Gabby Petito (22) and Brian Laundrie (23) had been an engaged couple since July 2, 2020, exactly one year before their cross-country trip. Before starting their trip, the TikTok/Instagram couple had a following of only 1,000 followers on Instagram. The couple, unfortunately, had to postpone their wedding plans due to the Coronavirus Pandemic. So, instead, they decided to take the trip instead. July 2, 2021, is when Gabby and Brian departed New York and planned an estimated four-month cross-country journey, in their white 2012 Ford Transit van. 

While the couple was not big at the time, Gabby continued to post on her social media, documenting her time on this trip. Her first public post was at Monument Rocks Natural Landmark in Kansas on July 5th. July 8th through the 11th they arrive in Colorado, while Gabby continues to post on social media, posting pictures from Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. July 16th through the 22nd, the couple camps and adventures Utah’s Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon. Continuing on through their trip, Gabby shared a photo on July 26th, of her and Laundrie kissing at the Mystic Hot Springs in Monroe, Utah. Lastly, before things start getting out of hand, on July 30th, a little under a month since the couple had begun their trip, they arrived in Canyonland National Park.

 After the couple posted on Instagram and TikTok for about a month now, Gabby suddenly stopped posting for 12 days. After these twelve days of being gone, Petito finally posts pictures of the couple in Arches National Park. At this point, all anybody knew was that Petito still kept in contact with her family and close friends, and just wasn’t posting on social media. Which is completely understandable and innocent to the public considering she is on a vacation with her soon-to-be husband. A few days later, on August 12th, Petito and Laundrie started gaining some attention after a few TikTok videos blew up. However, the main amount of attention came from articles stating that police in Moab, Utah, released footage from a 911 call they responded to, regarding the couple. Bodycam from the police shows Petito crying to an officer. The police report states that Petito claims she hit Laundrie with her phone, resulting in Laundrie locking her out of the van until she calmed down. Police state that no charges were filed at this point. Just one day after on August 13th, Laundrie posted on his Instagram a photo at Arches National Park in Utah, with a caption that caught a lot of attention, stating “humans are primates, great apes in fact”. 

Social Media had not heard from them for 4 days, until news let out that starting on August 17, Laundrie was no longer in the van with Petito. Where was he? Did he leave her to go somewhere else? Was he missing? Or was he just hiding? Find out in Part 2 on DCTribalMedia.com