Friends of Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie allegedly detected red flags in their relationship long before the fatal cross-country road trip.
Before her death was confirmed on Sept. 21, Utah police responded to 911 call that reported an alleged “domestic problem” between the couple, with the caller saying Laundrie was “slapping” Petito. The 22-year-old blogger was seen crying in police body cam footage on Aug. 12, explaining she was “fighting” with fiancé Laundrie.
Authorities said he returned to his home in Florida without her on Sept. 1, and his family has not seen him since Sept. 14. He remains a person of interest in the FBI and police investigation.
However, “things weren’t 100% wonderful” between the couple when Laundrie’s friend, Ben Matula, knew them as teens in Long Island, New York. “There was always something below the surface,” he told People for an article on Sept. 22.
“One minute, they’d be all over each other, the next minute, he’d be like, ‘We’re fighting,'” he alleged. “They always had some drama.”
