By Peter Szekely

(Reuters] -Gabby, a young lady who went missing on a road trip along with her boyfriend, later found dead in Wyoming was strangled to death, a local coroner stated on Tuesday.

According to Dr. Blue of the Teton County Coroner, who had already declared Petito’s murder a homicide in his office, she died three or four weeks before her body turned up on September 19. Brian Laundrie (23) has been missing from her for almost one month.

Blue explained that it took over three weeks for the autopsy to be completed and also included an outside specialist and an analysis on toxicology test results.

In an internet news conference, he stated that “it was just a matter making sure we had all the right things.”

He added, “It had been quite the media circus” and is still being so. “Unfortunately this is not the only death of someone involved in domestic violence.”

Petito, 22, was last seen alive https://www.reuters.com/world/us/van-life-road-trip-ends-death-gabby-petito-2021-09-22 on Aug. 26. She was discovered dead near Spread Creek Dispersed Campground in Bridger-Teton National Forest, western Wyoming.

Last month, the mysterious disappearance of the young lady on a cross-country trip with her boyfriend captured the attention of the nation. It was first reported online and later became a tabloid mystery.

Petito and Laundrie were neighbors in North Port, Florida, on Florida’s west side. In early July, they set off from New York’s Long Island to begin their journey.

Petito captured their journey through Kansas, Colorado, Utah, and other points west on social media. She posted photos and videos that showed them enjoying an American adventure. Her final Instagram picture was posted on August 25, which is the exact day that she spoke with her mother via phone.

Laundrie drove Petito’s van in the white van without her, returning to North Port on September 1st. Nicole Schmidt Petito Schmidt’s mother filed Petito’s missing report to New York Police 10 days later.

With the search becoming more public after Florida police named Laundrie a person of interest in the case, police in Moab, Utah, released bodycam footage https://www.reuters.com/world/us/police-release-august-video-missing-florida-woman-boyfriend-amid-dispute-2021-09-16 on Sept. 15 that suggested a darker side to the couple’s sunny social media veneer.

Moab Police pulled their van over on Aug. 12, after they received a report that Petito had been struck by Laundrie. Each side admitted to having been in an argument, while Petito cried and said that she struck Laundrie on her arm.

Police did not file any charges, however they ordered that the couple stay at separate places for the night.

Laundrie had refused to discuss his case with North Port police. His lawyer advised him otherwise.

Federal Bureau of Investigation and police used divers, helicopters and tracking dogs to find him in the alligator-infested swampy wilderness.

A federal grand jury in Wyoming indicted Laundrie in September on charges of using Petito’s bank debit card fraudulently between August 30 and Sept. 1, to make purchases exceeding $1,000.

He was not charged with her murder.