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Michael Livingston, age 31, made the comments to Fox News Digital, during a vigil for the late Petito on her native Long Island to raise funds for a new organization to help other families with missing loved ones.
"He never came across as the kind of person that would be the killing type," said Livingston, who told Fox News he worked with Laundrie, age 23, in 2017 and 2018 at a landscape company on Long Island. "But he did have that tendency to be — I don’t wanna say the wrong thing and make him sound worse than he already is — he was kind of a guy who would get p---ed off pretty quick."
The former co-worker said he remembered Laundrie as being a big yoga nut always saying he had to worry about his "zen."
"And I thought he was this weirdo," Livingston said.
Livingston said he knew Petito, who was the victim of a homicide by strangulation while on a road trip with Laundrie, by her visits to the business.
Petito would visit two or three times a week, Livingston said, and she was very friendly and outgoing and always ask the staff how they were.
She also talked about how she wanted to travel, Livingston told Fox News.
"Gabby, she was always a sweetheart, very peaceful," Livingston said. "She was always really nice to me, and she was really outgoing."
He added that once he realized the person missing was Petito, it hit him like a "tidal wave."
"I think the only reason why she settled for him is he wanted to travel," Livingston said.
Petito, of Blue Point, in Suffolk County, was reported missing on Saturday, Sept. 11, after she learned Laundrie returned to his parent's home in Florida on Wednesday, Sept. 1, by himself.
Her body was found a week later on Sunday, July 19, in the mountains of Wyoming.
A coroner has ruled her death a homicide and the cause of death as strangulation.
Laundrie, who refused to speak with law enforcement, disappeared more than five weeks ago when he went on a hike at an area nature preserve and never returned.
He is currently the subject of a nationwide manhunt.
This continues to be a developing story. Check back to Daily Voice for updates.
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