The Case of Gabby Petito

[Daehawk]

I wonder who will get the movie rights.

I assume that Lifetime has already started filming.

They probably already have one in the vault for this. With Dean Cain and Sarah Jessica Parker.

[Alefroth]

I wonder who will get the movie rights.

I assume that Lifetime has already started filming.

I'm sure the script was already written, just had to add some details.

[Isgrimnur]

They'll just pick it up in ADR.

[LawBeefaroni]

Aaaaand, we have a wedge.

What I like about influencers is that they are the artists currently held in disdain. Actors and poets used to be warned against in polite society, now they are pillars of that society.

Influencers are the old school artists, a little dirty, what do they actually do or produce? They are thought to be a bad influence. But lo, that is the traditional role of the artist. Gabby Petito was an influencer, an artist, and that is why her loss has captured the heart of America.

There are those on the left who, as usual, want to make the media attention given to the death of Petito a symbol of America’s racism. MSNBC’s Joy Reid calls it "missing white women syndrome." CNN’s Don Lemon points to white privilege. It is reductive, dismissive, and ignorant nonsense. It also denies Petito agency for how she chose to live. It is not racism that made her disappearance a cause celebre, it is her spark and creativity.

Really?

[Skinypupy]

Well, that’s certainly the stupidest thing I’ve read today.

[Carpet_pissr]

Beat me to it.

I’m thinking this person has no idea what an ‘influencer’ is in the modern context.

And while I will occasionally use “lo” ironically or to (try) to be funny, I think this person might actually be using it in a non-humorous way.

[Victoria Raverna]

Was she one of the famous influencers? How many people know her before this?

[Grifman]

I wonder who will get the movie rights.

I assume that Lifetime has already started filming.

Nope, Hallmark has the rights.

[Archinerd]

I wonder who will get the movie rights.

I assume that Lifetime has already started filming.

Nope, Hallmark has the rights.

Dr. Phil got the jump on them.

[LawBeefaroni]

I got a scanner alert about a manhunt in Sarasota, which is assume is for this guy but I'm not about to listen in. No news elsewhere.

[Hrothgar]

One of the TV talking heads seemed to say this could be a very tough case to prove. If he's just hiding somewhere, could he get away with it? Is reasonable doubt too high a burden?

[Unagi]

I would defend him with: prejudiced jury

Not reasonable doubt.

It’s exceptionally reasonable to doubt that he is innocent in her death.

IMO

[LawBeefaroni]

One of the TV talking heads seemed to say this could be a very tough case to prove. If he's just hiding somewhere, could he get away with it? Is reasonable doubt too high a burden?

It's pretty evident that he couldn't hold it together under any sort of questioning and his parents and counsel know it. If he is arrested, it's probably over for him unless his attorney sleeps in the cell.

[Smoove_B]

Until we know exactly how she was found and if they can figure out if her death was in any way related to something he did, reasonable doubt will be enough. All he has to say is she ran off or they had a fight and she left him and if she was just found dead from exposure or dehydration, that'll be enough.

All he has to say is he panicked because after calming down he knew it didn't look good so he ran off but now he regrets having left her out there and he should have called the police or someone to come get her after she left him.

There would need to be convincing evidence - like a crushed throat or smashed skull - that could possibly link him. But even then, lawyers might argue some random homeless person or drifter could have attacked her - it's not like hundreds of other people haven't gone missing in that same general area.

Terrible story, all around.

[LawBeefaroni]

Until we know exactly how she was found and if they can figure out if her death was in any way related to something he did, reasonable doubt will be enough. All he has to say is she ran off or they had a fight and she left him and if she was just found dead from exposure or dehydration, that'll be enough.

The ME ruled it homicide.

A coroner in Wyoming confirmed on Tuesday that the body found in the park over the weekend is Gabby Petito, and has ruled that her death was a homicide.

The manner and cause of death are still pending the final autopsy results, the FBI said in a tweet.

[Smoove_B]

Ah, hadn't seen that. If the ME was able to make that determination so quickly, I'd imagine it had to be overwhelmingly violent and easy to determine. Again, the case against him certainly isn't looking good but I don't think it's a slam-dunk yet. Justice would be nice.

[Carpet_pissr]

Also, I don't think it was posted here, but there was another 911 call released from rando passersbys right before the cops incident. They called in saying a dude was slapping a girl (as opposed to the story the couple told the cops, which was the other way around).

I guess we (and the cops) took their word for it that she slapped HIM.

So if that's the case, as often as we have called this guy a dummy, that was pretty savvy move.

[Alefroth]

Also, I don't think it was posted here, but there was another 911 call released from rando passersbys right before the cops incident. They called in saying a dude was slapping a girl (as opposed to the story the couple told the cops, which was the other way around).

I guess we (and the cops) took their word for it that she slapped HIM.

So if that's the case, as often as we have called this guy a dummy, that was pretty savvy move.

He did have scratch marks on his face.

[Jaymann]

Also, I don't think it was posted here, but there was another 911 call released from rando passersbys right before the cops incident. They called in saying a dude was slapping a girl (as opposed to the story the couple told the cops, which was the other way around).

I guess we (and the cops) took their word for it that she slapped HIM.

So if that's the case, as often as we have called this guy a dummy, that was pretty savvy move.

He did have scratch marks on his face.

Maybe he watched season one of Fargo.

[Holman]

Was she one of the famous influencers? How many people know her before this?

I wouldn't know, but my limited sense from reading the news is that she had followers but was no superstar.

Her content seems to have been about traveling to various places around the world and talking about how beautiful they are.

[Kasey Chang]

Ah, hadn't seen that. If the ME was able to make that determination so quickly, I'd imagine it had to be overwhelmingly violent and easy to determine. Again, the case against him certainly isn't looking good but I don't think it's a slam-dunk yet. Justice would be nice.

If it's THAT easy to determine for a body that had been exposed to the elements for God knows how long, and possibly disturbed by animals, it's not going to be something vague like head injury, or even strangling. I'm voting for a weapon, something easily available in the vehicle.

[Isgrimnur]

A reminder: there are only a few categories that a coroner's finding falls into:

• natural
• accident
• suicide
• homicide
• undetermined

[YellowKing]

I just found out she lived in my town for a few years and worked as a server at a local restaurant. That certainly makes it hit a bit closer to home.

[Victoria Raverna]

One of the TV talking heads seemed to say this could be a very tough case to prove. If he's just hiding somewhere, could he get away with it? Is reasonable doubt too high a burden?

It's pretty evident that he couldn't hold it together under any sort of questioning and his parents and counsel know it. If he is arrested, it's probably over for him unless his attorney sleeps in the cell.

Any idea why the police didn't just bring him in for questioning before he disappeared?

[Jeff V]

Any idea why the police didn't just bring him in for questioning before he disappeared?

Just the usual excuses that she wasn't yet really considered to be missing at the time. But yeah, if I was a cop interviewing an uncooperative fuckwit I'd find an excuse to keep tabs on him. I chock this up to laziness on the local PD.

[LawBeefaroni]

One of the TV talking heads seemed to say this could be a very tough case to prove. If he's just hiding somewhere, could he get away with it? Is reasonable doubt too high a burden?

It's pretty evident that he couldn't hold it together under any sort of questioning and his parents and counsel know it. If he is arrested, it's probably over for him unless his attorney sleeps in the cell.

Any idea why the police didn't just bring him in for questioning before he disappeared?

He may not have been at the home. I don't think they ever actually saw him, the parents just said he was there.

[malchior]

So Laundrie was indicted and a federal arrest warrant issued this afternoon for...credit card fraud.

[Unagi]

So this is likely “the use of her debit card”, or something like that....?

[malchior]

So this is likely “the use of her debit card”, or something like that....?

My guess is they have enough timeline established to say he used her cards after her death.

[Unagi]

So this is likely “the use of her debit card”, or something like that....?

My guess is they have enough timeline established to say he used her cards after her death.

Right. I should have been more specific there.

[dbt1949]

So that's what that warrant says?

[Victoria Raverna]

So this is likely “the use of her debit card”, or something like that....?

Or used her phone? Is that a crime?

https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/202 ... stigators/

In the last text message Gabby Petito’s mother received from her daughter’s phone number, Gabby’s grandfather was referred to as “Stan.”

According to a warrant, that text was a red flag for her mother because Petito never refers to her grandfather by his first name.

Her mother told investigators the Aug. 27 text message read: “Can you help Stan, I just keep getting his voicemails and missed calls.”

The text was the first sign that her daughter may be in trouble while on a cross-country trip with her boyfriend Brian Laundrie. Petito’s mother has said she believes her daughter did not send the last text she received from her, a text that was sent three days after she last spoke with her family.

[Victoria Raverna]

So that's what that warrant says?

The warrant says:

Use of Unauthorized Access Devices

[malchior]

So this is likely “the use of her debit card”, or something like that....?

Or used her phone? Is that a crime?

Unless he bypassed phone security by "hacking" the phone it probably wasn't a crime.

[dbt1949]

So that's what that warrant says?

The warrant says:

Use of Unauthorized Access Devices

My bad. I meant what does that mean? Like her credit cards?

[Kasey Chang]

The warrant says:

Use of Unauthorized Access Devices

My bad. I meant what does that mean? Like her credit cards?

Yep.

Unauthorized use of any type of access device entity such as a debit or credit card issued to another individual is a crime if the prosecution can prove that the defendant intentionally used the card to pay for goods and services or obtain money.

[Max Peck]

Some of the articles out there include the text of the grand jury indictment, and it explicity states that he used a specific debit card over a period of a couple of days to withdraw funds from a couple of specific accounts, apparently committing interstate fraud in the process. Presumably that means he used her card to access her accounts after she was dead, but it doesn't state that outright.

[Blackhawk]

There may also be an element of 'Write something down so we can grab him and hold him.'

[Unagi]

And I’m sure Gabby’s family also would like that money back as it was stolen, so no matter what this would be filed, right?

[Alefroth]

Dog the Bounty Hunter is inserting himself into the case now.

https://www.fox7austin.com/news/gabby-p ... s-personal

"The reason I went to Mr. [Christopher] Laundrie is I carry a reputation with me," he told Fox News Digital moments later. "The reputation is, ‘He gives you a second chance. He’s gonna get you, but he gives you a second chance.’"