Photo: Octavio Jones / Getty Images
The human remains found in a Wyoming national forest on Sunday are those of Gabby Petito , the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) confirmed on Tuesday, citing the results of the autopsy.
Gabrielle Venora Petito was a woman whose disappeared ion was the subject of much speculation and coverage in the media and social networks. Her family lost contact with her in late August 2021 while she was on a trip across the country with her fiancé, Brian Laundrie .
The FBI leads the criminal investigation into the death of the woman of 22 years whose disappearance has attracted national attention. The authorities continue to search for Petito’s fiancé, Brian Laundrie , of 23 years, almost three weeks after he returned from a truck trip across the country, without her, according to The Washington Post.
The cause of Gabby Petito’s death was declared a homicide on Tuesday , after the Teton County Coroner completed the autopsy . That determination is preliminary, according to the FBI tweet.
A body matching Petito’s description was discovered Sunday in a remote area of the Bridger-Teton National Forest in western Wyoming .
The statements of the FBI and Petito’s family suggested that the remains were those of Petito, but the official confirmation of the human remains and the cause death was pending until a forensic analysis was completed.
Teton County Coroner Dr. Brent Blue confirmed the remains are those of Gabrielle Venora Petito, date of birth March 14, 1999. Coroner Blue’s initial determination for the manner of death is homicide. The cause of death remains pending final autopsy results. pic.twitter.com/JoHenMZ9UU
– FBI Denver (@FBIDenver) September 21, 2021