Four theories around Gabby Petito’s ‘Stan’ message probed & debunked from a cry for help to asking about grandpa
ONE of Gabby Petito's last texts to her mother raised concerns about her safety to family members shortly before she was found murdered - and internet sleuths believe the message may have had a hidden meaning.
Gabby's mother Nichole Schmidt on August 27, the last time she's believed to have been seen alive, which read: "Can you help Stan, I just keep getting his voicemails and missed calls."
Although Nichole inferred that was probably in reference to her father, and Petito's grandfather, Stan, the grieving mother said she found it "odd" given that Petito never referred to
Nichole's suspicions have spurred legions of conspiracy theories among sleuths and armchair detectives online, who have been following the case intently since Gabby's disappearance started making headlines across the world in mid-September.
ACRONYMS AND CODED MESSAGES
One popular theory currently circulating on social media is that the Stan referenced in Gabby's text is actually an acronym that stands for "Send The Authorities Now."
In a Facebook dedicated to finding Petito, some have speculated that's indeed what STAN means, despite it not being a recognized acronym.
"What if she was scared by didn't want Brian to get angry so then she added 'I just keep getting his voicemails and missed calls' just to show him she wasn't asking for help," one person theorized.
Others have sensationally insisted Stan may actually be a coded reference to the 2000 Eminem song of the same, which is about an obsessive fan who is desperate to meet his idol.
Most read in The Sun
In the song, Stan grows increasingly more hostile and angry before tying up his pregnant girlfriend and driving her off a bridge in a murderous rage.
As the theory goes, the name Stan was used by Gabby as an attempt to warn her mother that she was in danger without alerting the attention of Laundrie.
Read our for the very latest news and updates...
Sleuths previously claimed that Gabby - much like the woman in the song - was pregnant at the time of her disappearance and subsequent death, pointing to a Pinterest board shared between her and Brian titled 'Oh baby'.
However, those assertions were who confirmed Gabby was not pregnant when she was murdered.
For the theory to ring true, Gabby's mother would also have to have a rather detailed knowledge of Eminem's back catalog if she were to understand the alleged hidden meaning of the text.
'BRIAN SENT TEXT IN ERROR'
While the Petito family understands Stan to be a reference to Gabby's grandpa, they do not believe the text was sent by the 22-year-old herself.
That claim in of itself has prompted even more conspiracies on social media, with followers of the case claiming that Brian authored the text but sent the text to Gabby's mom in error.
One sleuth claimed that Brian, while "out of his mind ... grabbed the wrong phone and thus texted the wrong 'mom'."
In this instance, the sleuth interpreted Stan to be a reference to one of alleged business partners named "Stan Anderson."
"It actually seems very plausible," the sleuth added.
"I feel pretty confident that if his father does in fact have a business partner named Stan, the FBI knows & has looked into," wrote another.
However, there is no evidence to suggest that Brian Laundrie's dad has a business partner by the name of Stan Anderson.
The theory appears to have first been pedaled online by a user by the name of Frankie X, a filmmaker and scriptwriter.
"Just so you all know, he is a filmmaker and screenwriter who is currently trying to pitch a horror film. Looking at his SM, there is no way he would be in a circle of friends with the Laundries. (As he stated he was)," one sleuth said in retort.
"I’ve thought the same thing, but I can’t seem to find any proof about Stan Anderson and Chris Laundrie being business partners, so I won’t entertain that theory unless there’s proof of Stan Anderson being a partner first," added another.
'HIDING IN MEXICO'
Still, the theory has continued to spread, even evolving to include the rather elaborate claim that "Stan Anderson" lives in Mexico and is
"I just got the shivers when I saw the name Anderson," a woman wrote on Twitter. "I think Brian is with Stan Anderson (Chris Laundrie business partner [sic] that lives in Mexico).
"Stan was mentioned in a text from Gabby's phone. Brian sent that to Gabby's mom but was meant for Roberta [Laundrie]."
The baseless assertion received a host of likes and retweets, prompting one respondent to write: "This is the most plausible explanation that I have come across."
Sleuths on Facebook appeared less convinced.
"Stan is Gabby’s grandfather. This has already been established. And Brian most likely wrote that text," one wrote. "I don’t know why people are always trying to make a big complicated conspiracy out of nothing."
"Just another person reaching and making up a story," added another.
FINAL MOMENTS
Gabby's phone was switched off the same day the Stan text was sent from her phone.
Days later, on September 1, Brian quietly returned home to Florida in the couple's repurposed van without Gabby.
offered no explanation about where Gabby was and immediately retained an attorney.
She was eventually reported missing by her mother on September 11.
were then found at a campsite near Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming on September 19.
The manner of was ruled a homicide and coroner's revealed on Tuesday that she had been , which is otherwise referred to as throttling.
She had also been left out in the wilderness for between three to four weeks, coroners said.
That puts her time of death around the end of August, sometime between August 25 and August 29.
QUESTIONS REMAIN
Officials have so far refused to speculate who they believe killed Gabby. They also say they're unsure whether the killer "used hands or an instrument" to strangle her to death.
Brian has not yet been named as a suspect in the case but is considered a person of interest.
He is also wanted by police for alleged bank fraud after investigators said he used a credit card believed to have , racking up charges amounting to $1,000.
A tireless four-week search for Brian has so far failed to yield any concrete leads.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
Law enforcement has been focusing their efforts on the Carlton Reserve, while TV star Dog the Bounty Hunter has been conducting his own search in Fort De Soto Park, where Brian had gone camping with his parents before disappearing.
An investigation into Gabby's murder continues.
Gabby Petito timeline
Gabby Petito, 22, was last seen on August 24, leaving a hotel in Utah. Here is a timeline of Gabby Petito's disappearance:
- June 2021 - set off on a cross-country trip across the US.
- July 4 - posts photos of herself barefoot in Gove County, Kansas.
- July 8 - Gabby posts photos of herself at the Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado.
- July 18 - Gabby and post photos of themselves at Utah's Zion National Park.
- August 12 - in September showing an encounter Brian and Gabby had with police in Utah. Police confirmed that no significant injuries were reported.
- August 19 - on their YouTube channel chronicling their trip.
- August 24 - Gabby is spotted leaving a hotel in Salt Lake City, Utah.
- August 25 - Gabby Facetimes her mom, Nichole Schmidt, for the final time. In a later police report, Schmidt said her conversations with her daughter revealed "" between her and Brian.
- August 25 - Gabby also posts her last Instagram. No location is given.
- August 27 - Gabby is . Witnesses claim they saw Brian in an explosive argument with staff at a restaurant in Jackson Hole, leaving Gabby in tears.
- August 27 - Four hours later, travel bloggers driving through Grand Teton National Park drive past the couple's van "abandoned" on a dirt road.
- September 1 - Brian returns home to without Gabby.
- September 11 - report her missing to Suffolk County police.
- September 14 - Brian's family issues a statement saying he has retained an attorney and will not be cooperating with investigators.
- September 14 - Brian is by his family. He reportedly told them he was going hiking in Cartlon Reserve but failed to return.
- September 15 - Florida's North Port police announce in the case. He is not charged with any crime.
- September 16 - Utah police release of the police encounter with Brian and Gabby.
- September 17 - say they have not seen their son in a couple of days and report him missing.
- September 18 - Police announc. Police announce they have not found anything.
- September 19 - Authorities in Wyoming say . The FBI announces the body was believed to be Gabby's but a full forensic identification needs to be completed first to confirm.
- September 20 - Police execute a search warrant on Laundrie's home, seizing and a hard drive that may contain "evidence relevant to proving that a felony has been committed."
- September 21 - Officials announce they will be on the remains found in Wyoming to confirm whether or not they belong to Gabby. Police also resumed their search for Laundrie, this time on the Venice side of Carlton Reserve.
- September 21 - The FBI announced the body found in Wyoming was identified as Gabby's. The cause of death was not yet revealed.
- September 21 - The Teton County Coroner's office said was still pending but the initial manner of death is homicide.
- September 22 - Police continue to scour for a trace of Laundrie but yield no leads. A specialist dive team is called in to assist with the hunt.
- September 23 - Officials announced a for Brian was issued.
- September 26 - Gabby'swas held on Long Island, New York.
- October 12: were made public. Teton County Coroner Dr Brent Blue confirmed Gabby died by strangulation.
We pay for your stories!
Do you have a story for The US Sun team?
Email us at [email protected] or call 212 416 4552.
Like us on Facebook at and follow us from our main Twitter account at