New witness to Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie fight says she was hit with ‘closed fist’

Gabby Petito was hit with "a closed fist" throughout her battle with Brian Laundrie, in response to a brand new witness.
The Moab Police Division

Brian Laundrie hit Gabby Petito with “a closed fist” throughout a violent argument in Utah final summer season, a brand new witness claimed.

Petito went lacking in late August 2021, sparking headlines worldwide for weeks as her household begged for assist discovering the 22-year-old.

Her physique was discovered a month later in Wyoming, the place, it later emerged, she’d been killed throughout a cross-country tenting journey by Laundrie, her fiancé.

Laundrie murdered Petito, his fiancee, whereas they have been touring throughout the nation.

Gabby Petito/Instagram

A witness tracked down by the Solar newspaper mentioned he noticed the violent argument between Petito and Laundrie in Moab, Utah, days earlier than she disappeared — and he criticized police for treating Laundrie because the sufferer.

Laundrie and Gabby have been arguing when she tried to make her approach towards the again of their van, and Laundrie struck her, sending her stumbling into the facet of the car, the witness instructed the outlet.

“They have been type of yelling after which Brian swung at her, I consider it was his left hand,” mentioned the witness, who was recognized solely as Chandler. “It was type of like a slapping movement, however with a closed fist.”

Laundrie later killed himself by a self-inflicted gunshot.

Moab Metropolis Police Division

Chandler mentioned he’d been driving previous whereas the couple fought and commenced yelling at one another. He mentioned he noticed some bystanders rush over to the pair, and thought they have been calling 911, so he left.

Cops later stopped the couple’s van after a 911 name from somebody saying Laundrie, 23, had slapped his girlfriend throughout an argument exterior a neighborhood retailer.

The Petito household introduced a $50 million lawsuit earlier this month towards the Moab Police Division, claiming cops botched the Aug. 12, 2021 visitors cease, which occurred simply days earlier than Gabby was murdered. The Petitos contend Moab police ought to have made an arrest, and guarded a weak Gabby.

An unbiased overview into Moab Police Division’s conduct revealed one of many responding officers, Eric Pratt, by no means obtained a press release from the 911 caller however did converse to different witnesses, considered one of whom mentioned solely that the couple had been in a “dispute.”

The report, launched in January, concluded Pratt and one other officer who later pulled the couple over, made “unintentional errors,” together with not getting a press release from the 911 caller.

Pratt later reported nobody recalled seeing Brian hit Gabby, the Solar reported.

Laundrie, 23, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the top that precipitated intensive fractures in his cranium. His stays have been found Oct. 20 close to his dad and mom’ dwelling in Florida.