Story of Gabby Petito's life, Florida woman's murder now on Netflix ...
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Gabby Petito bodycam footage with fiancé Brian Laundrie in Utah
Bodycam footage shows Gabby Petito and her fiancé Brian Laundrie talking to police in Utah after having a fight during their cross-country road trip.
Moab City Police Department, Sarasota Herald-Tribune
- Netflix's new docuseries details the life and death of 22-year-old vlogger Gabby Petito.
- Gabrielle "Gabby" Petito was born on March 19, 1999 and moved to Florida in 2019.
After almost four years, the 2021 case of Florida resident Gabby Petito is back in the spotlight.
A new Netflix docuseries premiered on Monday, Feb. 17 with new details and stories from those close to the vlogger.
The docuseries details how Petito disappeared during a cross-country road trip with her fiance Brian Laundrie and was later found dead in a Wyoming park. Following a manhunt for Laundrie to find out the truth, he died by suicide in Florida's Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park in October 2021.
Who is Gabby Petito? What was Gabby Petito's cause of death?
Gabrielle "Gabby" Petito was a 22-year-old vlogger who made headlines in 2021 for her suspicious disappearance and death.
A New York native, Petito moved to Florida in 2019 to be close to then-boyfriend Brian Laundrie and his parents. They had only been dating for nine months before relocating and becoming engaged the following year in July.
Netflix details the couple's decision to put off a wedding and instead purchase a 2012 Toyota Transit Connect van to travel the country in 2021. Petito recorded their journey on a YouTube channel she created called Nomadic Statik, which friends claim Laundrie was not a fan of and called "stupid."
On Aug. 12, 2021, a person called 911 to report a domestic disturbance after seeing a man in a white van slapping a woman. But when police investigated, they determined Petito was the aggressor. Petito would be seen alive for the last time on Aug. 27.
Her parents alerted the authorities on Sept. 11 after Laundrie returned to Florid without Petito and would not speak to her family.
Petito’s body was found on Sept. 19 at a Wyoming campground. Her cause of death was determined to be strangulation.
What is the Netflix show about Gabby Petito?
Netflix’s new docuseries “American Murder: Gabby Petito” details the disappearance and death of vlogger Gabby Petito in 2021.
"Illustrated with real text messages, video footage, and excerpts from Petito’s personal journals, the series captures the reality of a young woman enmeshed in an abusive relationship behind closed doors — even as she put on a happy, “Insta-perfect” face for social media," Netflix writes.
See shocking reveals: The most shocking moments from Netflix's 'American Murder: Gabby Petito'
Watch trailer for 'American Murder: Gabby Petito' on Netflix
How many episodes is 'American Murder: Gabby Petito'?
The show has three episodes in total, each focusing on a different aspect of the case:
- Episode 1 "We Bought a Van." - Shows Gabby's early life, their relationship with Laundrie and their "van life" trip that ends in a police stop
- Episode 2 "Where is Gabby?" - After the encounter with police, Gabby goes missing. Shows her parents alerting authorities and the search for both of them
- Episode 3 "Burn after Reading." - Shows the aftermath of finding Gabby's body and the manhunt for Laundrie
Is Gabby Petito's family involved in Netflix show?
Viewers of the "true crime" genre might be wary of Netflix's new show due to frequent accounts of victims' families being left out of projects. However, that isn't the case here — several of Petito's family and friends are a part of the show.
The show opens with Petito's mother and father, Nichole Schmidt and Joe Petito, detailing her early days and the person she was. They continue to chronicle their thoughts and actions throughout the case.
Ahead of the show's release, Schmidt talked to NewsNation about Gabby and why the family decided to be a part of the docuseries.
“When you watch the documentary, remember that this is a real person, this is a real family, it’s a real story and it’s real life,” Schmidt, told NewsNation. “It’s not just true crime. This can happen to anyone. We never in a million years thought this would happen to our family. That’s why we’re trying to help people, so we can prevent this from happening to them."
As for the Laundries, one of the show's directors told "TODAY" that they declined to participate.
How to watch 'American Murder: Gabby Petito' on Netflix
"American Murder: Gabby Petito" is exclusively on Netflix. The streaming platform's subscription prices include:
- The ad-supported tier at $7.99 per month, up from $6.99.
- The standard ad-free tier at $17.99 per month, up from $15.49.
- The premium tier at $24.99 per month, up from $22.99.
Petito, Laundrie families live in Florida. Here's what to know
Brian's parents, Christopher and Roberta Laundrie, reside in North Port while Gabby's father, Joe, lives in Vero Beach. Petito has been involved with Treasure Coast charities, particularly those focusing on domestic violence.
Joseph and Schmidt sued the Laundries — as well as their attorney, Steve Bertolino — in Sarasota County in 2022, alleging they knew details of Petito’s murder. They also claimed they helped their son conceal information from law enforcement.
They ended up settling ahead of the case going to trial.
“All parties agreed in order to avoid further legal expenses and prolonged personal conflict,” Joseph Petito and Nicole Schmidt said in a statement released by their attorney.
USA TODAY contributed to this report.