WHEN Gabby Petito disappeared in 2021, the world was gripped by the mystery.
Eventually a body was found and what really happened unfurled. A new documentary will air on ITVX revealing what happened.
Who was Gabby Petito?
Gabby Petito was a 22-year-old girl who went on a trip around America with her boyfriend.
She and Brian Laundrie were due to travel around the county for four months but this is not how it went.
On July 2, 2021 the pair embarked on their travels but it wasn’t long until Gabby’s family started to worry.
Gabby was born and raised in Blue Point, New York.
She had six younger siblings and half-siblings.
Gabby documented her life and travels on social media sites such as YouTube and Instagram.
When did Gabby Petito go missing?
Gabby and Laundrie set off on their four month trip at the start of July and Gabby documented their trip through her YouTube channel Nomadic Statik.
They seemed to be having the time of their lives as they visited some of the most picturesque parts of the US.
Gabby’s family stayed in touch with her until the end of August when communication stopped.
Her parents started to worry and started their search for their daughter, with internet sleuths getting involved in the missing persons case.
Laundrie returned to his home in Florida at the beginning of September in the van that he and Gabby had been travelling in, but he was on his own.
I’ve lost our whole future together, every moment we could have cherished.
Brian Laundrie
Before this on August 12, 2021 a witness called the police to report that a couple, that was identified as Gabby and Laundrie, were seen fighting in Utah.
The caller said they saw a man slap a woman before driving off together.
Police approached the couple and body cam footage showed them both talking about the physical altercation.
Petito told the officer that she hit Laundrie first.
Where was Gabby Petito’s body found?
The search for Gabby came to a tragic end when a body was found on September 19, 2021.
Her body was found at the Spread Creek Dispersed Camping area in Wyoming which is where the Ford Transit Connect was previously seen before Laundrie drove it home.
An autopsy determined that the manner of death was homicide by “blunt-force injuries to the head and neck, with manual strangulation” which occurred three to four weeks before the body was found.
What happened to Gabby Petito’s boyfriend, Brian Laundrie?
Laundrie was described as a person of interest on September 15 by police after he returned home to Florida on his own as he was the last person to have seen Gabby before she disappeared.
However just two days later his parents told police they had not seen their son since September 14.
Police then announced that they were searching for the Carlton Reserve Laundrie.
More than a month later on October 20 Laundrie’s body was found in a Florida park along with a notebook and backpack.
It was confirmed on November 23 that Laundrie had taken his own life.
Timeline of Gabby Petito's disappearance
Here we take a look at the sad events surrounding Gabby going missing:
- July 2021: Brian Laundrie and his fiancé Gabby Petito leave for a grip across the country. The couple visit numerous national parks across the way.
- August 12: Police in Utah respond to an incident involving the couple. The bodycam footage is not released for another month but it shows a visibly upset Gabby talking to police after reports of a domestic violence incident outside a grocery store.
- August 24: Gabby is seen leaving a hotel in Salt Lake City, Utah, with Laundrie.
- September 1: Laundrie returns to his home in North Port, Florida without Gabby.
- September 6: Laundrie joins his family on a camping trip about 75 miles from their home in North Port.
- September 11: Gabby’s family reports her missing.
- September 13: Laundrie leaves home to go hiking in Carlton Reserve, Florida. His family had initially said he departed on September 14, but revised their timeline weeks later.
- September 15: Laundrie is named a person of interest in the case of Gabby.
- September 16: Bodycam footage is released regarding the incident between Gabby and Laundrie.
- September 19: The FBI announces a body found at a Wyoming national park is believed to be that of Gabby’s.
- September 23: The FBI issued a warrant for Laundrie’s arrest claiming he “used unauthorized debit cards after Gabby Petito’s death.”
- September 26: A funeral is held for Gabby in New York.
- September 27: Dog the Bounty Hunter announces he will lend a hand and help search for Laundrie.
- September 28: Gabby’s family held an emotional press conference as the search for Laundrie continued.
- October 5: Laundrie’s sister, Cassie, appeared on Good Morning America and urged her brother to come forward.
- October 7: Laundrie’s father, Chris Laundrie, assisted law enforcement in the search to find his son.
- October 12: Gabby’s autopsy results were made public. Teton County Coroner Dr Brent Blue confirmed Gabby died by strangulation.
- October 20: Laundrie’s personal items were found near the Myakkahatchee Creek Park trail in Florida. The medical examiner was called to the scene to investigate.
- October 21: Reports stated the human remains found in the Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park were bones.
- October 21: The FBI confirmed the remains found have been identified as Laundrie’s.
- January 21, 2022: The FBI released its final investigative statement on Gabby’s case. The statement said, “The investigation did not identify any other individuals other than Brian Laundrie directly involved in the tragic death of Gabby Petito.”
What did Brian Laundrie write in his note?
In the notebook that was found with Laundrie’s body, a letter was found where he took responsibility for Gabby’s death.
He claimed that he killed her after she injured herself in a fall in Wyoming, saying he thought it was “merciful”.
He said that he loved Gabby and he apologised to “everyone who this will affect”.
He ended the note by writing: “I am ending my life not because of a fear of punishment but rather because I can’t stand to live another day without her.
“I’ve lost our whole future together, every moment we could have cherished.”
What did Gabby Petito’s parents say about her disappearance?
When Gabby was reported missing and her body had not yet been found, her family spoke out at new conferences.
At one her father Joseph Petito said: “We ask you to put yourselves in our shoes.
“We haven’t been able to sleep or eat.
“And our lives are falling apart.”
Since Gabby’s death, her mother Nichole has made several public appearances, including one on NBC’s TODAY.
On August 4, 2022, she revealed on the show that The Gabby Petito Foundation would be donating $100,000 to the National Domestic Violence Hotline in memory of her daughter.
“We’re trying to do good for Gabby, and for everybody else,” Nichole told NBC News senior national correspondent Kate Snow, via TODAY.
“Our story begins because of domestic violence tragedy, and we don’t want to see that happen to anybody else.
“Every potential call that’s coming in is someone’s life, and that’s how we have to think about this.
“Time is precious, lives are precious,” continued Nichole
Gabby’s parents sued Laundrie’s parents and their attorney for pain and emotional distress — they believed the Laundries withheld information regarding Petito’s death.
They have since reached a settlement where Gabby’s family received $3million.
How to watch The Disappearance of Gabby Petito
You can stream The Disappearance of Gabby Petito drops on ITVX on Thursday May 9, 2024.
Exploring the sad story of Gabby’s disappearance and death, the docuseries is made up of three parts.
The programme includes interviews with her parents, as well as the internet sleuths who tried to solve the case.
You're Not Alone
EVERY 90 minutes in the UK a life is lost to suicide
It doesn’t discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society – from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers.
It’s the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, more deadly than cancer and car crashes.
And men are three times more likely to take their own life than women.
Yet it’s rarely spoken of, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice, now.
That is why The Sun launched the You’re Not Alone campaign.
The aim is that by sharing practical advice, raising awareness and breaking down the barriers people face when talking about their mental health, we can all do our bit to help save lives.
Let’s all vow to ask for help when we need it, and listen out for others… You’re Not Alone.
If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support:
- CALM, www.thecalmzone.net, 0800 585 858
- Heads Together,www.headstogether.org.uk
- HUMEN www.wearehumen.org
- Mind, www.mind.org.uk, 0300 123 3393
- Papyrus, www.papyrus-uk.org, 0800 068 41 41
- Samaritans,www.samaritans.org, 116 123