American Murder: Gabby Petito promises an in-depth look beyond the headlines, exploring how an online #VanLife romance unraveled into a nightmare.
The three-part documentary promises exclusive interviews with Petito’s family and friends, revealing the devastating truth behind her allegedly “perfect” relationship with Brian Laundrie—one that was riddled with emotional and physical abuse.
It will also feature text messages, journal entries revealing her private struggles, and examine how internet detectives helped push the case forward, according to Netflix.
Petito, a Long Island native from Blue Point, had been documenting her adventures with Laundrie on social media as they traveled the country in a converted camper van. But by late August 2021, her posts became sporadic and concerning. Her final text messages to family raised red flags, and by Sept. 1, Laundrie returned alone to his parents' home in Florida, refusing to speak with police.
As the case exploded into a social media spectacle, internet sleuths pored over Petito’s posts, dissecting clues in real time. But the tragic ending came on Sept. 19, when her remains were discovered in Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park. The official cause of death: blunt-force injuries to the head and neck, with manual strangulation.
Meanwhile, Laundrie had gone on the run. He was later found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in a Florida nature reserve. In a suicide note, he admitted to killing Petito.
Documents released by the FBI in June 2024 provided further insight into Petito’s final days, including a heart-wrenching letter she wrote to Laundrie, begging him to “stop calling me names” and insisting they were a team, as Daily Voice reported. The letter, full of love and desperation, paints a picture of a young woman deeply entrenched in a toxic, abusive relationship.
In the wake of Petito’s murder, her family founded the Gabby Petito Foundation, dedicated to helping domestic violence victims and searching for missing persons. They also won a wrongful death lawsuit against the Laundrie family, donating the $3 million settlement to the foundation.
News of the upcoming Netflix docuseries sparked mixed reaction online, with some deeming it insensitive. “This is so disrespectful to her family. Do better Netflix,” one commenter wrote on the official Netflix Facebook page.
Others suggested it could help those entrenched in their own domestic violence struggles. “I am glad they are sharing her story,” one commenter said. “You know how many young people don’t think much of their personal experiences with domestic violence?”
American Murder: Gabby Petito is set to premiere on Monday, Feb. 17, on Netflix. You can watch a trailer for the docuseries below.
🚨 If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, help is available. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 or visit thehotline.org.
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