Netflix has brought to light new details about Gabby Petito’s death in the latest instalment of their American Murder documentary series.
American Murder: Gabby Petito was released this week, detailing the final days of the young woman whose road trip adventure turned into a tragedy.
“In this gripping true-crime series, her loved ones reveal the untold story of her tragic murder,” Netflix states in its blurb for the three-part docuseries.
The streaming giant has enjoyed huge publicity from highlighting the case. But it has also been criticised for using artificial intelligence to recreate the voice of Ms Petito, who was killed aged 21 by her fiance and travel companion Brian Laundrie in 2021.
Laundrie, 23, killed himself a few weeks later and his family have also attacked the “many inaccuracies” presented in American Murder.
Attorney Steve Bertolino said: “The documentary contained many inaccuracies, incorrect juxtapositions of timelines, and misstatements and omissions of fact — perhaps deliberate to capture their ‘truth’, perhaps due to simple error.
“We all know Brian took Gabby’s life and Brian then took his own as well. Let the parents of both Gabby and Brian mourn them in peace.”
Here is how the saga has played out.
Gabby Petito timeline
2020: Origins of a fatal road trip
Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie rose to social media fame with their glowing and aspirational videos showing their vanlife journey across the US in 2021.
“Recently, we decided to downsize our life into a little Ford Transit Connect to travel across the United States!” their Nomadic Statik YouTube channel said.
The channel only ever saw one video, however.
The story began with the New York state-based pair getting engaged in July 2020 before purchasing a Transit van and making plans.
Summer 2021: Road trip begins
In July 2021, the trip began exactly one year after the engagement.
The pair set off on a journey west from the East Coast and posted pictures from Monument Rocks at Kansas and then Colorado. They took in the sights in Missouri and Utah, visiting various national parks and springs where they hiked and camped.
August 12, 2021: Disorderly conduct call out
The first sign that things were not going well was on August 12, when the police pulled the couple’s van over at the sign of disorderly conduct. Reportedly, the couple had fought after Laundrie got into the van with dirty feet while Ms Petito was working on a blog. No charges were pressed but the two separated for the night.
August 25, 2021: The last Instagram post
After a few days of sporadic posts and her only YouTube video, Ms Petito posts her final Instagram photo - showing a pumpkin and writing “happy Halloween” while in Utah.
There are no further confirmed sightings of her.
On August 29, a woman claimed that she had picked up Laundrie, who was hitchhiking and looking for a ride to Jackson, Colorado.
August 30, 2021: Missing person appeal begins in earnest
The next day, Ms Petito’s mother, Nichole Schmidt, received a text from her daughter’s phone number but believes she did not send it. “I believe she is in danger because she is not in touch with us and could be alone, stranded,” she told a police press conference.
Two days later, Laundrie arrives in North Port, Florida alone, with the van. Laundrie does not speak to the police but is later named as a person of interest.
Police release statements penned by the family calling on them to be forthcoming with information about her disappearance.
September 17, 2021: Laundrie reported missing
With Laundrie’s sister having spoken on TV to call for Ms Petito to be found, the family report that he is missing too and was last seen three days prior.
September 19, 2021: Body found
Two searches are completed all across national parks. Laundrie cannot be found but a body is discovered in the Spread Creek Dispersed Camping area in Wyoming. This is not far from where the couple’s van had previously been sighted.
The body is confirmed to be that of Ms Petito, and an autopsy finds that she was killed by "blunt-force injuries to the head and neck, with manual strangulation".
October 20, 2021: Laundrie’s body is found and later identified
Using dental records, authorities are able to confirm the identity and rule in November that his cause of death was a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
2022: Laundrie’s admission is made public
The following January, the FBI revealed that Laundrie's notebook, which was found near his remains, contained an entry in which he admitted to killing Ms Petito.
It also stated that he had tried to convince people she was alive by text message. The admission led the FBI to close their case.
It has never been confirmed when Ms Petito died.
February 2025: Netflix brings to light new details of the case
The documentary has brought further findings to light, including:
Ms Schmidt says in the documentary: "When you're watching a documentary like this, remember that it's not just a story. It's not just entertainment for you; it's not just 'true crime'.
"Remember that there are always real lives involved and that these things can happen to anyone."
