Days before her tragic murder in Wyoming, Gabby Petito confided in her ex-boyfriend that she wanted to leave Brian Laundrie but feared how he might react. Netflix's new docuseries, American Murder: Gabby Petito, has shed light on the case by including interviews with her family and friends.
The documentary unveils never-before-seen text messages between Petito, Laundrie, and other key figures, including Laundrie's mother, Roberta. It also features exclusive interviews with her parents, stepparents, and former boyfriend, Jackson, shedding new light on her final days.
Filmmakers Julia Willoughby Nason and Michael Gasparro, who directed and produced the series, emphasized the responsibility they felt in handling Petito's story with care. "It's really important to make sure that we have the people that were directly involved in it being part of the doc," Gasparro told Fox News Digital. "The family is at the start of this."
Petito's parents, who were familiar with the filmmakers' previous work, entrusted them with personal journals, artwork, and text messages that reveal the hidden darkness in her relationship with Laundrie.
"Looking at her text messages with Brian for the first time, knowing that he had murdered her was haunting because it was like the manipulation... was very subtle," Nason said. "We hope this series can show the subtlety of intimate partner abuse, especially among young people."
Against this backdrop, Jackson shared that Petito had expressed fears about leaving Laundrie. "She wasn't sure of what he would do, or what he could do," he said in the documentary.
Shortly after the couple's widely reported domestic violence incident in Moab, Utah, on Aug. 12, 2021, Laundrie flew home to Florida, leaving Petito alone in Salt Lake City. During that time, she reached out to Jackson, confiding in him about her fears.
By Aug. 27, 2021, Laundrie had returned, and the couple was in Jackson, Wyoming. Petito texted Jackson, saying the town's name reminded her of him. That same day, witnesses reported seeing Laundrie in a heated argument at The Merry Piglets Tex-Mex restaurant. Some experts speculate that the confrontation escalated his rage, leading to Petito's murder hours later. Text messages between the couple from that moment reveal her discomfort with the food but make no mention of an argument.
The docuseries also highlights new FBI records, revealing another witness to the Moab incident. This witness, who initially hesitated to intervene, later recalled seeing Laundrie acting erratically and forcing Petito into their van. Petito's mother, Nichole Schmidt, expressed interest in speaking with this witness, stating, "I would love to ask questions."
Following Petito's murder, her parents founded the Gabby Petito Foundation to support domestic violence victims and missing persons. Their advocacy has led to new legislation in several states and Washington, D.C. They are currently seeking public assistance in the case of Nikki McCain, a missing woman from Redding, California, whose husband had a history of domestic violence.
American Murder: The Gabby Petito Story is now streaming on Netflix, offering a deeper look into her tragic story while continuing the fight against domestic abuse.
