Authorities have discovered a body “consistent” with Gabrielle ‘Gabby’ Petito, the 22-year-old social media influencer, who went missing during her road trip with fiance. Her fiance, Brian Laundrie, also went missing on September 14. 

The suspected body was found, on Sunday, in a remote area of the Bridger-Teton National Forest, near the Spread Creek Dispersed campground. FBI spokesman Charles Jones said that “formal identification of the remains has not been made and the cause of death is yet to be determined.”

Meanwhile, North Port Police said Laundrie could have hurt himself. “As far as hurting himself in there, we don’t know that one way or another. I think it’s a possibility certainly,” North Port Police spokesman Josh Taylor said, “Does anyone not think it’s possible he went out there and shot himself in the head? Sure. We don’t have any information about where he’s at.” 

Soon after, social media went abuzz with endless speculations and conspiracies about their disappearance. 

Also Read | US turns to social media influencers to boost vaccine rates

A Twitter user wrote, “#BrianLaundrie allegedly seen in #Alabama and was hitchhiking. #GABBYPETITO #GabbyPetitoMissing #findbrianlaundrie #wheresgabby.” Another user said, “Brian Laundrie spotted in Tillmans Corner, Alabama on 17 September. If this is verified, he’s headed to Mexico to flee the country.” 

Meanwhile, conspiracy theories knew no bounds on social media. 

One tweet said, “Since #Laundrie parents protected #BrianLaundrie from authorities, wouldn’t they also misdirect them? Has he already crossed the border?” Another person tweeted, “#BrianLaundrie is most definitely on his way to mexico after a report of a sighting in AL, how do you go from naples to AL? straight to mexico!” A reply to that tweet read, “If that was three days ago he could be as far as New Orleans by now. He’s a fit guy and apparently people are still giving him rides.”

Taking the theories ahead, another one Tweeted, “Since #BrianLaundrie was believed to be spotted in AL on the 17th it makes sense why his parents drove his car from the preserve instead of leaving it in hopes he’d be driving it home. My theory: they waited until he was safe in Mexico, then filed a fake missing persons report.”