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John Walsh Hosting Gabby Petito Special To ‘Help Find Brian Laundrie’

The Gabby Petito case continues to spark discussion nationwide. As information unfolds daily, thousands of people are consuming the story. Much like the Casey Anthony trial nearly a decade ago, Petito’s story is a media frenzy.

Since the disappearance and death of the 22-year-old woman, a nationwide manhunt for her fiancé, Brian Laundrie, is underway. To help shed light on the case, Investigation Discovery’s John Walsh will host a special laying out the details. It is the network’s hope that this will also lead to Brian Laundrie’s whereabouts.

According to the New York Post, Walsh will also have a panel of experts join him. Each person involved is either a journalist, prosecutor, former law enforcement agent or a missing person’s advocate.

Petito and Laundrie were on a months-long road trip together. They were traveling and documenting their journey through several national parks. In late August, Gabby’s family said they stopped hearing from her. Then on Sept. 1, Laundrie returned home to North Port, Florida without his fiancé. Her body was later discovered in a campground in Wyoming. Her cause of death is a homicide, with the final autopsy results released today. Brian Laundrie disappeared shortly after the Petito family filed a missing person’s report. He has been missing since Sept. 14.

ID Uses Platform for Search in Gabby Petito Case

Jason Sarlanis, ID’s president of crime and investigative content, said the special “will give viewers an in-depth look at the story BEHIND the headlines with exclusive commentary and analysis that only ID’s all-star roster of experts can bring.”

He went on to add:

“This story could be the defining case of our generation and we at ID are doing everything in our power to help find Brian Laundrie and use our platform to bring much-needed attention to the many other missing persons cases still left tragically unsolved.” 

Additionally, the special will address domestic violence and what it looks like through an expert lens.

During a portion of Petito and Laundrie’s road trip in Utah, the two were stopped and questioned about a domestic disturbance. Through bodycam footage, the interaction is upsetting. After its release, Walsh said he felt awful for Gabby.

“I looked at it with an FBI agent friend of mine and I was terrified,” Walsh said to CNN host Anderson Cooper.

In addition to the footage, friends close to Gabby and Brian said their relationship felt “toxic.” One witness said she never saw overt abuse, but noted that the couple “had very high highs and very low lows.”

Brian Laundrie is the only person of interest in the case. However, the Laundrie family has not been helpful to either law enforcement or the Petito family about any details they may know. Authorities speculate that Brian left his parents’ Florida home and is likely staying in wooded areas. Though millions of dollars have been spent, authorities have been unable to locate Brian Laundrie.

“GABBY PETITO: ID SPECIAL REPORT,” will air Wednesday, October 13 (9 p.m. on ID).