A new 3-episode documentary came out on Netflix on February 17, 2025. It explains the tragic story of Gabby Petito, a 21-year old woman who was missing and then found murdered. Her case shocked the world, causing a nationwide search and many discussions around missing persons cases, domestic violence, and the role social media plays in such investigations.
Gabby was born and raised in Blue Point, New York- a small town in Long Island. She attended Bayport-Blue Point High School, where she met friend and later boyfriend Brian Laundrie. A close friend from high school, who did not disclose her real name, and shared details on how their romantic relationship came to be. She also described Gabby and Brian meeting as “[l]ove at first sight.” Throughout high school they stayed as friends, and after high school they began dating. Her parents were never in the full clear that they were dating because Gabby just stated that they were friends and never anything else, until one random day.
December of 2019, Gabby and Brian have been dating for nine months and decide to move to North Port, Florida, to be closer with Brian’s family. Gabby was excited for the fresh start and the opportunity to live in a new state. Everything was smooth at first until, little by little, she felt Brian’s mom disengaging in family activities because of Gabby. Gabby felt like she was causing problems in Brian and his mother’s relationship. This continued until they decided to start a traveling van life on July 2nd of 2021. Gabby wanted to become an inspiring travel blogger and shared her experiences on Instagram and YouTube.
The couple was traveling in a converted van, which they had specifically for their journey. Their goal was to visit as many national parks across the western United States as possible, and Gabby’s vlog would show their journey from Utah to Wyoming. For about a few months, they continued vlogging like this until late August. Gabby’s mother had received an odd text from “Gabby” about responding back to her Grandpa because she couldn’t answer his call. Gabby’s mother remained worried until filing a missing person report on September 11th. After eight long days, her remains were found in Wyoming National Park in an unnatural position on September 19th, 2021. Brian Laundrie was the main suspect, but he was still reported as missing. After a month long search, Laundries partial skeletal remains were found on Oct. 20, about 3 feet under water in the Carlton Reserve. His death was ruled a suicide in November. The cause of death was a gunshot wound to his head.
Mother Nichole Schmidt and step-father Jim Schmidt, who agreed to talk about their loving daughter in the new docuseries. They talked about how to catch early signs of domestic abuse, even if you are not sure. Father Joe Petito and step-mother Tara Petito were very involved in the docuseries and relationship with Gabby. Although both parents divorced when Gabby was 2 year old, they remained a close family for Gabby, surrounding her with love and care. A Utah judge dismissed a wrongful death lawsuit that Gabby Petito’s parents filed against the city of Moab, stating police did not do enough during a traffic stop to protect their daughter from the man who killed her weeks later.
