Brian Laundrie case: Huge ‘clue’ could prove who killed Gabby Petito, expert says
DNA found on Gabby Petito’s body could provide a "huge clue" as cops try to work out who killed the vlogger, an expert says.
The probe into Gabby’s death is ongoing – weeks after coroners in Wyoming ruled that the 22-year-old was strangled to death.
Paul Belli, an ex lieutenant of the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, thinks Gabby’s killer could have left DNA on her body.
He told : “You would expect DNA on either one of them from the other. But I mean, if there’s DNA maybe where it shouldn’t be, that could be kind of a clue as to what may have occurred.
“So there are ways to absolutely, at least get you to a point where you’re like ‘Ok this definitely makes sense, this is the person who did this crime.”
Gabby’s body was found in a campground on September 19 – just a week after she was reported missing by her family.
A preliminary autopsy revealed the manner of her death was homicide before coroners said she died from strangulation.
Teton County coroner Dr Brent Blue said Gabby’s predicted death was three to four weeks before her body was found.
Blue said her remains were outside “in the wilderness” for this time.
Most read in The Sun
The doctor also confirmed that Gabby was not pregnant at the time of her death and a toxicology report was unable to be released at this time.
Dr Blue said state law prevents what coroners can release about the autopsy as he was being quizzed by reporters at a press briefing.
Gabby's fiance Brian Laundrie was named a person of interest in the vlogger's murder. He was never named a suspect.
He returned to Florida on September 1 alone without his fiancée – weeks after starting a cross-country road trip with the YouTuber where they toured idyllic canyon ranges and visited national parks across America’s Midwest.
Laundrie was reported missing on September 17 – days after allegedly telling his parents that he was going for a hike in the alligator-infested Carlton Reserve.
Cops scoured the Florida wilderness for weeks before finding “partial remains” which were positively identified as belonging to the fugitive on October 21.
A cause of death has not yet been revealed as a preliminary autopsy came back inconclusive.
Laundrie’s remains have been sent to an anthropologist for further examination.
PROBE CONTINUES
Steven Bertolino, who has represented the Laundrie family throughout the case, said autopsy returns could be returned in two to three weeks.
The inconclusive autopsy has fueled speculation about Laundrie’s cause of death among web sleuths.
A , known only as Olivia, claims she found "bones" around 60 yards from where Laundrie’s remains were reportedly unearthed.
She teased “Could be animal" as she uploaded several snaps of the discovery.
One sleuth said: “Definitely gator. They have those long spike extrusions on spoke bones. I feel when the water levels rise, Gators migrated to him and then went back out father as the water receded.”
Another speculated: “I’m sure those gators roam and don’t just stay in the water.”
Alligators kill their prey by clamping their jaws before dragging them underwater.
Twisted trolls have since posed as Brian Laundrie in vile Halloween costumes after he was found dead.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
Warped social media users have shared snaps of themselves dressed up as the 23-year-old while others put up distasteful decorations.
Some shared pictures showing skeletons lying in makeshift caskets – in what appears to be a likely reference to the “partial remains” that were found.
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