A new documentary on Netflix unveils the discovery of Gabby Petito’s body and investigates her tragic murder.
Released as a three-part series called American Murder: Gabby Petito, it premiered on Netflix today (February 17).
It has been more than four years since Gabby’s disappearance in August 2021, which caused alarm when communication with her parents ceased.
Gabby and her boyfriend, Brian Laundrie, embarked on a van life journey across the country just a month before she went missing.
Gabby aimed to establish herself as a blogger and YouTuber by sharing their travel experiences, but her ambitions were abruptly cut short.
During their trip, Gabby frequently contacted her parents in New York. Concern grew when her mother, Nichole Schmidt, did not hear from her for several days.
On September 11, Nichole reported her daughter missing. Gabby was last spotted in CCTV footage at a Whole Foods in Jackson, Wyoming, on August 27.
On September 19, authorities discovered Gabby’s body at the Spread Creek camping area in Wyoming.
In the Netflix series, an FBI Special Agent known as Kyle from the Denver division described the moment they found Gabby’s body.
“She was laying on her side,” said Kyle. “She was wrapped up in a sweater. The last time we had confirmation that Gabby was alive was on August 27. We didn’t find her until September 19.
“Between that timeframe, we believed she’d been in that same position [by Spread Creek].”
Kyle shared unsettling details about her discovery, noting in the documentary: “In front of her was a burn scar on the ground as if somebody had tried to light a small fire, but we didn’t find any fire starting materials.
“Her boots were off and they were next to her body, and next to that fire. She was not laying in a natural position.”
This led authorities to a grim conclusion, as Kyle explained: “It appeared to investigators at that time that the crime scene had been staged.”
The coroner determined Gabby’s death to be a homicide due to blunt force trauma and manual strangulation.
Brian was later identified as her killer, a fact he confessed to in a notebook.
In this eerie confession, he claimed Gabby injured herself after falling into a stream at the campsite.
“Her feet hurt, her [wrist] hurt but she was freezing, shaking violently,” part of the confession read.
“While carrying her she continually made sounds of pain. Laying next to her she said little, [lapsing] between violent shakes, gasping in pain, begging for an end to her pain. She would fall asleep and I would shake her awake, fearing she shouldn’t close her eyes if she had a concussion.”
He continued: “I don’t know the extent of Gabby’s injuries, only that she was in extreme pain. I ended her life, I thought it was merciful, that it is what she wanted but I see now all the mistakes I made. I panicked, I was in shock. But from the moment I decided, took away her pain, I knew I couldn’t go on without her.”
Gabby’s family never saw justice, as Brian took his own life before authorities could detain him.
His remains were found in Sarasota County, Florida’s Carlton Reserve on October 21, 2021.
American Murder: Gabby Petito is now available for streaming on Netflix.
If you are facing domestic violence, remember you are not alone. The national domestic violence helpline is accessible 24/7 at 1.800.799.SAFE (7233), and a list of local support resources can be found here.