this morning, some personal issues,” she said.
Demon-obsessed British teen convicted of murdering sisters in London park
“He wouldn’t let me in the car before … he told me I needed to calm down.”
Laundrie told police that Petito tried to get the van keys from him and he pushed her before she hit him with her phone.
The police officer decided no charges would be brought but ordered the couple to spend a night apart to calm down.

Petito last communicated with her parents in late August when the couple were in the area of the Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming, the family said.
Joe Petito, Gabby Petito’s father, appealed for anyone with information on her whereabouts to contact the authorities, adding that an anonymous tip line has been set up.
Chinese pair’s disappearance in California remains unsolved after 20 months
“I am asking for help from everyone here, I am asking for help from everyone at home,” Joe Petito said at a press conference on Thursday.
“I am asking for help from the parents of Brian and I am asking help from the family and friends of the Laundrie family as well.”
“There is nothing else that matters to me now.”
Gabrielle Petito’s mother and stepfather issued a statement saying they were “going through the worst moments of their lives.”

“Their beautiful twenty-two year old daughter is missing and the one person that can help find Gabby refuses to help,” the statement said.
Petito’s mother and stepfather “implore Brian to come forward and at least tell us if we are looking in the right area.”
Social media on Thursday were flooded with photos of Petito and calls to help find her.
Additional reporting by Tribune News Service


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United States

Where’s Gabby? Mystery disappearance of US road-tripper grips America

This police camera video image shows Gabrielle ‘Gabby’ Petito talking to a police officer after police pulled over the van she was travelling in with her boyfriend. Photo: AP

This undated photo provided by the North Port, Fla., Police Department shows Gabrielle "Gabby" Petito. Petito, 22, vanished while on a cross-country trip in a converted camper van with her boyfriend. Investigators say she last contacted her family in late August 2021 when the couple was visiting Wyoming's Grand Teton National Park. Much of their trip was documented on social media accounts that abruptly ceased. (Courtesy of North Port Police Department via AP)

This police camera video provided by The Moab Police Department shows Brian Laundrie talking to a police officer after police pulled over the van he was traveling in with his girlfriend, Gabrielle “Gabby” Petito, near the entrance to Arches National Park on Aug. 12, 2021. The couple was pulled over while they were having an emotional fight. Petito was reported missing by her family a month later and is now the subject of a nationwide search. (The Moab Police Department via AP)

This police camera video provided by The Moab Police Department shows Gabrielle “Gabby” Petito talking to a police officer after police pulled over the van she was traveling in with her boyfriend, Brian Laundrie, near the entrance to Arches National Park on Aug. 12, 2021. The couple was pulled over while they were having an emotional fight. Petito was reported missing by her family a month later and is now the subject of a nationwide search. (The Moab Police Department via AP)

NORTH PORT, FL - SEPTEMBER 16: Tara Petito (L) and Joe Petito react while the City of North Port Chief of Police Todd Garrison speaks during a news conference for their missing daughter Gabby Petito on September 16, 2021 in North Port, Florida. Gabby Petito went missing while on a cross country trip with her boyfriend Brian Laundrie and has not been seen or heard from since late August. Police said no criminality is suspected at this time but her fiance, Brian Laundrie, has refused to speak with law enforcement. Laundrie has be identified as a person of interest but investigators are solely focused on finding Petito. Octavio Jones/Getty Images/AFP == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==

Remains in Missouri identified as missing Chinese woman Mengqi Ji

Mengqi Ji was last seen at her residence in Missouri in October 2019. Photo: Columbia Police Department handout

Joseph Elledge was charged in February 2020 with first-degree murder in connection with his wife’s disappearance. He has pleaded not guilty. Photo: Boone County Sheriff’s Department via AP

Divers from the Mid-Missouri Sheriff’s Dive Team searched waterways for Mengqi Ji of Columbia, who went missing in October 2019. Photo: Mid-Missouri Sheriff’s Dive Team

Kidnap-murder or a ‘gone girl’ case? Chinese pair’s disappearance in California remains unsolved after 20 months

Amber Aiaz and her daughter, Melissa Fu, went missing in November 2019 in a bizarre suspected kidnapping case. Photo: FBI/TNS

Amber Aiaz and her stepdaughter, Melissa Fu, disappeared from their Irvine flat (above, left) in late 2019. Photo: Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times/TNS

Irvine Police Detectives Victor Chang (left), Haldor Larum (middle) and Gavin Hudson are investigating the mysterious disappearance of Amber Aiaz and her stepdaughter, Melissa Fu, from their Irvine flat. Photo: Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times/TNS

A police crime scene photo shows the flat from which Amber Aiaz and her daughter, Melissa Fu, vanished. Photo: Irvine Police Department

Irvine in California advertises itself as America’s safest midsize city. Photo: Shutterstock

Zhang agreed to a polygraph (lie detector) test and showed no deception. Photo: Shutterstock

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World

United States & Canada


Gabrielle Petito, 22, went missing during a cross country road trip with her boyfriend
The boyfriend, Brian Laundrie, is a ‘person of interest’, but isn’t cooperating with police



US authorities have launched a massive search for a 22-year-old woman who mysteriously vanished during a road trip with her boyfriend.


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Where’s Gabby? Mystery disappearance of US road-tripper grips America

.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;} Gabrielle Petito, 22, went missing during a cross country road trip with her boyfriend The boyfriend, Brian Laundrie, is a ‘person of interest’, but isn’t cooperating with police

Gabrielle Petito, 22, went missing during a cross country road trip with her boyfriend

The boyfriend, Brian Laundrie, is a ‘person of interest’, but isn’t cooperating with police