Campsite where Gabby Petito’s body was found reopened, stone cross memorial spotted
A memorial to Gabby Petito was found, made from stones at the Spread Creek Dispersed Campsite at Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. The site was closed since September 18, after a YouTuber filmed Petito's van nearby on August 27. The alleged remains were found next to that location, at the campsite once police were able to identify the location.
Petito's body was reportedly found by law enforcement on September 19 near the campsite, but positive identification is still awaited. An autopsy, scheduled for September 21 should also throw further light on how exactly Petito died, a mystery that has gripped the nation since the discovery of the body. On September 20, we reported that a rainbow was spotted in the area, as officials continued to examine the area for more clues.
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The investigation appears to have wrapped up at Grand Teton, with police taking down barricades and now letting the public access the site. The focus is now on finding Brian Laundrie, who has been missing since September 17, or possibly earlier. He was last spotted behind his home on September 17, walking to the dense Carlton Reserve near his home in North Port, Florida.
Memorial to Gabby Petito spotted
When The Mail accessed the campsite late on September 20, they spotted a large cross made of stones on the ground. Located next to Spread Creek, the stone cross is believed to be the exact spot, or near to the spot where Petito's remains were recovered. it is unclear when the arrangement was made, or even who made it. For the past few days, only law enforcement officials have had access to the site, so it was likely made by one of them. None of the departments involved in the investigation have confirmed who was responsible, so this remains a mystery for now.
Surrounding the cross, several trees and rocks were also marked with orange paint. It is unclear at the moment if this is part of the memorial, or if it was painted by law enforcement to aid their search for Petito's body. There are no reports of the markings being present before Petito's body was found, so it appears to have been made between September 18 and 20. Investigators reportedly left behind pink tape around the cross, and near the location of the van. The Mail also spotted several red markers, reportedly made during investigations in the area.
Apart from the stone arrangement, The Mail also found a pink ribbon tied to the bushes next to the location where Petito's van was filmed on August 27. That footage was filmed by two travel vloggers on August 27 and uploaded to YouTube. At first, they didn't think anything of it, until the FBI began asking those in the area on the date to review footage. Jenn Bethune, the YouTuber, responsible said, "I got chills all over my body," when she discovered Petito's van in her footage.
The ribbons and markers are all believed to have been made by the Evidence Response Team and investigators, according to local reporter Jeremy Harris. "There are obvious signs that this area was extensively surveyed by crime scene techs," he tweeted shortly after reporters were allowed to enter the site. In another tweet, he photographed the cross and said, "While not confirmed with police, I do believe this was likely the spot where she was found." An official statement from the FBI or other officials involved in the investigation is awaited to confirm more details.