NORTH PORT, Fla. (AP) 鈥� The FBI says a county coroner has confirmed that human remains found in remote northern Wyoming along the border of Grand Teton National Park are those of 22-year-old Gabby Petito, who disappeared while on a cross-country road trip with a boyfriend who is now being sought by authorities in Florida.
Teton County Coroner Brent Blue determined her manner of death was homicide, but did not disclose a cause of death pending final autopsy results, officials said Tuesday. Petito鈥檚 body was found Sunday near an undeveloped camping area that鈥檚 surrounded by woodlands and brush, located about 30 miles (48 kilometers) northeast of Jackson, Wyoming.
The FBI also requested for anyone with information about boyfriend Brian Laundrie鈥檚 role in Petito鈥檚 death to contact the agency.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP鈥檚 earlier story follows below.
NORTH PORT, Fla. (AP) 鈥� Authorities renewed their search Tuesday of a swampy preserve area near the home of the boyfriend wanted for questioning in the death of 22-year-old Gabby Petito, whose body was discovered at a Wyoming national park months after the pair set out on a cross-country road trip.
Police in North Port, Florida, said Tuesday morning that , 23.
Investigators searched the 24,000-acre (9,700-hectare) Florida nature preserve over the weekend without success. They focused on the area after Laundrie鈥檚 parents told police he may have gone there.
Authorities are using helicopters, drones, dogs and officers in all-terrain vehicles in their search for Laundrie. About 75% of the search area is underwater.
On Monday, and towed away a car neighbors said Laundrie's mother typically used.
Laundrie and Petito had been living with his parents at the North Port home before the road trip on which she died.
The young couple had set out in July in a converted van to visit national parks in the West. They got into a fight along the way, and Laundrie was alone when he returned in the van to his parents鈥� home Sept. 1, police said.
In Wyoming, the FBI announced Sunday that agents had discovered a body on the edge of Grand Teton National Park, which the couple had visited. No details on the cause of death were released. An autopsy was set for Tuesday.
鈥淔ull forensic identification has not been completed to confirm 100% that we found Gabby, but her family has been notified,鈥� FBI agent Charles Jones said.
Laundrie has been named a person of interest in the case, but his whereabouts in recent days were unknown.
Petito鈥檚 father, Joseph, posted on social media an image of a broken heart above a picture of his daughter, with the message: 鈥淪he touched the world.鈥�
In an interview broadcast Monday on TV鈥檚 鈥淒r. Phil鈥� show, Joseph Petito said Laundrie and his daughter had dated for 2 1/2 years, and Laundrie was 鈥渁lways respectful.鈥� During the interview, which was recorded before his daughter鈥檚 body was found, Petito said the couple had taken a previous road trip to California in her car and there were no problems.
Joseph Petito said the family began worrying after several days without hearing from their daughter.
鈥淲e called Brian, we called the mom, we called the dad, we called the sister, we called every number that we could find,鈥� Joseph Petito said. 鈥淣o phone calls were picked up, no text messages were returned.鈥�
Joseph Petito said he wants Laundrie to be held accountable for whatever part he played in his daughter's disappearance, along with his family for protecting him.
鈥淚 hope they get what鈥檚 coming, and that includes his folks,鈥� Joseph Petito said. 鈥淏ecause I鈥檒l tell you, right now, they are just as complicit, in my book.鈥�
The FBI said investigators are seeking information from anyone who may have seen the couple around Grand Teton.
Gabby Petito and Laundrie were childhood sweethearts who met while growing up on New York鈥檚 Long Island. His parents later moved to North Port, about 35 miles (55 kilometers) south of Sarasota.
A man who saw Petito and Laundrie fighting in Moab, Utah, on Aug. 12 called 911 to report a domestic violence incident, according to a recording of the call obtained from the Grand County Sheriff鈥檚 Office. The man said he saw Laundrie slap Petito while walking through the town and proceeded to hit her before the two got in their van and drove off.
Video released by the Moab police showed that an officer pulled the couple鈥檚 van over on the same day after it was seen speeding and hitting a curb near Arches National Park. The body-camera footage showed an upset Petito.
Laundrie said on the video that the couple had gotten into a scuffle after he climbed into the van with dirty feet. He said he did not want to pursue a domestic violence charge against Petito, who officers decided was the aggressor.
Moab police separated the couple for the night, with Laundrie checking into a motel and Petito remaining with the van.
In the footage, Gabby Petito cried as she told the officer she and Laundrie had been arguing over her excessive cleaning of the van. She told the officer she has OCD 鈥� obsessive compulsive disorder.
On 鈥淒r. Phil,鈥� her father said that was not literally true. She just likes to keep her living area orderly and was using slang, he said.
Curt Anderson, The Associated Press
