Gabby Petito: New Details Emerge About Her Last Days

A witness is confirming that they saw murder victim Gabby Petito on Aug. 27 with fiancé Brian Laundrie. Currently, a massive search is currently underway in a Florida nature preserve for Laundrie after Petito’s remains were found on Sunday.

This was the same restaurant that Nina Angelo, a patron of the restaurant told HLN that the couple was fighting and acting chaotically at. She described Laundrie as being “argumentative” and “combative”. Angelo also noted that the couple “left abruptly” although she was unsure if they were kicked out or left on their own.

A manager at The Merry Piglets Mexican Grill in Jackson, Wyoming, has now confirmed that the couple was there in late August. This is now the last known sighting of the 22-year-old. Petito’s parents filed a missing person report on Sept. 11 shortly after Laundrie returned home without their daughter.

The couple, who were engaged had been traveling cross country in a van. However, Laundrie allegedly returned home to his parent’s house in Florida without Petito. He provided no details as to where his fiancé could have been.

The manager of the restaurant pointed out that the couple showed up at the restaurant on foot and he saw no van in sight.  Soon after Laundrie returned home, he packed a bag and left in a silver Ford Mustang, and drove to Carleton Reserve near his parent’s home. On Sept. 14

The reserve is 25,000 acres and authorities have been searching for him for the past five days. A lawyer for Laundrie shared that when he did not return home, family members drove the car back from the reserve several days later. That car has since been towed from the family’s home as evidence.

The search taking place now by the local law enforcement is because they are interested in speaking with him about his fiancé’s last days. They point out he is not a suspect at this time.

Petito’s body was found at Spread Creek Dispersed Camping Area campground in Bridger-Teton National Forest. It has been 18 days since her parents filed an official missing person report with the police.

Her death has been ruled a homicide and an investigation is now underway. The official cause of death is not known, but an autopsy is currently being conducted to determine exactly how the young woman was murdered.

Before the couple left for their trip, one of Laundrie’s neighbors Karyn Aberts, shared that they appeared like a “normal young couple”. The couple seemed happy.  "We heard laughter, we heard them playing music and things like that,” shared Abert.

Before her passing, Petito was allegedly warned by a few people including a park ranger, Melissa Hulls who witness the “toxic” relationship firsthand that she needed to get out.

“I was imploring with her to re-evaluate the relationship, asking her if she was happy in the relationship with him, and basically saying this was an opportunity for her to find another path, to make a change in her life.”

In an attempt to remember and mourn Petito, family and friends have gathered at a candlelight vigil for the 22-year-old on Sept. 23. The vigil was held in Sugar House, Utah a community that embraced Petito even though she was not from there.

The event was organized by Serena Chavez who felt a calling to bring the community together “I think it’s safe to say the reason we’re all here is because, we all know a Gabby or we’ve all been a Gabby.”