Gabby Petito: Body 'matching the description' of missing woman found

20 September 2021, 00:03 | Updated: 20 September 2021, 00:13

A body 'matching the description' of missing woman Gabby Petito has been found, the FBI said.

The remains were discovered in a Wyoming national park, where a search was being carried out for the travel blogger.

However, full forensic identification is yet to be carried out and the cause of death is still unknown, the FBI explained.

Authorities have since informed the 22-year-old's family and requested that their privacy be respected while the investigation is still ongoing.

Meanwhile, a statement from the North Port Police Department said: "We are saddened and heartbroken to learn that Gabby has been found deceased.

"Our focus from the start, along with the FBI, and national partners, has been to bring her home. We will continue to work with the FBI in the search for more answers."

Read more: Gabby Petito: Family of missing woman accuse fiancé of 'hiding' as hunt continues

Ms Petito set out on a road trip across the US with her fiancé - Brian Laundrie - in July, documenting their travels online.

However, it was only Mr Laundrie that returned back to Florida on 1 September.

He was identified as a person of interest in the case but has since gone missing too.

Mr Laundrie was last seen on Tuesday by family members in Florida, and investigators have been searching for him for the past two days in a 24,000-acre wildlife reserve near Sarasota, Florida.

FBI Supervisory Special Agent Charles Jones said investigators are still seeking information from anyone who may have seen Ms Petito or Mr Laundrie around camping sites located on the park's eastern boundary, the same site that was the subject of a law enforcement search efforts over the weekend.