Gabby Petito's hometown paid a sombre tribute to the 22-year-old 'van life' girl whose remains were discovered at a camp site in Grand Teton National Park weeks after she was last seen alive.
The 'Light the Night for Gabby Petito' event took place in Blue Point and West Islip as neighbors lit candles throughout the towns in memory of Petito, whose missing persons case captured the nation as police continue the search for her fiancé, Brian Laundrie in the vast Carlton Reserve in Florida.
Hundreds of candles were being given out throughout Blue Point as organizers also collected $20 donations to deliver to Petito's family, ABC 7 reports.
The community also decorated thousands of trees with blue ribbons to honor the 2017 Bayport-Blue Point High School graduate.
The sombre vigil comes ahead of her cremation tomorrow. There will also be a public memorial for her on Sunday ahead of her funeral on Monday.
Petito, who embarked on a cross-country road trip with her fiance Brian Laundrie, was last seen alive on August 25. Laundrie returned home to Florida on September 1, and Petito was reported missing by her parents 11 days later. After an extensive search at Grand Teton National Park's Spread Creek campground, Petito's remains were discovered on September 19. A coroner ruled that she died as a result of a homicide, but her manner of death has not yet been revealed.
Laundrie's parents said he left their home on September 14 - but only reported him missing three days later. FBI and local police are still searching for him in an alligator-infested reserve five miles from his home.
Resident in Blue Point, New York, set up a candlelight vigil on Friday for their neighbor Gabby Petito, the missing 'van-life' girl whose case captured the nation and whose body was finally found on Sunday
'Shine a light for Gabby' event took place in her hometown of Blue Point, pictured, and in West Islip
Resident put together a number of vigils throughout the town of Blue Point
Members of the media recorded one of the makeshift memorial sites for the late travel blogger
Makeshift memorial, like the one pictured, were set up throughout the Blue Point in memory of Petito
Candles were placed along the streets of Blue Point in solidarity of the late Gabby Petito
Many of the notes left in the memorial sites read, 'Rest in Peace Gabby,' ahead of her funeral scheduled for Monday
Residents in Blue Point, pictured, and West Islip gathered to mourn the loss of Gabby Petito
Dorothy Johnson, of Blue Point, told News 12, 'For me it's important just to acknowledge Gabby, to support the family throughout the whole community, not only our community but throughout Long Island. Many people are lighting a candle.'
Jennifer Horton, of Blue Point, also put candles outside her driveway to honor Petito.
'When the community loses one, we all do," says Horton. "So just remember the great life she had. Losing her so young and just to really celebrate her life.'
Joseph Petito, Gabby's father, confirmed that he funeral will take place at the Moloney Funeral Home, in Holbrook, on September 26.
The funeral home told The Sun that a memorial service was being held on Sunday for Petito's cremation.
The family asked that in lieu of flowers, donations be sent to the Future Gabby Petito Foundation through the Johnny Mac Foundation.
The vigils were held on Friday, ahead of Petito's funeral and cremation services on Monday
Residents put up a heart-shaped memorial. Candles were handed out and $20 donations were collected for Petito's family
Posters and tributes were set up across town. A 'Fly High Gabby' poster was put up on a tree
One resident set up a candle outside outside her driveway to show solidarity for their late neighbor
Another Blue Point neighbor helped adjust candles at one of the vigil sites
Residents also put together cards and notes to display in tribute of their late neighbor
Other residents set put up flowers to display at one of the sites besides a display that read 'Wings of An Angel Gabby'
The memorial sites showed off candles, cards, posters, stuffed animals and flowers dedicated to the late Peitio
The site stands by a large display that reads, 'Gabby Petito, Forever in our hearts'
Petito's stepfather, James Schmidt, had visited the exact spot where her body was found in Wyoming, and created a memorial to the 22-year-old New Yorker.
Schmidt, who is married to Petito's mother Nichole, traveled from New York to Wyoming last week to help with the search for the missing 'van life' traveler.
She had been reported missing on September 11, and he set out on September 14. Her body was found on September 19.
On Wednesday Schmidt made a stone cross at the site where Petito was discovered, Fox News confirmed. He left yellow and white flowers on the site, beneath the trees.
Gabby Petito's stepfather James Schmidt has visited the exact spot where she was killed, and created a stone cross. He laid a floral tribute
James Schmidt, Gabby Petito's stepfather, traveled to Wyoming on September 14 to help the search for the 22-year-old. Four days later her body was found
A memorial of stones arranged in a cross pattern was spotted Monday evening at the Spread Creek Dispersed Campsite east of the Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. On Wednesday Petito's stepfather made a similar tribute at the exact spot where her body was found
A similar memorial had been made on Monday, on an open patch of muddy land on the banks of a river near the campsite.
Gary Rider, a friend of Schmidt, said the pair had visited the site on Wednesday and that they had left some flowers next to the other cross.
'We did go – the small cross with flowers was made by Jim and myself,' he told The Independent.
'That larger cross was not done by anyone connected with the search or recovery of Gabby.'
Gabby's body was found in the area on Sunday and the next day her death was ruled a homicide. The manhunt for her fiancé Brian Laundrie enters its sixth day as he's been declared a person of interest.
Gabby Petito, 22, is pictured with her boyfriend Brian Laundrie, 23, in a YouTube video made to document their 'van life' road trip. Petito's body was found on Sunday and Laundrie has disappeared
Petito and Laundrie are seen on July 4 in Utah. They had set out two days previously on a road trip, planning to document their journey on social media
The pair had been travelling on a cross-country trip together since July 2, when they left New York. Petito was reported missing on September 11
Laundrie was believed to be hiding out in his parents' Florida home until September 14, when he purportedly set off on a hike at the local nature reserve.
His family said they last saw him that day wearing a hiking bag, but did not report him missing until three days later, on September 17.
His silver Ford Mustang was also found abandoned near the Carlton Reserve with a note requesting it be towed away.
'These guys, our law enforcement partners are motivated and they are hungry to find Brian Laundrie,' North Port Police commander Joe Fussell, who is helping to coordinate the search, said Wednesday.
'It's rough out there, it's hot, it's wet. We are trying to cover every acre in this reserve.'
On Wednesday there was a flurry of activity as divers were brought to the site, but it later emerged that there was no connection to the case.
The team, made up of about 10 divers, was requested by North Port Police on Wednesday morning, said Sarasota County Sheriff's office spokesperson Kaitlyn Perez.
'These divers are specifically trained and very talented in low visibility bodies of water,' Perez said.
'They dive down where you and I can't see anything at all. They utilize technology and other special equipment to help them get down deep into really deep bodies of water, so they're out there right now to recover whatever it is that they might find.'
The search has cost $1.2million so far as it enters its sixth day.
Search teams are pictured on Wednesday heading into the Carlton Reserve in Florida
The Carlton Reserve has been the focus of a search for Laundrie since his car was found at the site on Sunday
Laundrie was apparently an avid reader, with some pointing to a video on the couple's YouTube page showing him reading a book about a missing woman. He is seen here camping on the Appalachian trail with Petito in March for her birthday
On Thursday, the FBI issued a warrant for Laundrie's arrest after he fraudulently used a Capitol One Bank debit card that was not his.
The FBI said Laundrie is wanted for 'use of unauthorized access device' related to his activities between August 30 and September 1, following Petito's death, and that he used the card to obtain items totaling $1,000 or more.
The statement by the Bureau's Denver desk says: 'While this warrant allows law enforcement to arrest Mr Laundrie, the FBI and our partners across the country continue to investigate the facts and circumstances of Ms. Petito's
