We might not know what happened to Gabby Petito… but her disappearance and the disappearance of her fiancé Brian Laundrie led to many other discoveries.
The media attention surrounding the case had a positive effect, as observers sharing information on social media reportedly contributed to the finding of Gabby’s body. But there was sometimes criticism as to how other missing persons cases did not attract as much attention.
Gabby’s family decides to address that problem by establishing the Gabby Petito Foundation, which will help organize the search for missing persons. And the conversation has already sparked renewed interest in other matters, such as the disappearance of Lauren Cho. Human remains, which have yet to be identified but are believed to belong to Cho, were found shortly after investigators turned Lauren’s attention to Gabby’s case.
During the months of investigation into the disappearances of both Gabby and Brian, those remains have not been uncovered. Josu Calderon’s body was found in Watauga County, North Carolina, after several unconfirmed sightings of Bryan in the area, although the FBI told the Asheville Citizen-Times that the discovery was part of an unrelated investigation.
According to The Independent, there were also reports of Brian’s sightings in Mobile, Alabama, and when they weren’t successful, Tipsy discovered the body of an unidentified homeless man in the back of a local grocery store.
Gabby’s discovery in Wyoming also led to similar discoveries, such as the body of Robert Lowery, found when volunteer rescuers were looking for Gabby with a dog and his remains in Bridger-Teton National Forest and a black Nike. Found a duffel bag. NBC News. As the New York Post reports, Sarah Baird’s body was also found in the area where the YouTuber shared Instagram photos from the couple’s road trip.
And of course, Gabby’s disappearance was linked to the deaths of newlyweds Kylan Schulte and Crystal Turner, whose bodies were found at a campsite in Moab, Utah, where Brian and Gabby had visited.
Now, human remains have been found at the Carlton Reserve in Florida, and Laundrie’s attorney indicated that “the possibility is strong” that they belong to Brian. If so, it ends a case that falls into the trap of other tragedies. But it could also be another missing person discovered in the ongoing search for answers.
[Image via Gabby Petito/YouTube]