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On Tuesday, the lifelong step-parents of Gabby Petito, Tara Petito, and Jim Schmidt described in heartbreaking detail the moments when they heard the news that their 22-year-old daughter’s remains were believed to have been found in Wyoming after she had been missing for weeks. They said that they believe her fiancé, Brian Laundrie is still alive. However, Joe Petito and Nichole Schmidt are Gabby’s mother and father. Her step-parents sat down for an interview with Dr. Phil McGraw’s show. The approximately 30-minute interview covered topics ranging from Nichole Schmidt’s early inkling that her daughter was not okay; the text messages Gabby’s parents sent to Laundrie’s parents; and their belief that he is hiding out. Jim Schmidt recalled said all of the 4 parents were spread out throughout the country when the FBI told them on Sept. 19 that they had some information that they wanted to share.

Jim Schmidt met law enforcement agents in Wyoming at a conference room of the hotel. He later learned it because he needed to share the news before word got out of their discovery. Jim Schmidt said, “They described a piece of clothing to me that matched one of her favorite sweatshirts that we knew was, that we knew was hers. We were all crying in the room. You know, couldn’t believe it, because we were holding out for hope. I knew what we were potentially going to find when we came here”. The others joined the meeting via conference call, where they learned that the FBI had found the remains of a body that matched Gabby’s physical description. Schmidt added, “I was able to compose myself and we got everybody on a conference call, and I was able to relay it to everyone”.

While Jim Schmidt was in Wyoming, Nichole was in New York and Tara and Joe Petito were in Florida. Petito’s mother described to McGraw learning that investigators had found remains. She said, “And we knew it was Gabby. Even though we were hoping it wasn’t. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to listen to. But I knew she was gone. As a mom, I knew she was gone”. The FBI confirmed 2 days later that the remains belonged to Petito and identified the manner of her death as being homicide. Nichole Schmidt said, “I didn’t want to admit it, but I felt it the night I found out the van was in Florida on the 11th, I felt in my heart that she was gone”. It is noteworthy that Brian Laundrie and Petito had embarked on their road trip mid-June in a converted white Ford Transit van.