Coroner reveals missing traveler Gabby Petito was strangled to death

The Teton County, Wyoming Coroner Brent Blue announced in a Tuesday afternoon news conference that Gabby Petito’s cause of death was strangulation, and the manner of death was homicide. Petito’s disappearance and death grabbed headlines last month, and she was strangled to death three to four weeks before her body was found near an undeveloped camping area along the border of Grand Teton National Park on Sept. 19. This would put her death around the Aug. 27-30 period investigators believe Petito and Laundrie had traveled to the area.

The video above includes clips from Dr. Blue’s announcement. He did not say much more about Petito’s death, including how she was strangled. However, Blue did confirm Petito was not pregnant at the time of her death.

Blue declined to say more about the autopsy or the case overall, saying he was prevented by Wyoming law. Previously, Blue had ruled Petito’s death as a homicide after the preliminary results of her autopsy were released last month.

“This autopsy included a whole body cat scan, an examination by a forensic pathologist, an examination by a forensic anthropologist and toxicology evaluation,” Blue said Tuesday. “So it was pretty much covered all the bases.”

The lack of additional details released Tuesday leaves several questions unanswered, including if there will be additional charges against Brian Laundrie, Petito’s boyfriend and traveling partner. Laundrie is currently considered only a person of interest in Petito’s death. However, he has been charged with unauthorized use of a debit card. Last month, federal officials alleged Laundrie used a Capital One Bank card and someone’s personal identification number to make unauthorized withdrawals or charges worth more than $1,000 while Petito was missing.

In Florida, FBI-led search teams have been looking through the Carlton Reserve south of Sarasota for weeks. That’s where Laundrie’s parents say he went after returning home from the Western U.S. road trip. So far, the search has turned up nothing.

“At this time Brian is still missing and when he is located we will address the fraud charge pending against him,” Laundrie family attorney Steven Bertolino said.