section_path: Disappearance/Last reported activities and sightings
section_name: Last reported activities and sightings
paragraph_text: Last reported activities and sightings
  
  On August 17, Laundrie took a flight from Salt Lake City to Tampa, Florida, leaving Petito behind. Petito spent several days at a Fairfield Inn and Suites hotel near Salt Lake City International Airport, according to staff, and checked out on August 24. It was later explained by the Laundrie family attorney that he made the trip to "obtain some items and empty and close the storage unit to save money as they contemplated extending the road trip". Laundrie returned on August 23 to rejoin Petito and continue the trip.
  
  Petito's mother said that she last spoke to her daughter on August 25 and had been told that the couple were traveling from Utah to Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks. On August 25, the final post was made on Petito's Instagram account, which consisted of photos of herself taken in front of a butterfly mural outside a restaurant in Ogden, Utah.
  
  A witness said that, on August 27 between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. she saw Laundrie and Petito together at the Merry Piglets Tex-Mex restaurant in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Per the witness, Laundrie was "aggressive" and had an argument (apparently regarding money) with the manager, waitress, and hostess. The witness said she later saw Petito return to the restaurant, crying and apologizing for Laundrie's behavior. Restaurant staff confirmed via Instagram that the couple were indeed there.
  
  Shortly afterwards, Petito and Laundrie were filmed by CCTV at a Whole Foods store in Jackson, Wyoming. They arrived at the parking lot at 2:11 p.m. and entered the store at 2:14 p.m. before exiting at 2:30 p.m. and heading back into the van. After about 20 minutes of sitting in the van, they eventually drove away and got on Highway 89, the road north to Bridger–Teton National Forest campsite at 2:56 p.m. This is the last footage of Petito alive. Also on August 27, a text from Petito's phone was sent to her mother which read, "Can you help Stan, I just keep getting his voicemails and missed calls." The message raised concerns for Petito's mother, who said that Stan was Petito's grandfather and that she never referred to him by his first name.
  
  There were no known further sightings of Petito before her death. Eyewitness accounts suggest that Laundrie left the van near the Spread Creek Dispersed Camping area of the Bridger–Teton National Forest – close to where Petito's body was later discovered – and traveled alone on foot, before returning on August 29:
  
  According to Laundrie's parents, on August 29, Laundrie called his mother, and as their conversation was brought to the end, his tone "completely changed". After that, Laundrie's father contacted him back, and Laundrie told him that "Gabby's gone" and that he may need a lawyer, without giving further details.
  
  The last text message from Petito's phone to her mother, sent on August 30, simply said "no service in Yosemite". Her mother did not believe this message was sent by Petito. Text messages were also sent between Laundrie and Petito's phones, and a transaction of $700 was made from Petito's account to Laundrie with a message saying "goodbye" to him; these activities are believed to have been conducted by Laundrie in an attempt to create an alibi.
  
  On September 1, Laundrie returned alone to his parents' North Port home in the Ford Transit Connect. On September 6 and 7, he and his parents went camping at Fort De Soto Park in Pinellas County.
  
  On August 17, Laundrie took a flight from Salt Lake City to Tampa, Florida, leaving Petito behind. Petito spent several days at a Fairfield Inn and Suites hotel near Salt Lake City International Airport, according to staff, and checked out on August 24. It was later explained by the Laundrie family attorney that he made the trip to "obtain some items and empty and close the storage unit to save money as they contemplated extending the road trip". Laundrie returned on August 23 to rejoin Petito and continue the trip.
  
  Petito's mother said that she last spoke to her daughter on August 25 and had been told that the couple were traveling from Utah to Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks. On August 25, the final post was made on Petito's Instagram account, which consisted of photos of herself taken in front of a butterfly mural outside a restaurant in Ogden, Utah.
  
  A witness said that, on August 27 between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. she saw Laundrie and Petito together at the Merry Piglets Tex-Mex restaurant in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Per the witness, Laundrie was "aggressive" and had an argument (apparently regarding money) with the manager, waitress, and hostess. The witness said she later saw Petito return to the restaurant, crying and apologizing for Laundrie's behavior. Restaurant staff confirmed via Instagram that the couple were indeed there.
  
  Shortly afterwards, Petito and Laundrie were filmed by CCTV at a Whole Foods store in Jackson, Wyoming. They arrived at the parking lot at 2:11 p.m. and entered the store at 2:14 p.m. before exiting at 2:30 p.m. and heading back into the van. After about 20 minutes of sitting in the van, they eventually drove away and got on Highway 89, the road north to Bridger–Teton National Forest campsite at 2:56 p.m. This is the last footage of Petito alive. Also on August 27, a text from Petito's phone was sent to her mother which read, "Can you help Stan, I just keep getting his voicemails and missed calls." The message raised concerns for Petito's mother, who said that Stan was Petito's grandfather and that she never referred to him by his first name.
  
  There were no known further sightings of Petito before her death. Eyewitness accounts suggest that Laundrie left the van near the Spread Creek Dispersed Camping area of the Bridger–Teton National Forest – close to where Petito's body was later discovered – and traveled alone on foot, before returning on August 29:
  
  According to Laundrie's parents, on August 29, Laundrie called his mother, and as their conversation was brought to the end, his tone "completely changed". After that, Laundrie's father contacted him back, and Laundrie told him that "Gabby's gone" and that he may need a lawyer, without giving further details.
  
  The last text message from Petito's phone to her mother, sent on August 30, simply said "no service in Yosemite". Her mother did not believe this message was sent by Petito. Text messages were also sent between Laundrie and Petito's phones, and a transaction of $700 was made from Petito's account to Laundrie with a message saying "goodbye" to him; these activities are believed to have been conducted by Laundrie in an attempt to create an alibi.
  
  On September 1, Laundrie returned alone to his parents' North Port home in the Ford Transit Connect. On September 6 and 7, he and his parents went camping at Fort De Soto Park in Pinellas County.