Coroner: Deceased Hiker Located Near Petito's Body Died by Suicide

The Teton County coroner has revealed the cause and manner of death for Robert Lowery, the missing hiker found deceased in Wyoming near the place Gabby Petito’s remains were discovered.

Fox News reported Wednesday the 46-year-old father of two children from Houston, Texas, died by suicide from a gunshot wound to his head, Dr. Brent Blue said.

“Bob has been a wonderful father, son, brother and friend,” his family members wrote in a statement. “Our family wants to thank the news media and others involved in the search for our privacy at this difficult time.”

As of Thursday morning, a GoFundMe page created to support Lowery’s children had raised $45,242 of its $50,000 goal.

The Petito investigation helped highlight missing person cases inside national parks and in other areas, according to the Fox report.

Crews with Teton Search and Rescue found the body fitting the man’s description on September 28 near the base of Teton Pass, the agency said in a social media post.

“Thank you to all of our volunteers and dog teams who helped. We offer our sincere condolences to the family of the deceased,” the post read:

Lowery was last seen on August 29 and found Tuesday following a search with assistance from K-9 teams and 25 volunteers.

The body found in September near a Wyoming national park belonged to Petito, the young woman who disappeared amid a cross-country trip with her boyfriend.

“Teton County Coroner Dr. Brent Blue said the initial determination of Petito’s body is that her death was a homicide. Final autopsy results have not yet been released,” Breitbart News reported.

Her boyfriend, Brian Laundrie, was previously named a person of interest regarding the investigation.

On Thursday, Laundrie’s father, Christopher, arrived at Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park in North Port, Florida, one day after law enforcement asked for his help in the search for the only person of interest in the Petito case, according to his family attorney.

“Shortly after 10 a.m., he entered the park with law enforcement officials. The park is adjacent to the 25,000-acre Carlton Reserve, where law enforcement has been searching for Brian for weeks,” Fox 13 reported.

Steve Bertolino, the Laundrie family’s attorney, said Chris was asked “to point out any favorite trails or spots that Brian may have used in the preserve.”

“Although Chris and Roberta Laundrie provided this information verbally 3 weeks ago it is now thought that on-site assistance may be better,” his statement noted. “The preserve has been closed to the public and the Laundries as well but the parents have been cooperating since the search began.”