A witness reported seeing Brian Laundrie slapping a woman on the side of a road in Utah, leading police to encounter the couple. Body cam footage from August 2021 showed Gabby Petito claiming she had anxiety and was stressed by Brian, but she also admitted to hitting him first.
The investigation raised questions about who started the physical altercation that left both with injuries. A police officer stated that Gabby seemed like the aggressor, while another officer noted her claims. Despite this, police initially gave Brian a break, escorting him to a hotel for victims of domestic violence and giving Gabby keys to their van.
However, the couple reunited that night and continued on to Salt Lake City, defying an order not to contact each other.
Source: https://www.eonline.com/news/1413722/gabby-petito-murder-where-brian-laundries-sister-cassie-stands-with-their-parents-today