Brian Laundrie Allegedly Acted Like A 'Lunatic' And Struck Gabby Petito In Utah Two Weeks Before Her Death

A newly released FBI report reveals that a witness saw Brian Laundrie acting erratically and allegedly striking Gabby Petito in Moab, Utah, on August 12, 2021.

Despite concerns, the witness didn't call 911 but later reported it after Petito's disappearance gained attention.

Gabby Petito was last seen alive on August 27, and her body was found on September 19, while Brian Laundrie died by suicide, leaving behind a notebook confessing to the murder of his girlfriend.

A newly released FBI report reveals that Brian Laundrie was seen behaving erratically and allegedly striking Gabby Petito in Utah just two weeks before he killed her.

According to the New York Post, an anonymous witness "believes" he spotted a couple matching Petito and Laundrie's description, along with their white Ford Transit van, pulled over on the side of a road in Moab on August 12, 2021.

The witness, who was traveling from Denver to Las Vegas with his family, reported his concerns to the FBI after allegedly seeing Laundrie slap Petito.

Becoming alarmed, the witness made a U-turn and parked nearby to observe the scene.

He described Laundrie as acting "like a lunatic," pacing around the vehicle, slamming doors, and behaving in a way that seemed desperate.

At one point, he appeared to try and hug Petito, but she resisted, pushing him away. Eventually, the report states that "The male ultimately pushed the female's legs into the passenger side of the van, closed her door, and entered the driver's side."

The witness recalled seeing the man bury his head in his hands while both "passengers appeared to be crying."

Although he briefly considered stepping in or calling 911, he ultimately decided against it, as he had already contacted emergency services earlier that day regarding a separate incident in which a truck driver nearly ran him off the road.

It wasn't until weeks later, after Petito's disappearance gained national attention, that the witness revisited the encounter.

His daughter reminded him of the couple they had seen in Moab, prompting them to review photos of Petito and Laundrie. After comparing images, they were confident it was the same pair and contacted the FBI.

Petito's mother, Nichole Schmidt, told Fox News Digital that she was previously unaware of the witness account.

"I wish we could get ahold of this person," she said. "I would love to ask questions."

The witnesses told the FBI they observed the couple between 4:30 p.m. and 4:45 p.m., just minutes before the Moab Police Department pulled them over.

Bodycam footage from the stop, which has since faced intense scrutiny, captured Petito visibly distressed as officers responded to a 911 call reporting that Laundrie had slapped her outside a food co-op.

Petito and Laundrie downplayed the altercation, describing it as a heated argument rather than a serious assault.

Instead of making any arrests, officers reportedly opted to separate Petito and Laundrie for the night, allowing Petito to stay in the van.

Laundrie, on the other hand, was taken to a nearby motel designated for domestic violence cases.

The last known sighting of Petito alive was on August 27, when surveillance cameras captured her at a Whole Foods in Jackson, Wyoming.

Laundrie later returned alone to his parents' home in Florida on September 1. With no word from Petito and no answers from the Laundrie family, her relatives reported her missing on September 11.

Petito's body was found in Grand Teton National Park on September 19, with investigators determining that she had been strangled to death.

Shortly after her remains were discovered, the U.S. District Court of Wyoming issued an arrest warrant for Laundrie.

However, by then, he had already vanished from his parents' home, and despite mounting pressure, Laundrie's parents refused to assist authorities or provide any details about his whereabouts.

Weeks later, Laundrie was found dead in a Florida nature reserve. He died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, and a forensic anthropologist concluded that Laundrie's death was a suicide.

His remains were located alongside a backpack and a notebook containing a written confession to Petito's murder.

In his journal, Laundrie described his actions, claiming that Petito had fallen and was in severe pain. He wrote, "I don't know the extent of Gabby's injuries, only that she was in extreme pain."

"I ended her life," Laundrie continued, per ABC Action News. "I thought it was merciful, that it was what she wanted, but I see now all the mistakes I made. I panicked. I was in shock. But from the moment I decided, to take away her pain, I knew I couldn't go on without her."