Brian Laundrie Seen Arguing In Restaurant Before Gabby Petito Disappeared: Witness

A witness told Fox News she saw an agitated Laundrie arguing with a server about money and said Petito apologized for his behavior.
LOADINGERROR LOADING

Missing person Brian Laundrie had an “explosive argument” with the employees of a restaurant in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, before his girlfriend Gabby Petito disappeared, a witness said Wednesday.

Nina Celie Angelo told Fox News that she and her boyfriend, Matthew England, were eating lunch at a Tex-Mex restaurant between 1 and 2 p.m. on Aug. 27 when she saw an agitated Laundrie arguing with a restaurant server.

Although Angelo wasn’t privy to the conversation, she said it appeared the argument was about money. She described Laundrie’s body language as “aggressive” and said he left and returned about four times.

Angelo said she later saw Petito come inside to apologize for Laundrie’s behavior.

Petito’s parents reported her missing on Sept. 11 after she did not respond to calls and texts for several days while she and Laundrie visited parks in the western U.S.

Her body was discovered Sunday at Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming.

Angelo and England apparently didn’t think much about the restaurant incident until Utah police bodycam video emerged last week. That’s when England realized Petito and Laundrie were the couple in the restaurant, Angelo said.

“He goes, ‘Nina, that was the couple fighting at the restaurant,’” she told Fox News. “And it stopped me in my tracks. I felt like the blood left my body. I was like, ‘Oh my God, I completely forgot about that incident.’”

The restaurant confirmed on Instagram on Wednesday that Petito and Laundrie had been there. But a restaurant manager told Fox News they couldn’t recall the incident, adding that the business is “super busy during summer.”

Teton County Coroner Brent Blue has classified Petito’s death as a homicide but has not disclosed the cause of death pending further autopsy results.

Laundrie returned home to North Port, Florida, on Sept. 1 without Petito. He has not been charged with any crime but is considered a person of interest in the case. His parents reported him missing last week.

On Wednesday, search teams fanned out at Carlton Reserve, a Florida wilderness park, hoping to find him.

North Port police spokesperson Joshua Taylor said Laundrie’s parents told them he had gone there after he returned to Florida, according to the AP.

Before You Go

"Young L.A. Girl Slain; Body Slashed in Two" ― L.A.'s Daily News

10 Major Crimes That Shocked the Nation (SLIDESHOW)

Popular in the Community

Close

What's Hot