Gabrielle Petito talking to a police officer after police pulled over the van she was traveling with. She had said a emotional and personal fight was happening between the couple. Photo / AP
Gabrielle Petito talking to a police officer after police pulled over the van she was traveling with. She had said a emotional and personal fight was happening between the couple. Photo / AP
Former America's Most Wanted host John Walsh has fired up in a series of television interviews overnight – pointing to major holes in the case of Gabby Petito.
Just days after the body of Petito was found in Wyoming's Bridger-Teton National Forest, an autopsy has revealed the 22-year-old was likely murdered.
However, Walsh – a criminal investigator and host of In Pursuit With John Walsh – told US networks that her life could have easily been saved.
He eviscerated police for not stepping in after her partner Brian Laundrie was allegedly seen slapping Petito by a witness who relayed that information to police in an emergency 911 call on August 12.
He told Good Morning America it was clear after watching the police bodycam footage of the fighting couple in Utah that day that Petito was in serious danger.
Gabrielle Petito talking to a police officer after police pulled over the van she was traveling with. She had said a emotional and personal fight was happening between the couple. Photo / AP
"She was scared to death in that video," he said.
Yesterday it was reported that a 911 caller had allegedly seen Laundrie "slapping" his fiance, but this information was not relayed to the police who stopped the couple on the road.
Walsh, who also appeared on CNN, asked: "How is it that that 911 operator didn't get that information to those two deputies that stopped 'em?"
He said: "It just was chilling to see that those cops didn't get the information. And it's so sad because she might be alive today."
Walsh added: "She was terrified."
He also blasted Laundrie's family, who he called the "dirty Laundries", for giving Brian the time to get rid of potential evidence from his home and the van the couple had been living in.
A Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission helicopter flies overhead during a search for Brian Laundrie in the Carlton Reserve. Photo / AP
"This dirtbag shows up at his parent's home. He's there for 10 days and he never mentions where Gabby is," he said on GMA.
"I'm praying America gets together and we catch this coward," he said.
The Laundrie family were due to hold a press conference on Tuesday but it was later called off.
Petito's remains were found in Grand Teton County on Sunday local time, after an extensive air and ground search of the region around the Spread Creek Dispersed camping area.
Authorities initially didn't confirm if the body found in the remote camping area was Petito, but said the remains were "consistent" with a description of the young blogger.
Brian Laundrie talking to a police officer after police pulled over the van he was traveling in with Gabrielle Petito. Photo / AP
Teton County coroner Dr Brent Blue today said the initial autopsy confirmed the remains were of Petito and her manner of death was likely homicide.
Petito was reported missing on September 11 by her parents after failing to return home to Florida from a cross-country road trip with Laundrie – who is now a "person of interest".
The FBI said it "remained dedicated to ensuring anyone responsible for or complicit in Petito's death is held accountable for their actions".
"Anyone with information concerning Mr Laundrie's role in this matter or his current whereabouts should contact the FBI," special agent in charge Michael Schneider said.
A final autopsy will determine Petito's cause of death.
