Seven bodies unearthed in Gabby Petito case
Authorities have unearthed multiple sets of human remains while searching for Brian Laundrie in Florida, prompting a wave of conspiracy theories to emerge in response.
FBI Special Agent Michael McPherson said that some of the remains were found during a search of the Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park and Carlton Reserve, south of Tampa, Florida, not far from Laundrie's parents' home. The shocking find comes after weeks of searching for Laundrie, who is considered a person of interest in Gabby Petito’s disappearance and death.
In addition to the remains, authorities also found a backpack and a notebook that they believe belonged to Laundrie, which up until recently were submerged in water. This has led armchair sleuths online to conclude that the most recent set of remains found belongs to Laundrie himself.
Authorities have been searching for Laundrie for over a month; Gabby was reported missing on September 11, Laundrie was last seen on September 14, and Gabby’s body was found on September 19.
In addition to the Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park and Carlton Reserve remains, the uncovering of several bodies around the country during the search has people wondering if the cases are connected. Two of the bodies that authorities found were initially flagged as potentially being linked to the case because they had been found near where the couple had been travelling. Meanwhile, a seventh body, belonging to a woman who went missing in Colorado near where the couple had been in early July, was found this week.
These coincidences appear to some like a spree on Laundrie’s part, while others have pointed out that uncovering this many bodies in national parks is not “statistically significant”, and that the increase can largely be attributed to things like increased police presence and authorities receiving more tips from the public than usual.
One Reddit user wrote, “This is all coincidence. People here are hyper-focused on certain parts of the country right now so they think anything that happens is relevant.”
Other bodies found include a married couple who were found murdered in Utah, a man who died by suicide in Wyoming, and a woman who disappeared in California in June.
Image: Gabby Petito/Instagram