Brian Laundrie’s family pay tribute to Gabby Petito after ‘matching’ body found by FBI

The parents of Petito's still missing fiancé have issued a statement

After remains reportedly matching the description of Gabby Petito were found, the family of Brian Laundrie - her fiancé who disappeared after returning home without her - have paid tribute to the 22-year-old. As per Fox News, Laundrie's parents released a statement via their attorney after Sunday's tragic announcements. The tribute reads: "The news about Gabby Petito is heartbreaking. The Laundrie family prays for Gabby and her family.". Remains thought to be matching her description were discovered in a remote area of the Bridger-Teton National Forest, near the Spread Creek Dispersed campground in Wyoming on Sunday, 19th December, not far from where the couple had visited. Petito's father, Joseph, posted a powerful image of his daughter to his Instagram with the simple caption: "she touched the world". https://www.instagram.com/p/CUBQyRavk6d/ Brian Laundrie returned home from their joint trip to Wyoming's Grand Teton National Park without his partner but when police were called to his family home in North Port, Florida, he was nowhere to be found. The 23-year-old was reported as missing by his family following the sudden disappearance but, prior to the remains being found, the Petito family released their own statement via their attorney: https://twitter.com/MeganMyersNews/status/1439075711311024128?s=20 Between the announcement and Laundrie returning home before once again leaving, footage was released by police in Utah on Friday which showed an officer pulling over the couple's van on August 12th. The Ford Transit van was reported as speeding, driving erratically and crashing into a curb. Following the two being pulled over, the officer bodycam footage showed Petito visibly upset, speaking about her mental health struggles and detailing a recent fight with her boyfriend.

Related links:

• TikToker 'picked up Gabby Petito's fiance alone' days after she went missing
• Police release unsettling video footage of Gabby Petito before disappearance
• Missing Instagrammer Gabby Petito's last text suggests 'she may have been 800 miles from last sighting'