# Van lifer goes missing on cross country trip with fiancee **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 13, 2021, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/van-lifer-goes-missing-on-cross-country-trip-with-fiancee/950604 "2021-09-13T13:48:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 27
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2021, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/van-lifer-goes-missing-on-cross-country-trip-with-fiancee/950604/522 "2021-09-23T02:30:57Z")
> [@UltraVires](#): > > Yet another story of seeing them argue in a restaurant in Jackson Hole, WY: So, Brian was a social Chameleon. He could appear outwardly calm and friendly. The nice kid next door. But he had a dark side too. It would be very interesting if Gabby’s stomach contents (autopsy) contained that Tex Mex meal. Gabby’s last meal may have been witnessed. > [@](#): > > One of the last times Gabby Petito was seen alive involved an explosive argument between Brian Laundrie and wait staff at a Jackson Hole restaurant, according to a New Orleans couple who said they witnessed the spat. > > “I have chills right now,” Nina Celie Angelo told Fox News Digital Wednesday. “It’s crazy because it wasn’t just like we passed them on the street — it was a full blown incident.” ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2021, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/van-lifer-goes-missing-on-cross-country-trip-with-fiancee/950604/523 "2021-09-23T02:43:12Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > In any case, the picture I’m getting is that this was rapidly deteriorating into a road trip from hell. One of them - both of them - should have pulled the plug on this thing and headed back home with their sanity in tact. I’m going to drive off the reservation on this. My first impression of Gabby can be summed up in 1 word. Bamby. She strikes me as a clueless little girl. She had no business taking this trip. If the vehicle was in her name and she was reluctant to drive it that suggests it was bought for him or because of his influence. This is not the mark of a good relationship but one in which someone deliberately controls the other. It wouldn’t surprise me if her parents didn’t strongly advise her against the trip. Brian’s behavior on the police video tripped my bullshit meter. it’s one of those things you can’t spell out in words. His constant apologies for his driving strikes me as glad-handing nonsense. His general demeanor was one of someone spinning a tale. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2021, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/van-lifer-goes-missing-on-cross-country-trip-with-fiancee/950604/524 "2021-09-23T02:48:40Z")
> [@ShadowFacts](#): > > See my [post #158](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/van-lifer-goes-missing-on-cross-country-trip-with-fiancee/950604/158) in this thread. It’s not an area I studied in school but I’d expect the test for this is the expectations inherent in familiar property. Lawyers can weigh in on this. Would a fiance be considered family and would leaving someone stranded enter into the conversation of their use of the vehicle. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2021, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/van-lifer-goes-missing-on-cross-country-trip-with-fiancee/950604/525 "2021-09-23T02:54:01Z")
A lot of people have dark sides. That doesn’t make him evil; just makes him human. The problem is, he was young and probably enabled by parents who didn’t put him in his place. And like what the fuck are both of them doing just galivanting around the country? ---
**Author:** ![Oredigger77](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oredigger77/32/3181_2.png) [@Oredigger77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oredigger77)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2021, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/van-lifer-goes-missing-on-cross-country-trip-with-fiancee/950604/526 "2021-09-23T03:38:05Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > And like what the fuck are both of them doing just galivanting around the country? Earning a living? ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2021, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/van-lifer-goes-missing-on-cross-country-trip-with-fiancee/950604/527 "2021-09-23T03:39:58Z")
Right…like I said, what the fuck are they doing galivanting around the country? ---
**Author:** ![Oredigger77](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oredigger77/32/3181_2.png) [@Oredigger77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oredigger77)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2021, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/van-lifer-goes-missing-on-cross-country-trip-with-fiancee/950604/528 "2021-09-23T03:41:20Z")
So, you don’t accept it was their job as a valid reason? Of all the crazy here being a youtube star seem very low on the scale. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2021, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/van-lifer-goes-missing-on-cross-country-trip-with-fiancee/950604/529 "2021-09-23T03:44:44Z")
Were they making any real money at this? ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2021, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/van-lifer-goes-missing-on-cross-country-trip-with-fiancee/950604/530 "2021-09-23T03:45:18Z")
I get that some people think that they can be a YouTube star, just like I can get that people think they can be NBA or NFL players. They should have recognized that this wasn’t working out for them. Admittedly, that’s the 40-something speaking, not the 20-something that was wide open to all kinds of imaginary, fantasy-land bullshit. I’m just sad that her life was wasted. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2021, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/van-lifer-goes-missing-on-cross-country-trip-with-fiancee/950604/531 "2021-09-23T03:50:09Z")
I don’t understand the question. That’s like the perfect time, if you have wanderlust, to go galavanting around the country. I completely empathize with that urge to explore (as that’s what I essentially did at that age, though without murdering anyone in the process.) ---
**Author:** ![DMC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dmc/32/18049_2.png) [@DMC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMC)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2021, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/van-lifer-goes-missing-on-cross-country-trip-with-fiancee/950604/532 "2021-09-23T04:12:05Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > Just another tall guy wearing a N95 mask. Who happens to have a pretty unique tattoo on the middle finger of his right hand. No idea why that hasn’t been put out there. Then we’d have just another tall guy wearing a N95 mask and gloves. That would draw somewhat more attention. This should start a second before the tattoo becomes clearly visible. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/fCGsW41aQEw/maxresdefault.jpg "Gabby Petito case: Full Utah bodycam video") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCGsW41aQEw&t=311) ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2021, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/van-lifer-goes-missing-on-cross-country-trip-with-fiancee/950604/533 "2021-09-23T05:22:12Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > He was hiking out West in _flip flops_ Where was that reported? How do you know this? Do you mean he was driving the van in flip-flops? Because that’s different. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2021, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/van-lifer-goes-missing-on-cross-country-trip-with-fiancee/950604/534 "2021-09-23T05:33:49Z")
> [@Martin\_Hyde](#): > > There’s a lot of evidence to come in, but mind there’s actually a strong case against him right now. It wouldn’t take that much more to convince me if I were a juror, assuming the defense presents no competing evidence or a theory that’s quite compelling. > [@asahi](#): > > And like what the fuck are both of them doing just galivanting around the country? Being kids? I wish I’d done some more gallivanting when I was young. What’s wrong with doing a little travel? ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2021, 8:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/van-lifer-goes-missing-on-cross-country-trip-with-fiancee/950604/535 "2021-09-23T08:36:19Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > Right…like I said, what the fuck are they doing galivanting around the country? It’s really not that unusual for people that age to take a road trip. Heck, I took a trip to France when I was younger than those two. > [@asahi](#): > > I get that some people think that they can be a YouTube star, just like I can get that people think they can be NBA or NFL players. They should have recognized that this wasn’t working out for them. Well, until they tried it they didn’t know it. As for recognizing it wasn’t working - young people can be stubborn. Unfortunately, it probably added additional stress to the trip and their relationship. > [@DMC](#): > > Who happens to have a pretty unique tattoo on the middle finger of his right hand. No idea why that hasn’t been put out there. A LOT of people have finger tattoos these days - 30 years ago having any visible tattoo would have set him apart from the crowd, these days it’s _::: shrug ::::_ Sure, it’s a distinctive trait and if he winds up on a most-wanted list it will be mentioned but apparently we’re not at that point. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2021, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/van-lifer-goes-missing-on-cross-country-trip-with-fiancee/950604/536 "2021-09-23T11:47:35Z")
It doesn’t matter who is “family,” what matters is consent. She owns the vehicle, and he clearly has permission to drive it. He arrives back in Florida in it. You have to show that his permission was revoked at some point in order to make a prima facie case of theft. You assume he killed her. Then charge him with that. If you don’t have evidence enough to charge him with killing her, then how can you use that as evidence for car theft? What prima facie evidence do you have that he stranded her? She could have left on her own and told him to take the car. We don’t know. If I am a prosecutor, all I have is a guy who has permission to drive the car and continues to drive it with not one shred of evidence suggesting that his permission was revoked. I doubt a magistrate even signs a warrant. ETA: And sort of a macabre theoretical. If she gave him permission to drive the car and he kills her, well, she had no opportunity to revoke the permission, so he is still in the clear. ---
**Author:** ![Oredigger77](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oredigger77/32/3181_2.png) [@Oredigger77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oredigger77)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2021, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/van-lifer-goes-missing-on-cross-country-trip-with-fiancee/950604/537 "2021-09-23T13:45:08Z")
From the couple of minutes of looking around I did last night it seems she was making ~$15k per year from her YouTube channel. There was a different article that said they had 600k subscribers though I’m not certain if that number was from after her disappearance. Not getting rich level but probably paid for a large part of their trip. ---
**Author:** ![ShadowFacts](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shadowfacts/32/2934_2.png) [@ShadowFacts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadowFacts)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2021, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/van-lifer-goes-missing-on-cross-country-trip-with-fiancee/950604/538 "2021-09-23T14:32:02Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > Right…like I said, what the fuck are they doing galivanting around the country Other people have already responded, but this question is silly. Haven’t you ever heard of backpacking across Europe, for example? While the “van life” aspect may be slightly novel, young people engaging in this kind of travel is totally normal. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2021, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/van-lifer-goes-missing-on-cross-country-trip-with-fiancee/950604/539 "2021-09-23T15:07:28Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > what the fuck are they doing galivanting around the country? Put yet another way: _exactly_ what I’d be doing if I were their age now. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2021, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/van-lifer-goes-missing-on-cross-country-trip-with-fiancee/950604/540 "2021-09-23T17:42:36Z")
> [@UltraVires](#): > > What prima facie evidence do you have that he stranded her? She could have left on her own and told him to take the car. We don’t know. If I am a prosecutor, all I have is a guy who has permission to drive the car and continues to drive it with not one shred of evidence suggesting that his permission was revoked. I doubt a magistrate even signs a warrant. The evidence is that she is no longer in contact with anyone while on vacation with him in remote areas and he has no explanation as to where she is. I would expect that to put his use of the vehicle in question. It’s a challenge-able premise. He is not free to use the vehicle against her wishes. If she is found dead and he is convicted of murder then the charge of theft could be added as he certainly didn’t have permission to use the vehicle under those conditions. ---
**Author:** ![MikeF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MikeF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeF)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2021, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/van-lifer-goes-missing-on-cross-country-trip-with-fiancee/950604/541 "2021-09-23T17:43:56Z")
Do you have a problem with said galivanting? If so, why? What business is it of yours or anybody elses? You know - land of the free and all that. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/van-lifer-goes-missing-on-cross-country-trip-with-fiancee/950604.md?page=26) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/van-lifer-goes-missing-on-cross-country-trip-with-fiancee/950604.md?page=28)