Gabby Petito died by strangulation, according to Teton County, Wyoming coroner Brent Blue.
“By Wyoming state statute, only the cause and manner of death are released,” Blue said during a Tuesday announcement. “The autopsy findings and photographs and that sort of material [will not be] released.”
Blue revealed the news during a conference, where he shared that Petito’s body was left “outside in the wilderness for three to four weeks.” He said it took a month to reach the final autopsy because officials were “exacting” in their examination.
“It was just a matter of making sure we had everything right,” Blue shared.
The 22-year-old’s remains were found on Sept. 19 in Bridger-Teton National Forest. Blue had previously ruled Petito’s death a homicide, as seen in the video above, and the manhunt for her missing fiancée Brian Laundrie continues.
Blue elaborated Tuesday, sharing that there are many details he cannot speak on regarding the condition of Petito’s body due to local rules. The autopsy included a CT body scan, forensic pathologist examinations, forensic anthropologist examinations, and a toxicology analysis.
He added that she was not pregnant at the time of her death but could not speak on bruising or if her body was buried or not when discovered. DNA samples have been taken from Petito’s body, according to the coroner.
“Gabby Petito’s death at such a young age is a tragedy,” said Laundrie family attorney Steven Bertolino. “While Brian Laundrie is currently charged with the unauthorized use of a debit card belonging to Gabby, Brian is only considered a person of interest in relation to Gabby Petito’s demise. At this time Brian is still missing and when he is located we will address the pending fraud charge against him.”
