The Murder of Youtuber Gabby Petito

Photo credits: Netflix

Author’s note:

Domestic violence is often dismissed by those unaffected. It is commonplace for victims not to be taken seriously or advised to simply leave the relationship. However, the true problem lies deep beneath the surface, making it extremely difficult for those in abusive relationships to leave. This can be particularly difficult if a couple is isolated from others or documenting their life on the internet. This was the case for Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie, a couple who decided to document their van life for YouTube. They packed their things and left the comfort of their home, opting instead to live in a van for some time, away from any family or friends. Yet things quickly escalated, and domestic abuse led to the death of Gabby Petito. It is important to raise awareness of such issues to combat ignorance and protect public safety.

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Things had been going south for weeks. She knew it, and she knew her husband did, too. Things were tenser, and their physical fights were increasing in frequency. She desired the warmth of her home and her family, but both were much too far away from her now. They had left that behind ages ago.

But each physical fight was becoming increasingly difficult to bear. She was wary of things getting even worse, and the bruises on her body were worsening her physical and mental state. Eventually, this would lead to her untimely death. Her fiancé would be behind it.

On July 2, 2021, Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie left their home behind, set up a YouTube channel, moved into a Ford Transit Connect, and embarked on a 4-month trip across the United States. Gabby was thrilled to vlog the experience and see what the road had in store for her.

However, her husband quickly proved to be a violent partner on this journey. Even prior to their engagement, Brian showed signs of manipulative behavior. In one text message, Gabby told Brian, “Don’t try to control me because it only makes me mad. I love you so much, but it’s the way you speak to me that hurts me most.” It was one year after their engagement that their road trip began.

Around a month later, on August 12, police received a call in Utah claiming that a man was attacking a girl in a van driving by. The police found and stopped the vehicle, which was Gabby’s van. After noticing marks on his face, the police ultimately concluded that Gabby was the aggressor and that Brian was a victim of domestic assault. One week later, Gabby posted their first and only YouTube video, “Van Life | Building Our Van Life Journey.”

Despite the glossy facade on social media, things did not improve for the couple. On August 25, Gabby posted on Instagram for the last time and stopped responding to texts and calls shortly after. On August 27, Gabby’s mother received a text from Gabby referring to her grandfather by his first name, something Gabby’s mother knew Gabby would never do. This raised suspicions.

On September 11, Gabby’s mother filed a missing persons report, leading to the startling discovery that Brian had returned to his parents’ house with Gabby’s van, but not with Gabby. Brian’s family refused to help with the investigation, hiring an attorney instead. Around this time, the case began to receive immense interest online.

Gabby’s body was found on September 19, with an autopsy concluding that she had been strangled to death. Gabby’s family was left with the devastating task of coping with this tragedy, while Gabby’s friend stated, “When the news had broken that they found her body…I just wanted to shut it off or wake up, like it was a bad dream or something.”

Throughout early September, Brian had been hitchhiking, contacting an attorney for help, and seeking assistance from his family. He created a conversation over text on both his and Gabby’s phones to make it seem as though they were not physically together.

On September 20, the day after Gabby’s body was found, the police executed a search warrant on Brian’s home, but he had gone missing, as well, telling his parents a week earlier that he was going on a hike. His dead body was discovered a month later alongside a letter stating that he had killed Gabby to put her out of her misery after a bizarre accident, though this did not align with the autopsy. No criminal charges were filed against Brian’s family.

In this case and many others, it is easy and commonplace to ignore the signs of domestic abuse. They may be nearly undetectable or passed off as a simple disagreement. In the case of Gabby, the police dismissed an instance of abuse due to the marks being present on Brian’s face rather than hers. This tragedy highlights the necessity for both the public and law enforcement to pay close attention to signs of domestic abuse around them to combat ignorance, encourage victims to speak out, and protect public safety.

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Jurisview Journal is a student-led blog that publishes biweekly articles about interesting criminal cases. Our aim is to shed light on cases that require justice or further exploration and provide input on controversial legal events. We also publish infographics to help victims or those who wish to educate themselves on legal issues.

Works Cited

Levitt, Barry. “The True Story Behind American Murder: Gabby Petito.” Time, 17 February 2025, https://time.com/7252972/american-murder-gabby-petito-true-story-netflix/. Accessed 5 April 2025.

Mercuri, Monica. “Who Killed Gabby Petito And Why? Netflix's 'American Murder' Docuseries Revisits Case.” Forbes, 17 February 2025, https://www.forbes.com/sites/monicamercuri/2025/02/17/who-killed-gabby-petito-and-why-netflix-docuseries-revisits-the-shocking-true-crime-case/. Accessed 5 April 2025.

Savin, Jennifer. “Gabby Petito murder timeline: YouTuber killed by Brian Laundrie.” Cosmopolitan, 17 February 2025, https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/reports/a63798640/gabby-petito-timeline/. Accessed 5 April 2025.