After documenting her “vanlife” journey across the U.S. with her fiancé in 2021, Gabby Petito’s disappearance captivated the nation. The 22-year-old aspiring influencer’s case quickly went viral as social media sleuths and the public at large tried to figure out why Petito stopped communicating with her family and posting online. When Petito was found killed at the hands of her fiancé, the case became a touchstone for multiple larger conversations — about women’s safety, about true crime obsessions, and about who earns public sympathy when they’re missing or murdered.
Now, Petito’s case will reenter the public lexicon. On January 27, Netflix announced the February release of a Gabby Petito documentary called American Murder: Gabby Petito. The three-part series will feature interviews with Petito’s family and friends, text message key to the case, and excerpts from Petito’s diaries.
Here’s everything you need to know about the upcoming Gabby Petito documentary:
What you’ll find in this article:
Who Is Gabby Petito?
What Happened to Gabby Petito?
What Is the Documentary About?
When and Where Can I Watch the Gabby Petito Documentary?
Who Is Gabby Petito?
Gabby Petito was a nature lover and travel enthusiast who her family described as a “free spirit.” The 22-year-old started a YouTube channel to document her cross country travel with fiancé Brian Laundrie, showing off her experience of the “vanlife” that she often admired.
“She was just starting her life as a vanlife travel vlogger and was so full of joy as her journey was just beginning,” reads a tribute to Petito on her family’s Gabby Petito Foundation website.
But Petito’s name became widely known after she went missing in 2021, and was shortly after found killed in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. Petito went missing in August, and her remains weren’t found until September — during that time, her case made national news as the public followed updates closely, and as many social media sleuths attempted to locate her. By the time authorities found Petito’s body, Laundrie himself had gone missing. Months after her death, Laundrie’s remains were found with a note taking responsibility for her death, according to CBS News.
Petito met Laundrie in 2019 and moved to North Port, Florida before getting engaged in 2020. In July 2021, the pair set off from Petito’s family home in New York on the cross-country roadtrip.
Since her death, Petito’s family started a foundation in her name to “prevent domestic violence and support the search for missing persons through education, awareness, and prevention strategies,” according to its website.
What Happened to Gabby Petito?
Authorities say Gabby Petito was killed by her fiancé, Brian Laundrie, during a cross country roadtrip that she had started to document in a YouTube vlog. Petito’s posts showed an idyllic lifestyle, living in the pair’s van and camping out in their tent as they saw the country. But on August 12, a police report obtained by USA Today shows that Petito and Laundrie were stopped by police in Moab, Utah, after arguing outside a local store.
During the stop, Petito reportedly told police that she was struggling with her mental health, prompting arguments between her and Laundrie. Body camera footage from the incident showed Petito appearing distressed. Police left the scene after Petito and Laundrie agreed to spend the night apart.
