Gabby Petito Documentary met with Outpourings of Stories from Domestic Violence Survivors

Soon after it came out, I watched the documentary “American Murder: Gabby Petito” that came out on Netflix on Feb. 17, 2024. The documentary follows the tragic story of the young, 22-year-old Gabby Petito and how she was killed by her on-and-off, high school sweetheart fiancé Brian Laundrie during their van-life trip around America during the summer of 2021.

Petito was an aspiring van-life YouTuber and content creator, where she aimed to create fun content showcasing her and Laundrie’s travels within a van that was converted into a mobile home. During the documentary, we learn that this was one of Petito’s dreams for a long time, and her long-term goal was to become a full-time influencer showcasing her exciting world of beautiful travels.

Unfortunately, this opportunity was ripped away from Petito by Laundrie, someone who was supposed to be there to support, love and embark with her on this journey.

There are several key moments in the documentary that are especially chilling, and stood out to me and the general audience, that touch base on multiple aspects of domestic abuse.

The first one I'd like to touch base on is a case before we even see Petito and Laundrie set forth on their journey. Petito’s best friend, Rose Davis, recalls always having a bad feeling about Laundrie. Davis describes him as controlling and manipulative. Davis even recalls a scenario where Laundrie hid Petito’s wallet to prevent her from going line dancing with Davis. Petito describes in a series of text messages to Davis that she doesn’t know why she’s (Petito) crying. This is just the first of a series of escalating incidents regarding Laundrie and Petito’s domestic disputes, and the start of Laundrie abusing Petito.

Audiences were quick to highlight that the signs before domestic abuse begins to escalate should not be ignored.

“As someone who was thrown down a flight of wooden stairs by a man three [times] my size, please take the yelling seriously. Please take the slightly angry glances seriously. Please take everything seriously,” TikTok user saturnbeech said.

Later on, once Petito and Laundrie have set out on their journey, a 911 call to the Grand County Sheriff's office was made on Aug. 12, 2021 about a couple (that couple being Laundrie and Petito) where a man was hitting a woman and chasing her up and down a sidewalk, before they hopped into a van together.

The Moab police were able to pull over Laundrie and Petito and question them about the dispute. However, instead of Petito finally getting her chance to escape and tell the authorities about the abuse, Petito was gaslit by Laundrie for so long into thinking that she was the problem that she insisted to the officers that she was the main aggressor due to her scratching Laundrie’s neck during the dispute.

The officers believed her, and proceeded to “side” with Laundrie, despite the initial call containing an eyewitness account of a man (Laundrie) slapping a woman (Petito). The officers responded by housing Laundrie in a domestic violence shelter-hotel, while they gave Petito the van for one night to keep them separated.

The officers did not care to question this case further, and although the female cop out of the group of male officers did express concerns for Petito, she was outnumbered, therefore nothing was done to protect Petito.

Audiences expressed their extreme disgust towards the justice system and its treatment of domestic violence victims, spotlighting their experiences

“I was strangled and broke down when the police questioned me and my abuser. They treated him like a victim because he had a few scratches. The justice system is corrupt!” TikTok user Astrid said.

This led to the Petito family filing a $50 million lawsuit against the Moab police department, believing that they could’ve intervened before Petito was eventually murdered by Laundrie.

After this incident, Petito was later found dead in Wyoming's Bridger-Teton National Forest on Sept. 19, 2021.

Laundrie then killed himself, which we learn happened right after the incident of him murdering Petito, once he traveled home after doing so. His remains were found in Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park in North Port, Florida on Oct. 21, 2021, a nature preserve near his parents' house.

In a deplorable series of excerpts from Laundrie’s journal, Laundrie claimed there was a freak accident in which Petito and he were hiking back to their van in Wyoming, in which he killed her so she wouldn’t have to suffer due to injuries.

Laundrie claimed Petito fell into cold, freezing water and had suffered serious injuries. He goes on to describe the pain she was feeling and that she was begging for mercy.

“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,” wrote Laundrie in his journal.

However, Petito’s autopsy revealed she was strangled, and that she was strangled further even after she had died.

In this event, Petito’s life was violently ripped away from her. She deserved the opportunity to achieve her dreams, to be free.

As an engaged woman in her early twenties myself, who was just talking with her fiancé about traveling to various state parks before I even learned about this incident, this case hit me extremely hard. She deserved to have a loving relationship too, and deserved the opportunity to travel with someone who loved her. It isn’t her fault she chose to embark on this journey with someone who should’ve protected her, but turned out to be full of hatred.

Another disturbing aspect to the documentary is how we learn loved ones often defend abusers as well.

Laundrie’s parents were notoriously unhelpful throughout the entire case, with hiding him at their house after Petito disappeared, and refusing to answer any sort of questions regarding Petito’s disappearance.

Laundrie’s mother, Roberta Laundrie, even wrote him a disturbing letter after Petito disappeared, with “burn after reading” inscribed on it.
A repulsive excerpt from the letter states, “If you’re in jail I will bake a cake with a file in it. If you need to dispose of a body, I will show up with a shovel and garbage bags.”

His mother claims the letter was just meant to show support to her son, and had nothing to do with Petito’s disappearance, but the extremely disturbing and seemingly targeted contents of the letter scream otherwise to me and the audience.

“[Roberta Laundrie] needs to be locked up. That’s enough proof that his parents knew what he did,” said TikTok user annnnnnnnnna713.

Victims of domestic violence confirmed the familial tolerance of abuse within their own stories as well.

“My ex’s mom looked me straight in the face, asked me if the bruises were from him, and when I said yes, she went silent and nothing ever changed, but I knew, she knew,” said TikTok user schmorgs_

“When my abuser broke my teeth, and bruised half my face, his mom showed up and as they walked away together she said ‘I told you she was bad news.’ Her voice/those words are forever engraved in my brain,” said TikTok user mama.belle_23.

Audiences and domestic violence victims have greatly connected with Petito’s story, and have expressed their own personal stories as a warning sign to others in the name of Petito.

“Sometimes I start invalidating my own experience but this documentary is such a good reminder. A man who yells, is physical and violent IS capable of killing you. So glad I got out of that relationship and rooting for all the women who are still in it,” said TikTok user boots2537.

People are also heavily encouraging others to look out for their own friends and family, and to make sure that they know they have a safe place to discuss their struggles and escape to.

“Gabby Petito is the reason why I will continue to be the strict friend. Encouraging your friends to be in toxic love culture should not be normalized. Remind your friends that true love should never hit them, manipulate them, lie to them etc. Don’t judge them, but love them enough that they will remember to love themselves. BEING STRICT CAN SAVE YOUR FRIEND’S LIFE!” said TikTok user rubytheodore.

The documentary has served as a way to give a voice to the voiceless and to make people aware of not just how severe abuse can be when it does take full force, but to show the subtle signs that are often shown before anything tangible or reportable takes place.

“Globally, 85,000 women and girls were killed intentionally in 2023. 60% of these homicides – 51,100 – were committed by an intimate partner or a family member. The data shows that 140 women and girls die every day at the hands of their partner or a close relative, which means one woman or girl is killed every ten minutes,” said a UN Women Press Release from Nov. 25, 2024.

Domestic Violence is a serious crisis, and Petito is just one example. Raise awareness. Be loud. Notice the signs.

Do what you can to allow yourself and your loved ones to live life to the fullest.