• Ever wanted an RSS feed of all your favorite gaming news sites? Go check out our new Gaming Headlines feed! Read more about it here.
Status
Not open for further replies.
Oct 30, 2017
15,278
I guess at some point I'm wondering if there's a point to this thread continuing to exist. Like clearly this is becoming news, I get why there's a thread, but it doesn't feel like this is really serving a good purpose. I've mostly just been lurking, but it just feels like the discussion is endlessly circling in a way that gets people heated over both actual posts and their feelings on posts in aggregate.

Whole's thing's fucked up and at the very very least his silence is completely morally abhorrent regardless of the specifics on what actually happened. But because of that silence, until more details come out... what can really happen here except wild speculation that keeps bordering on internet detective work/conspiracy theories, lots of arguing over that speculation in a way that just seems stressful rather than a worthwhile conversation, and now thanks to that video we're bringing in armchair analysis of their mental illnesses and potential abuse as well?

That's not to say that there's been 0 reasonable or thought out discussion but when some of the more reasonable discussion is still effectively framing this as "true crime in progress", I'm not sure that's great either.
If you were to shut down any thread that gets heated then you'd have to close every single game review thread after the first 2 pages.

I have disagreements with folks and I've had disagreements with people in this very thread. But we should be allowed to speculate and post updates.
 

rjinaz

Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
28,369
Phoenix
One quick, potentially silly question -

Have they addressed if they can charge him with theft of the van, as it's allegedly hers?
I seriously doubt that's an option. There is no proof he stole it. He's even on police video driving the vehicle. Something about possession being 9/10 of the law or some shit. And to be fair, we don't know that he stole it from her, because we don't know much of anything, in large part, due to Brian.
 
Oct 25, 2017
3,215
There are women of color missing in every major city in the country that don't get this kind of response. There are so many layers to this story, and I sure as fuck hope she's alive and physically well somewhere, but man...

It's absolutely tragic that women of color go missing and no-one bats an eye. We had a road rage murder of a young women of color in our town a couple of years ago, and the community came together and her killer was caught the next day, so hopefully it's getting better. I think this is a spectacle more so because there is a solid lead (the boyfriend) who isn't talking and she was a vlogger who would most likely be "connected" and it should be hard for her to just vanish. If she just disappeared after a late night at a club or something and her purse with cell phone were found in the alley, there wouldn't be much to talk about.
 
Last edited:

Coyote Starrk

The Fallen
Oct 30, 2017
52,878
One quick, potentially silly question -

Have they addressed if they can charge him with theft of the van, as it's allegedly hers?
I don't think they have, but I'm sure it will come up at some point. Especially if he continues to refuse to help or cooperate in any way. In fact they may use that as a way to get him to talk to them. Charge him for the theft and then at the very least he would have to explain why it wasn't theft.


Then again he could continue being a wall of shit and just eat the charge knowing that talking and getting caught in a lie could give him a much more serious charge.
 

rjinaz

Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
28,369
Phoenix
It's what Gabby told her Mom.

Being that it makes no sense, and that Gabby did not tell her parents about the DV incident.

It's probably a cover story, to explain why she was left alone in a hotel. Real story being Brian went home because the DV incident.

He returned either because they reconciled, or agreed to continue the trip due to it being part of the van life/blog/insta influencer thing.

Just a guess obviously.
And since apparently her mom and dad were not involved it means that Brian's parents likely forked the bill for both the plane trip and the hotel for her.

So yeah again, weird. She seemed to be very close with family. You'd think if she was splitting up or got in a huge fight she'd tell her family or at least a friend. It doesn't appear she did though. Especially being alone for 3 days in a hotel, not sure why she wouldn't be talking to people. So yeah, not sure we'll ever know what really happened those few days.
 

Dineren

The Fallen
Oct 25, 2017
3,481
Can someone explain the Zone of Death to me? I think it's where a criminal could in theory avoid prosecution for major crimes, is that right?
Reading wikipedia, it seems to be that the district court of Wyoming has jurisdiction of all of Yellowstone and part of the park is in Idaho. The constitution requires that a jury in a federal trial consist of people who live in the district and state. Since no one lives in the Idaho portion of Yellowstone, no jury could be formed.
 
Oct 25, 2017
13,246
Can someone explain the Zone of Death to me? I think it's where a criminal could in theory avoid prosecution for major crimes, is that right?

The theory, generally, is that jurors need to be selected from the area in which a crime occurs. There is an area where no one lives in Yellowstone, thus no jury could be selected, and you could not be charged with a major crime.

However, the theory likely would never hold up, so it's not much more than a thought exercise.
 

rjinaz

Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
28,369
Phoenix
The court wasn't having the Zone of Death argument when it was tried, but, it was never pushed to a higher court:

No known felonies have been committed in the Zone of Death since Kalt's discovery. However, a poacher named Michael Belderrain illegally shot an elk in the Montana section of Yellowstone. While that section of the park does have enough residents to form a jury, it might be difficult to put together a standing and fair one due to travel or unwillingness of members of the small population there to serve. A federal judge ruled that Belderrain could be tried in the U.S. District Court for the District of Wyoming, despite the Sixth Amendment problem. Belderrain cited Kalt's paper "The Perfect Crime" to explain why he believed it was illegal to have his trial with a jury from a state other than where the crime was committed. The court dismissed this argument.[SUP][12][/SUP] Belderrain took a plea deal conditioned on him not appealing the Zone of Death issue to the 10th Circuit, rendering the issue moot, at least for the time being.[SUP][10][/SUP]
 

AvianAviator

▲ Legend ▲
Member
Jun 23, 2021
6,319
This is fucking crazy and tragic. I hope they find her.

There are women of color missing in every major city in the country that don't get this kind of response. There are so many layers to this story, and I sure as fuck hope she's alive and physically well somewhere, but man...
tvtropes.org

Missing White Woman Syndrome - TV Tropes

The term Missing White Woman Syndrome describes how Western media will focus on the murder, kidnapping, or disappearance of Caucasian females usually pretty, young, and middle- or upper-class to the exclusion of male, minority, poor …

Prejudice is still alive and kicking.
 

rjinaz

Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
28,369
Phoenix
This is fucking crazy and tragic. I hope they find her.

tvtropes.org

Missing White Woman Syndrome - TV Tropes

The term Missing White Woman Syndrome describes how Western media will focus on the murder, kidnapping, or disappearance of Caucasian females usually pretty, young, and middle- or upper-class to the exclusion of male, minority, poor …

Prejudice is still alive and kicking.
I think it's a valid observation and one that likely applies in this case too. I too find it disgusting when it happens to women of color particularly that they get ignored. I just hope nobody is implying anything of the people here at era that are interested in the missing woman case. Most of us were interested before it came into national spotlight and for other reasons than "pretty White girl".
 

AvianAviator

▲ Legend ▲
Member
Jun 23, 2021
6,319
I think it's a valid observation and one that likely applies in this case too. I too find it disgusting when it happens to women of color particularly that they get ignored. I just hope nobody is implying anything of the people here at era that are interested in the missing woman case. Most of us were interested before it came into national spotlight and for other reasons than "pretty White girl".
Oh no no, I'm not pointing fingers against anyone at Era at all. Moreso the media and social media fanfare surrounding this. I don't wanna devolve things into whataboutisms which is why I spoilered it.
 

rjinaz

Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
28,369
Phoenix
Oh no no, I'm not pointing fingers against anyone at Era at all. Moreso the media and social media fanfare surrounding this. I don't wanna devolve things into whataboutisms which is why I spoilered it.
Honestly, I don't see a problem with the topic being in here, at all. We don't have much information, we don't even know what happened to Gabby, so a discussion about why it is that the media is drawing attention to this case specifally, doesn't necessarily come across to me as a derail or in poor taste, on the surface. You're not the only person to say it so clearly others are thinking it as well. Maybe people want to talk about it.
 

LogicAirForce

Member
Oct 25, 2017
936
The tangent about the domestic abuse call had nothing to do with why I'm annoyed. Laundrie has received more airtime here than Petito because he is a potential murderer and is the one who is decidedly not missing, naturally, but there have also been some really wild takes to explain how he could be innocent and Petito is just totes fine, random invocations of ACAB, and the tried and true worry that the court of public opinion will take another innocent man.

All the while some 20-something year old woman is missing in the wilderness.

Like, on a forum where we've had threads where people admitted "I could've been an incel too" with no hint of tact, the fact that there is no shortage of dudes who are more offended with the speculation that she may have, at the least, been murdered by abandonment than, you know, the fact that she is up and gone, is annoying, but I guess in the grand scheme not surprising.
Thank you for saying this I have been thinking the exact same thing while reading this thread. I genuinely think some men are just incapable of emphasizing with women. This rabid need to come up with some excuse that takes the blame from the man is something that I've noticed many times online and IRL. Maybe she just OD'd? Maybe she fell while trying to do some dumb stunt for clout? Maybe suicide? Maybe she ran off with another man? Maybe actually she is just chilling in a hotel and refuses to talk to her family because reasons?
All of these completely ignoring the fact that in these cases 9 times out of 10 the boyfriend just simply killed the woman.
 

JimD

Member
Aug 17, 2018
3,496
I don't think they have, but I'm sure it will come up at some point. Especially if he continues to refuse to help or cooperate in any way. In fact they may use that as a way to get him to talk to them. Charge him for the theft and then at the very least he would have to explain why it wasn't theft.


Then again he could continue being a wall of shit and just eat the charge knowing that talking and getting caught in a lie could give him a much more serious charge.

From my experience with car theft (I work in insurance), I think there's very little leverage for the police. Gabby hasn't filed a stolen vehicle report with the police. Brian clearly shared in possession of the vehicle even if his name wasn't on the title (or lease), and there's evidence he was the primary driver. I think they'd need to establish that he knew she was dead or have proof he knowingly took it from her against her will before they could charge him with theft.
 

TooBusyLookinGud

Graphics Engineer
Verified
Oct 27, 2017
7,935
California
Name checks out. How long do you want people to wait before it's okay to speculate?
Who's side do you think I'm on? I don't understand this attack. You have no idea how I'm thinking but you want to attack me?
What reckless accusations?
We don't know what happened, and people are saying she's either the victim or aggressor. Dude has scratches on his face and she is missing. Of course something doesn't add up.
No one in this thread is an officer of the court or a government body. It is pretty clear this guy is guilty of at least manslaughter. Theres no due process on a video game forum.
I didn't pick any sides with my opinion and I still got attacked. Era needs a reality check.
There's a very real possibility we may never get any sort of resolution.

On the question of whether she is dead or just missing, I think it is more likely than not that she is dead and that Brian (guilty of murder or otherwise) knows the full circumstances of her death. He wouldn't have lawyered up otherwise.
Like I said, I have my opinion on what I think happened and it matches many of yours. Some people on Era are so quick to jump on someone and call them shit before everything comes out. If your opinion slightly differs, they attack you.
 
Last edited:

FliX

Master of the Reality Stone
Moderator
Oct 25, 2017
9,859
Metro Detroit
This thread has been locked while we review a large amount or reports.
We reserve the right to keep it locked until actual new news comes out.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.