4 Key Insights from Netflix's American Murder: Gabby Petito Docuseries.
Netflix’s new three-part docuseries American Murder: Gabby Petito gives viewers a closer look at the life and death of the 22-year-old woman whose tragic disappearance sparked international media attention. The series, which includes interviews with Petito's family, never-before-seen police body camera footage, unseen text messages, and journal entries, offers a more in-depth exploration of Gabby Petito's relationship with her fiancé, Brian Laundrie, particularly in the final days before her disappearance.
Petito went missing in August 2021 while on a cross-country road trip with Laundrie. Her family grew concerned after losing contact with her, and soon learned that Laundrie had returned to his parents' home in Florida with the couple’s shared van, leaving Petito behind. On September 19, 2021, Petito’s body was found in Wyoming’s Bridger-Teton National Forest, and one month later, Laundrie was found dead from a gunshot wound in Florida’s Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park. A notebook found with his remains contained a confession in which Laundrie admitted to killing Petito.
The docuseries not only brings fresh insights into the case but highlights previously overlooked details of Petito’s life, her relationship, and the warning signs leading up to her death. Here are four takeaways from American Murder: Gabby Petito:
Petito’s Family Plays a Key Role in Telling Her Story
The Petito family opened up to the filmmakers, sharing personal materials like Petito's phone, diaries, and computer to help paint a fuller picture of her life. Directors Julia Willoughby Nason and Michael Gasparro spoke about the cooperation they received from the family. "They were very willing and cooperative and collaborative with us in terms of materials that they shared — this personal archive of Gabby’s," Nason said. Petito’s family even allowed the film crew to visit the spot where her body was found, one year after her disappearance.
Gabby Reached Out to Her Ex-Boyfriend Days Before Her Death
In the second episode of the series, Petito’s ex-boyfriend, Jackson, reveals a conversation he had with her during the van trip. Petito reached out to him, mentioning a recent argument with Laundrie and hinting at her plans to leave him. “She kind of hinted at the fact that they had kind of gotten in an argument a little bit. She was like, ‘I have a plan. I think I want to leave him,’” Jackson recalls in the documentary. This communication, which took place just days before her death, is seen as an important window into Petito’s emotional state. "It was the communication with Jackson that was the most, I think, interesting aspect of it,” said Nason. “There was obviously something that was going on there — the fact that she felt that she had to reach out to somebody that she trusted.”
Unseen Footage and New Insights into Her Relationship
The docuseries features never-before-seen police body camera footage from an altercation between Petito and Laundrie in Moab, Utah, on August 12, 2021. While brief clips of this incident were previously circulated, the series presents the full footage for the first time. In addition, the documentary includes more footage of a conversation between Florida police and Laundrie’s parents after the couple’s van was found at their house following Petito's disappearance. The series also includes text messages from Petito’s phone, offering new insight into her mindset and the toxic dynamic she shared with Laundrie. “She documented everything,” Gasparro said, referring to Petito’s meticulous record-keeping in her journal entries, photos, and videos.
Gabby’s Voice is Brought to Life Through AI
In a unique approach, the filmmakers used artificial intelligence to bring Petito’s voice to life. They obtained permission from her parents to use audio from existing videos to generate a voiceover of Petito reading one of her journal entries aloud. "We spoke to the family and said, ‘Listen, it’s really important for us to tell these kinds of stories, and we have an opportunity to tell it through Gabby and let her voice the story, which is unique,’” Gasparro explained. The use of AI was especially fitting because Petito had already shared much of her life publicly as an aspiring influencer. “We felt that, because this was directly correlated to her writings and that we wanted her voice to be her words to take us through moments, then this would be the best way to do it,” he added.
A Message of Warning and Support
While the docuseries doesn’t reveal new details about Petito’s murder, its aim is clear: to raise awareness about abusive relationships and provide insight into the toxic dynamic between Petito and Laundrie. "It’s a very powerful, toxic drug essentially when you’re in a relationship where you’re isolated and certain terms and pathologies get thrown out there,” Nason said. "We really hope people can be in her shoes and not feel so alone." Through Petito’s story, the series hopes to provide a message of support for those in similar situations.
American Murder: Gabby Petito is currently available for streaming on Netflix.
