Marie Claire UK Marie Claire UK
  • Fashion Fashion
      • Fashion
        • View all Fashion
        • Fashion Trends
        • Shopping
        • Watches and Jewellery
        • Fashion News
  • Beauty Beauty
      • Beauty
        • View all Beauty
        • Fragrance
        • Hair
        • Make Up
        • Skincare
        • Nails
        • Marie Claire Beauty Awards
  • Health Health
      • Health
        • View all Health
        • Fitness
        • Nutrition
        • Female Health
        • Wellbeing
  • Life Life
      • Life
        • View all Life
        • Opinions
        • Travel
        • Sustainability
        • Weddings
        • Money & Work
        • Competitions
  • Culture Culture
      • Culture
        • View all Culture
        • TV and Film
        • Celebrity News
        • Books
        • Royal News
  • Vouchers Vouchers
      • Clothing
        • View all Vouchers
        • Mint Velvet
        • Karen Millen
        • H&M
        • nobody's child
        • ASOS
        • ARKET
        • MANGO
      • Designer Clothing
        • View all Vouchers
        • Reiss
        • THE OUTNET
        • SSENSE
        • Mytheresa
        • Liberty London
        • Selfridges
        • Farfetch
      • Accessories
        • View all Vouchers
        • AllSaints
        • Aspinal of London
        • Charles & Keith
        • River Island
        • FitFlop
        • Kate Spade
        • Vagabond
      • Jewellery
        • View all Vouchers
        • Pandora
        • Abbott Lyon
        • Goldsmiths
        • Beaverbrooks
        • Astrid & Miyu
        • Swarovski
        • Angara Jewellery
      • Beauty
        • View all Vouchers
        • Sephora
        • Cult Beauty
        • Space NK
        • Dyson
        • Clarins
        • Look Fantastic
        • Clinique
      • Activewear
        • View all Vouchers
        • Lululemon
        • Gymshark
        • Sweaty Betty
        • Nike
        • adidas
        • New Balance
        • Helly Hansen
  • NEWSLETTER Signup to our newsletter
  • logoCreated with Sketch.
    Marie Claire Newsletter

    Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!


    By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

    You are now subscribed

    Your newsletter sign-up was successful


    An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
    Trending
    • Women in Sport 2026
    • Marie Claire Masters
    • Spring Summer 2026
    • Nail Trends 2026
    • Best Investment Bags
    • Best Perfumes
    • Digital Issues
    • Women Who Win
    1. Celebrity News

    Brian Laundrie's family release statement following confirmation of Gabby Petito's cause of death

    The FBI has issued an arrest warrant for Brian Laundrie, who is still missing.

    Catriona Harvey-Jenner's avatar
    By Catriona Harvey-Jenner
    Published 13 October 2021 In Features

    When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

    Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie
    Gabby Petito's cause of death is confirmed as strangulation
    • Facebook
    • X
    • Pinterest
    Share this article
    Join the conversation
    Follow us
    Add us as a preferred source on Google
    Subscribe to our newsletter

    The FBI has issued an arrest warrant for Brian Laundrie, who is still missing.

    One month and a day after she was first reported missing by her family, Gabby Petito’s cause of death has been confirmed. The 22-year-old - who had been on a campervan tour of US national parks with her childhood sweetheart, Brian Laundrie, prior to her death - died of strangulation, says a coroner.

    "In the of death in Gabrielle Venora Petito, we find the cause of death the cause is by strangulation and the manner is homicide," Teton County Coroner, Dr Brent Blue, said in a press conference on Tuesday, 12 October.

    Gabby Petito's fiancé, Brian Laundrie - who has been declared a "person of interest" in the case by the FBI - remains missing. He returned to his family home in Florida alone on on 1 September, and disappeared on 14 September after going on a hike. His family insist they haven't seen him since, and in the wake of Gabby's autopsy report being made public, they have issued a statement via a lawyer.

    A photo posted by on

    Speaking to local news station WFLA on behalf of the Laundrie family, attorney Steven Bertolino said: "Gabby Petito’s death at such a young age is a tragedy. While Brian Laundrie is currently charged with the unauthorised use of a debit card belonging to Gabby, Brian is only considered a person of interest in relation to Gabby Petito’s demise.

    You may like
    • B _ W - Woman reading book with wine in natural sunlight - TVS 9 of Britain's 10 Bestselling Novels Begin With a Dead Woman. I Asked Authors, Literary Experts and a Criminal Behavioural Analyst Why
    • Broken disco ball smashed to pieces on the floor. Black and white for a dramatic touch. Shiny backdrop is defocused. Why Do Men Ruin Your Birthday?
    • Louise Thompson is campaigning for a Maternity Commissioner following the traumatic birth of her son. “It Is One Of The Grossest Failings In Humanity That Women Are Treated Like This”

    "At this time Brian is still missing and when he is located we will address the pending fraud charge against him," the lawyer continued.

    Last month, the FBI issued an arrest warrant for Brian Laundrie on suspicion of having used a debit card and PIN for accounts that don’t belong to him. The charges, which were for more than $1,000, took place some time between 30 August and 1 September.

    Marie Claire Newsletter

    Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!

    By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

    A photo posted by on

    Last month, a week after Gabby's body was found in a Wyoming National Park, her family and friends gathered together at a memorial service for her. During the service, her dad Joseph Petito, gave a moving eulogy.

    "I don’t want you guys to be sad, to be honest with you. Gabby did not live that way. I want you to be inspired by Gabby," he told mourners at Moloney’s Holbrook Funeral Home in Holbrook, New York.

    Gabby had dreams of becoming a travel blogger, and had set up a Youtube channel Nomadic Statik to document her adventures with Brian in their converted Ford Transit van.

    "If there’s a trip that you guys want to take, take it now. Do it now, while you’ve got the time," her dad continued.

    Gabby's stepfather, Jim Schmidt, also shared a poignant tribute. "Gabby loved life and lived life every single day. She’s an example for all of us to live by, to enjoy every moment of this beautiful world," he said. The family have gone on to get matching tattoos in honour of their daughter.

    Catriona Harvey-Jenner
    Catriona Harvey-Jenner
    Social Links Navigation

    Cat is a Senior Editor at Marie Claire, covering news and features across the brand's key purpose pillars, including women's issues, politics, career, mental health, female empowerment and equality, as well as books.

    Read more
    B _ W - Woman reading book with wine in natural sunlight - TVS
    Culture 9 of Britain's 10 Bestselling Novels Begin With a Dead Woman. I Asked Authors, Literary Experts and a Criminal Behavioural Analyst Why
    Broken disco ball smashed to pieces on the floor. Black and white for a dramatic touch. Shiny backdrop is defocused.
    Relationships Why Do Men Ruin Your Birthday?
     
     
    Louise Thompson is campaigning for a Maternity Commissioner following the traumatic birth of her son.
    Life “It Is One Of The Grossest Failings In Humanity That Women Are Treated Like This”
    Football and Domestic Abuse: Women’s Aid: “He’s Coming Home”
    Life After England's World Cup Defeat, I Couldn't Stop Thinking About This Domestic Abuse Statistic
     
     
    Latest in Celebrity News
    Olivia Rodrigo performing on stage in a babydoll dress that sparked online debate, later prompting the singer to speak out about the sexualisation of girlhood and double standards facing young women.
    Celebrity News “We Really Normalise Pedophilia in Our Culture”: What Olivia Rodrigo's Babydoll Dress Backlash Reveals About Girlhood
    Meghan Markle in 'With Love, Meghan'
    Celebrity News Meghan Markle’s Sweet Glimpse Into Sussex Family Life Is Going Viral
     
     
    Anne Hathaway attends the premiere of The Devil Wears Prada 2
    Celebrity News Anne Hathaway Has Spoken Out About Her 10-Year Health Battle
    The Prince and Princess of Wales visit the Isles of Mull and Iona
    Royal News Royal Experts Predict a Major Milestone From Princess Kate This Autumn
     
     
    Latest in Features
    The Beauty Digest
    Beauty The Beauty Digest: Head Spas, Coco Mademoiselle Reimagined, and What the TPO Ban Really Means
    UKLASH lash lift gel tested by Dionne Brighton
    Make Up My Stubbornly Straight Lashes Never Hold a Curl—This ‘Liquid Lash Curler’ Kept Them Lifted All Day
     
     
    models wearing new Sézane
    Fashion Sézane Just Launched the Most French Rebrand of All Time—Here's What We'll Shop
    The long hair trend and the post-bob era
    Hair I’ve Spent Two Years Growing My Bob—Turns Out, There's a Reason Long Hair Is Trending
     
     
    logoCreated with Sketch.
    • Site Archive
    • Contact Future's experts
    • Contact us
    • Terms and conditions
    • Advertise with us
    • Privacy policy
    • Cookies policy
    • About us
    Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google

    Marie Claire UK is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

    © Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.