Gabby Petito spotted reading book on Zodiac Killer before she was found dead sending sleuths into a frenzy
GABBY Petito was spotted reading a book on the Zodiac Killer days before she was found dead, sending internet sleuths into a frenzy.
The 22-year-old posted a haunting picture on Instagram of her reading the novel right next to her wanted fiancé Brian Laundrie.
Picking up on the post, one internet sleuth said: "Somebody wants to tell us something. Is it just me or does someone else see/feel it?"
Another said it was a "bizarre coincidence" that the Zodiac Killer had recently been named.
A third added: "Imagine if the only way they confirmed the remains they found was by the family saying it was her sweatshirt as they said on Dr. Phil.
"If no dna/dental records were used, it is possible they found another missing person[?] Or, serial killer loose [?]"
It comes as the dead roadtripper's Spotify featured a series of haunting songs right before her disappearance.
As police continue to hunt for clues over Gabby's murder the song list and book may provide clues to help officers understand what happened in the lead up to her death.
Many of the songs appeared on the Spotify account she shared with fiancé Brian Laundrie on September 1.
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That was a day after Gabby's mom says she last received a text message from her.
Nichole Schmidt says – but has suggested it was not written by the vlogger.
HEARTBREAK SONG
The songs focus on heartache and romantic relationships and are by artist Matt Berry.
One lyric reads: "Your woman is your angel, is your left side, is your whole life; easily the most beautiful thing in the world.
"She'll soothe you; she'll accuse you; she'll confuse you; she'll lose you but always be the best friend you have in the world."
This song appeared on a playlist called Mtn Tops; a day earlier a new song list was created called Selfconsumption.
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Zodiac: The Shocking True Story of the Hunt for the Nation's Most Elusive Serial Killer is about Robert Graysmith’s investigation into California’s unsolved Zodiac murders.
Gabby appeared to be reading it in an Instagram story.
She posted on her page that she had been reading Chuck Palahniuk's horror-satire "Lullaby."
It revolves around a book with a "culling song."
The characters decide to go on a road trip across the country to find all remaining copies of the book and destroy the page containing the rhyme.
PERSON OF INTEREST
Florida police said they found a "fresh campsite" that could belong to Laundrie, who's been on the run from authorities since mid-September.
Police and FBI agents were seen scouring the 25,000-acre Carlton Reserve in Sarasota, Florida on Wednesday.
A source close to the Laundrie family revealed “traces” of a makeshift camp had been spotted in the park, CNN reports.
Laundrie was reported missing on September 17 – days after allegedly telling his parents that he was going for a hike in the reserve.
The from the site, according to a redacted vehicle report.
Papers reveal that the car was found in the Myakkahatchee Environmental Park in Florida.
The Laundrie family appears to have they had originally shared with police.
According to a statement released by the family's attorney Steven Bertolino on Tuesday, Brian actually "left to hike in the preserve" on Monday, September 13, not Tuesday, September 14 as his parents originally stated.
Bertolino told WFLA: "The Laundries were basing the date Brian left on their recollection of certain events.
"After consulting with the FBI and confirming the day Brian’s Mustang was found and returned to the Laundries’ home, we now believe the day Brian left to hike in the preserve was Monday September 13.
accusing Laundrie of swiping a Capital One debit card between August 31 and September 1.
Laundrie remains at large but there have been a series of alleged sightings in parts of Florida, Mexico, Canada, and along the Appalachian Trail. Most potential leads have led to dead ends.
The Sun reached out to North Port police and the FBI for comment but did not receive a response before publication.
ROAD TRIP
Petito's body was found about a five-minute walk from where Laundrie would have parked their van, her family has revealed.
Laundrie and his fiancé Petito went on a cross-country road trip onboard their white Ford Transit van that started in July.
Petito was last seen on August 24 after leaving a Salt Lake City, hotel and was reported missing on September 11.
stepdad Jim Schmidt spoke about visiting the location on the outskirts of in Wyoming where her body was found.
He described in an interview with Dr Phil seeing the remnants of a fire ring and a clearing where a tent would have been placed.
that Petito's remains were discovered just in front of the area where the tent and fire would have been.
He added that it would have been only a short walk from where the van would have been parked but was off the beaten path.
"The dispersed campgrounds are basically just open land where anybody can go and camp and where their van was basically alongside what was a creek bed," Jim said.
"If you cross over the creek bed, once you get over the other side, it’s trees sparsely placed around and a lot of sagebrushes.
"It’s actually on the borderline with the Grand Teton National Forest.
"[The camp was] in an area where there are a few trees and there were the remnants of a fire ring there," Jim continued.
"You can see where the rocks had been moved to make a fire ring and there was a clearing where I would assume -- knowing that I have a similar tent -- that I would place my tent.
"It would face out overlooking the mountain range.
"Her body was found -- what would be -- in front of the tent if that’s what was there or in front of the fire ring.
"There was definitely a fire ring there."
Gabby's mom Nichole added: "It wasn’t far from the van, it would have been a five-minute walk."
"You would have to want to go out over to that area," Jim concluded of the area where Petito was found.
"People go down to go by the creek but not a lot of people cross over there, it’s not a place that’s heavily trafficked."
Petito's stepdad also spoke about how he on the lay with flowers by her chest.
HARROWING FOOTAGE
Petito, 22, last posted photos on August 25 and FaceTimed her mother a few days before.
Her mother revealed she received texts from her daughter’s phone until August 30, but she is unsure who actually sent the texts out.
'It was just a text. I did not verbally speak to her,' she said.
“I can't say much, but she's no longer with the van. I don't want to say anything more than that but for people looking for her, I want them to look for her now, not look for that van anymore.”
Police also responded to an alleged “incident” involving and her boyfriend on August 12, but neither was the reporting party.
A police report documenting the alleged incident revealed when a cop pulled up to their vehicle.
The document, obtained by The Sun, states: "At no point in my investigation did Gabrielle stop crying, breathing heavily, or compose a sentence without needing to wipe away tears."
Police confirmed that no significant injuries were reported.
MURDER LINK?
Cops have also said that they near where the alleged incident occurred.
Married couple and Crystal Turner were found dead by a friend in the La Sal mountain range in Utah days later on August 18.
A spokesman for the Grand County Sheriff’s Office told : "We're looking at everything.
"I mean, anything and everything that was suspicious around that time, or we're not ruling anything out at this time. So we're just investigating the information as it comes in."
There is no evidence that the two cases are connected.
VAN LIFE
and Laundrie lived together in Florida the past two years having met in high school in New York, her family said.
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The pair started their road trip on July 2 and planned to visit Portland, Oregon so they could see a friend at Halloween.
They had been documenting their "Van Life" travels on their social media accounts and set up a YouTube channel just three weeks ago to chronicle their adventures through national state parks.
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