Gabby Petito's body was left in wilderness for several weeks, coroner says

BLUE POINT, N.Y. - Gabby Petito was strangled to death and her body was left in the wilderness in Teton National Forest for three to four weeks, a coroner in Wyoming said on Tuesday. 

The coroner, Dr. Brent Blue, said state law prevents him from revealing details from the autopsy, including how and why he reached his conclusions. He also said he couldn't speculate on who may have killed Petito but then seemingly referred to her death as a case of domestic violence. 

"This is only one of many deaths around the country of people who are involved in domestic violence and it's unfortunate these other deaths don't get as much attention," Blue said.

RELATED: Gabby Petito autopsy: Cause of death strangulation, coroner says

Petito's fiance Brian Laundrie, who is a "person of interest" in her death, remains missing. He returned to his home in North Port, Florida, from their cross-country road trip more than a week before Petito was reported missing. 

Laundrie's parents told investigators their son went for a hike in a nature reserve in Florida after he returned from being out west. He hasn't been seen since.

While Laundrie hasn't been charged in Petito's death, federal officials in Wyoming last month charged Laundrie with unauthorized use of a debit card, alleging he used a Capital One Bank card and someone's personal identification number to make unauthorized withdrawals or charges worth more than $1,000 during the period in which Petito went missing. 

They did not say to whom the card belonged. But a lawyer for the Laundrie family seemed to confirm that the card was Petito's.

RELATED: Timeline of Gabby Petito's disappearance and death

"Gabby Petito's death at such a young age is a tragedy. While Brian Laundrie is currently charged with the unauthorized use of a debit card belonging to Gabby, Brian is only considered a person of interest in relation to Gabby Petito's demise," attorney Steve Bertolino said in a statement. "At this time Brian is still missing and when he is located we will address the pending fraud charge against him."

The coroner also told reporters that Petito was not pregnant and that the toxicology report isn't for public release. 

With The Associated Press.