THE FBI withholding Gabby Petito's cause of death is strange and only typically happens when investigators are "missing something", an expert has claimed.

Famed forensic pathologist Dr. Michael Baden told Fox News that the FBI's decision to withhold the slain vlogger's remains was "very unusual", as was their decision not to release her cause of death when a preliminary autopsy was completed.

The remains of 22-year-old Gabby were found at a campsite near Wyoming's Grand Teton National Park on September 19.

She was officially reported missing on September 10, but is believed to have last been seen alive around August 27.

Within days of her remains being found, Teton County Coroner Dr. Brent Blue ruled in his initial determination on September 21 that Gabby's manner of death was a homicide.

However, the office did not reveal her cause of death pending the final autopsy results.

They have also not yet released her remains back to her family.

'VERY UNUSUAL'

Baden, who has worked on a bevy of high profile cases such as the death of Jeffrey Epstein, said: "I think the FBI would be very cautious about things because they don't want to make a mistake.

"Whatever reasons they're withholding, it is very unusual."

He added: "I think that the only reason would be, you're concerned that you're missing something, but that should not be a concern, because whatever is needed to investigate the death from the point of view of the medical examiner will be seen, documented and could be retained."

Read our Gabby Petito live blog for the very latest news and updates…

Baden explained that, if a pathologist was questioned whether or not someone died from heart disease, they would retain the subject's heart – "but you don't retain the whole body."

"In 2021, where anything of value can be document[ed], retained, tested on day one or two or three, there's no reason to keep the whole body from the family," he continued.

Baden characterized officials as doing the exact "reverse" of what is typically done by releasing the manner of death before the cause.

"Usually, if one thinks of other deaths, high-profile or not, the cause of death is certainly revealed. Sometimes, sometimes the manner of death is held up," he told Fox.

Furthering his point, Baden gave the example that someone could die from a drug overdose as a result of an accident, a suicide, or a homicide. 

Generally speaking, Baden says, releasing a victim’s manner of death implies that the cause is already known.

"Now, what they're saying is, whatever they found, they've ruled out accidents, suicides, or natural deaths that could cause it," he added.

Ill-FATED ADVENTURE

Brian and Gabby, who met in New York before moving to Florida two years ago, were around two months into their planned four-month cross-country road trip touring the US’ national parks before Gabby vanished sometime around August 27.

Brian quietly returned home to Florida alone on September 1, failing to alert police or Gabby’s family that she was missing.

He reportedly acted “without a care in the world” upon his return, neighbors said, mowing the front yard and enjoying idyllic bike rides with his mom.

Gabby was eventually reported missing by her mother in New York on September 11. That came after 10 days of allegedly being stonewalled by Brian and his parents about where her daughter was, she said.

Then, on September 14, Brian allegedly vanished after telling his parents he was going hiking at Carlton Reserve.

But they didn’t report Brian missing until three days later when police showed up at their home.

A three-week search for Laundrie has so far yielded no leads beyond speculation and a handful of potential sightings.

Laundrie is not currently considered a suspect in Gabby's murder but is considered a person of interest.

He does, however, have a warrant out for his arrest on bank fraud allegations after allegedly racking up $1,000 in charges on a debit card that's believed to have belonged to Gabby.

Law enforcement is still searching Carlton Reserve for traces of Laundrie, while TV star Dog the Bounty Hunter is scouring Fort De Soto.

Gabby Petito timeline

Gabby Petito, 22, was last seen on August 24, leaving a hotel in Utah. Here is a timeline of Gabby Petito’s disappearance:

• June 2021 – Gabby Petito and her fiancé Brian Laundrie set off on a cross-country trip across the US.
• July 4 – Gabby posts photos of herself barefoot in Gove County, Kansas.
• July 8 – Gabby posts photos of herself at the Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado.
• July 18 – Gabby and Brian post photos of themselves at Utah's Zion National Park.
• August 12 – Body camera footage was released in September showing an encounter Brian and Gabby had with police in Utah. Police confirmed that no significant injuries were reported.
• August 19 – Gabby and Brian post a video on their YouTube channel chronicling their trip.
• August 24 – Gabby is spotted leaving a hotel in Salt Lake City, Utah.
• August 25 – Gabby Facetimes her mom, Nichole Schmidt, for the final time. In a later police report, Schmidt said her conversations with her daughter revealed "more and more tension" between her and Brian.
• August 25 – Gabby also posts her last Instagram. No location is given.
• August 27 – Gabby is seen for what's believed to be the final time. Witnesses claim they saw Brian in an explosive argument with staff at a restaurant in Jackson Hole, leaving Gabby in tears.
• August 27 – Four hours later, travel bloggers driving through Grand Teton National Park drive past the couple's van "abandoned" on a dirt road.
• September 1 – Brian returns home to Florida without Gabby.
• September 11 – Gabby's parents report her missing to Suffolk County police.
• September 14 – Brian's family issues a statement saying he has retained an attorney and will not be cooperating with investigators.
• September 14 – Brian is allegedly last seen by his family. He reportedly told them he was going hiking in Cartlon Reserve but failed to return.
• September 15 – Florida's North Port police announce Brian is a person of interest in the case. He is not charged with any crime.
• September 16 – Utah police release body camera footage of the police encounter with Brian and Gabby.
• September 17 – Brian's parents say they have not seen their son in a couple of days and report him missing.
• September 18 – Police announce they were searching Carlton Reserve in Florida for Brian. Police announce they have not found anything.
• September 19 – Authorities in Wyoming say they found a body in Grand Teton National Park. The FBI announces the body was believed to be Gabby's but a full forensic identification needs to be completed first to confirm.
• September 20 – Police execute a search warrant on Laundrie's home, seizing his silver Mustang and a hard drive that may contain "evidence relevant to proving that a felony has been committed."
• September 21 – Officials announce they will be conducting an autopsy on the remains found in Wyoming to confirm whether or not they belong to Gabby. Police also resumed their search for Laundrie, this time on the Venice side of Carlton Reserve.
• September 21 – The FBI announced the body found in Wyoming was identified as Gabby's. The cause of death was not yet revealed.
• September 21 – The Teton County Coroner's office said Gabby's official cause of death was still pending but the initial manner of death is homicide.
• September 22 – Police continue to scour Carlton Reserve for a trace of Laundrie but yield no leads. A specialist dive team is called in to assist with the hunt.
• September 23 – Officials announced a federal arrest warrant for Brian was issued.
• September 26 – Gabby's funeral was held on Long Island, New York.

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