THE DEATH of an American vlogger whose body was discovered in a national park after being reported missing has officially been ruled a homicide.
As reported by RTÉ News, the local coroner confirmed that the remains found in Wyoming were that of Gabby Petito, and said it was clear that the "initial determination for the manner of death is homicide"-- though the cause of death is still pending final autopsy results.
Police are continuing their search for Ms Petito's boyfriend, 23-year-old Brian Laundrie, who went missing after refusing to cooperate with police when Gabby was a missing person.
Police have insisted however that he has not been charged with any crime and is just a 'person of interest' in the case.
However an attorney for Gabriella's family told CNN that the family "want the world to know that Brian is not missing, he is hiding."
Gabby's father, Joseph, shared a photograph of his daughter on social media following the news a body had been discovered, writing "She touched the world."
(Joseph Petito / Twitter)He was one of the last people to see her alive, as the pair had been on a road-trip together which they were filming and taking photographs of, which they would then post to Instagram and Youtube.
A large-scale search lasting over a week eventually led to the discovery of a body, matching Gabriella's description, in the Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming.
A video taken from a police body camera days before she was reported missing, showing a distraught and crying Gabriella interacting with an officer after what she claimed was a fight with her boyfriend, emerged during the search for the missing 22-year-old woman.
Gabriella was last seen alive on 24 August, and on 25 August share her final photograph to social media.
On 1 September her boyfriend, Brian, returned to his parents' house alone.
Gabriella-- or Gabby, as she was known to her friends-- was reported missing by her family on 11 September.
Investigations into Gabriella's murder continue.
See More: Gabby Petito, Murder, RIP
