Gabby Petito’s haunting Halloween Instagram message remembered after sleuths suggest it was posted following her death
INTERNET sleuths have suggested Gabby Petito’s last Instagram post was uploaded after she died, as the DNA analysis of her fiance Brian Laundrie’s remains gets underway.
“Happy Halloween” reads the caption on Petito’s last post, days before she went missing in August.
Instagram users suspect the post was made by Petito’s boyfriend Brian, who was found dead in Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park, weeks after a nationwide manhunt.
One user commented on Petito’s haunting post, “This was not Gabby.”
Another user commented, “I have a bad feeling as to what happened, but even if there’s any shred of hope, I hope you’re found safe.”
One poster also commented, “Police report was done in August on where DV was involved, I pray you’re okay!”
The suspicion continued, “It’s kinda creepy this reference to Halloween. It’s not even close to it, he posted this.”
Petito’s remains were found in Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming on September 21.
Most read in The Sun
Brian Laundrie was named a person of interest in her case, although, he was not named a suspect.
After Petito’s body was discovered, Laundrie went missing until his own remains were found by the FBI and Laundrie’s parents Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park, Florida on October 21.
Petito’s autopsy revealed that her cause of death was strangulation, while Laundrie’s autopsy was determined inconclusive.
Upon a forensic investigation into Laundrie’s remains, a cause of death was not found. In order for him to be officially named Petito’s assailant, there has to be a DNA match between the two.
GROWING SUSPICION
This isn’t the first time Gabby’s social media presence has been analyzed for answers into her disappearance and ultimate death.
Sleuths have been all over Petito’s Instagram, highlighting three instances where they believe she was sending cryptic messages about her relationship with Laundrie.
On January 11, a post from Petito’s page shows Gabby posing for a mirror selfie with the caption: “Been listening to morbid podcast all morning, and I’m obsessed @morbidpodcast.”
The caption also shows a knife emoji before Gabby states how she misses Charleston, South Carolina, and her godmother Flora Rocco. The post currently has over 7,000 likes.
One user commented “Woah…do you think she’s been trying to say something since this post?!”
On July 31, 2020, the vlogger, 22, posted two pictures of herself on Instagram that appeared to show her outdoors wearing a gray top and white pants.
Gabby captioned one post: “I’m blue da ba dee da ba daa #imblue.”
In the second post, she captioned it: “Blue his house with a blue little window And a blue Corvette And everything is blue for him . #blue.”
Sleuths believe the 22-year-old was sending hidden messages about her mood, as one commented: “Is she trying to say she’s sad??”
Another person chimed in, saying: “Blue as in sad???”
Sleuths also questioned a June 2020 post where Gabby shared that she was reading “Chuck Palahniuk’s Fight Club”- a boo that follows the experiences of an unnamed protagonist struggling with insomnia.
One person commented: “Interesting book to read….”
Another person added: “If you look at him and the cover of the book theirs some weird Irony going on here.”
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 – Gabby Petito and her fiancé Brian Laundrie set off on a cross-country trip across the US.
- July 4 – Gabby 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 Brian post photos of themselves at Utah’s Zion National Park.
- August 12 – Body camera footage was released in September showing an encounter Brian and Gabby had with police in Utah. Police confirmed that no significant injuries were reported.
- August 19 – Gabby and Brian post a video 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 “more and more tension” between her and Brian.
- August 25 – Gabby also posts her last Instagram. No location is given.
- August 27 – Gabby is seen for what’s believed to be the final time. 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 Florida without Gabby.
- September 11 – Gabby’s parents 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 allegedly last seen 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 Brian is a person of interest in the case. He is not charged with any crime.
- September 16 – Utah police release body camera footage of the police encounter with Brian and Gabby.
- September 17 – Brian’s parents say they have not seen their son in a couple of days and report him missing.
- September 18 – Police announce they were searching Carlton Reserve in Florida for Brian. Police announce they have not found anything.
- September 19 – Authorities in Wyoming say they found a body in Grand Teton National Park. 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 his silver Mustang and a hard drive that may contain “evidence relevant to proving that a felony has been committed.”
- September 21 – Officials announce they will be conducting an autopsy 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 Gabby’s official cause of death was still pending but the initial manner of death is homicide.
- September 22 – Police continue to scour Carlton Reserve 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 federal arrest warrant for Brian was issued.
- September 26 – Gabby’s funeral was held on Long Island, New York.
- October 12: Gabby’s autopsy results were made public. Teton County Coroner Dr Brent Blue confirmed Gabby died by strangulation.
- October 20: Laundrie’s personal items were found at the Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park. A medical examiner was called to the scene.
- October 21: The FBI confirmed the remains found have been identified as Laundrie’s.