It was supposed to be the adventure of a lifetime for 22-year-old Gabby Petito and her fiancé Brian Laundrie. Inspired by social media accounts chronicling glamorous lives on the road, the pair bought a van in 2021 to travel across America, keen to explore the nation’s vast natural wonder. For four months, Petito and Laundrie were going to stay in a number of America’s national parks while she started a blog and a YouTube account to catalog their trip.
But the dream holiday ended in tragedy. Following at least one domestic dispute between her and Laundrie, which was contradicted by her glowing social media presence, Petito disappeared in 2021 and would never return home. Her body was found on Sept. 19, 2021.
A new three-part documentary series, out now on Netflix, tells the story of Petito’s life and death through interviews with her friends and family, and traces how the search for her sparked nationwide interest. Here’s what to know about American Murder: Gabby Petito.
How Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie became a part of #vanlife
Petito and Laundrie became friends after they met at Bayport-Blue Point High School in Bayport, New York. After graduating in 2017, the pair began dating in 2019, and Petito moved to North Point, Florida to live with Laundrie’s family. Living there was an uncomfortable experience for Petito, her friend Rose Davis says in the series. She struggled to get along with Brian’s family, especially his mother Roberta. The discomfort was compounded by Laundrie’s increasingly controlling behavior. In one instance, he stole Petito’s wallet and ID so she couldn’t go out with Davis, as alleged in American Murder, which shows Petito and Laundrie’s text messages. Petito and Laundrie shared an interest in long drives, National Parks, and traveling around the United States, including driving from New York to California. In July 2020, the couple got engaged.
Saving up for a cross-country adventure, Petito worked various jobs,…
