A NEW documentary covering the disappearance and killing of Gabby Petito is set to be released tomorrow.
The documentary, The Murder of Gabby Petito: Truth, Lies and Social Media, is set to be released Friday on NBC’s streaming service, Peacock.
Petito, 22, went on a cross-country road trip with her fiancé, Brian Laundrie, and never returned.
The 22-year-old was reported missing on September 11, just days after Laundrie returned home without her, and her remains were later discovered on September 19.
Autopsy results revealed she was strangled to death and Laundrie was named a person of interest but disappeared himself and was found dead of an apparent suicide on October 22.
The new documentary reportedly “sheds new light on the tragic story, the unanswered questions and the shocking conclusion,” with exclusive interviews from her family.
Read our Gabby Petito live blog for the latest news and updates…
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When did Gabby die?
Gabby’s autopsy results revealed that she died three to four weeks before her body was found, placing the date of the murder around the last week of August.
Teton County Coroner Dr Brent Blue confirmed that Gabby died by strangulation, adding that the body was outside “in the wilderness” until it was found.
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Family says Gabby was ‘stolen’
In an interview, Dad Joe, step-dad Jim and mom Nichole Schmidt revealed their agony after 22-year-old Gabby was “stolen” from them.
Step-dad Jim said: “Gabby was 22-years-old. Her life was stolen from her… stolen from us.”
Nichole added: “This was like, evil. She was taken at someone else’s hand.”
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How did Gabby go missing?
Gabby Petito had quit her job and packed her life into a camper van for a cross-country adventure with Brian Laundrie, starting in July, documenting their journey in a stream of social media posts.
In images shared by the couple online, they are all smiles — barefoot in a canyon or surveying the ochre rocks of state and national parks.
In one YouTube video published during their trip, Petito and Laundrie are shown kissing tenderly, enjoying a sunset together, and strolling on a beach.
But the young woman’s family filed a missing person report on September 11 after the 22-year-old mysteriously vanished, and Laundrie returned home to Florida without her.
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How to watch the documentary
To view the documentary, viewers must subscribe to Peacock.
Subscriptions range from $4.99/month to $9.99/month, depending on users viewing preferences.
The platform also offers annual subscriptions from $49.99/year to $99.99/year.
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Gabby’s mom wanted Brian jailed
In a heartbreaking interview that laid bare her devastation and anger, mom Nichole Schmidt slammed Laundrie as a “coward” who “knows what he is doing.”
Before his remains were identified, in an interview with 60 minutes, Gabby’s mom Nichole said: “He is a coward. “I just want to get him in a cell for the rest of his life.”
“I don’t want to say he is insane or anything, he went home, he’s hiding, he used her credit card.”
“I mean, that’s not someone who has gone crazy. He knows what he is doing.”
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Gabby Petito’s autopsy results
The Teton County Coroner D. Brent Blue said initial findings were that Petito died as a result of being strangled
On October 12, more details were released revealing she died by strangulation.
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Gabby’s mom’s Thanksgiving message
On Thanksgiving Day of 2021, Gabby’s mother Nicole Schmidt took to her social media profiles to share a tribute to her late daughter, offering gratitude for her life.
“Gabby will forever remind me to be grateful for every moment, every breath, and every memory,” she wrote.
“I will cherish what I’ve had, and have in the present, always. Live with love, laughter and gratitude.”
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Was Brian Laundrie found?
Laundrie, 23, was named a person of interest in the disappearance and went missing himself as the search for Petito continued.
On October 21, the FBI announced remains found at the T. Mabry Carlton Jr. Memorial Reserve and Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park belonged to Laundrie.
Coroners determined Laundrie died from a gunshot wound to the head, ruling his death a suicide.
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Gabby’s dad describes ‘horrific’ times
Petito’s father, Joseph, and stepmother, Tara, appear in the new documentary’s trailer as well and describe the time their daughter was missing as “horrific” and “a blur.”
“Her bright, beautiful light touched a lot of people,” Tara says in the trailer.
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Gabby’s family opens up
The Murder of Gabby Petito: Truth, Lies and Social Media will be available to stream on Peacock starting Friday, December 17, and it will give insight into Petito’s story, the unanswered questions about her case and the devastating conclusion.
Gabby’s parents and stepparents reflect on the life of the 22-year-old, including sharing childhood memories and details that have never been seen before.
“It was like every parents’ nightmare. Just like, in a flash of second. She’s gone, she’s missing,” Gabby’s stepfather, Jim Schimdt, recalls in the trailer.
“The thoughts that were going through my head is something – something really bad has happened to her. It’s still unbelievable. I don’t understand it,” Gabby’s mom, Nichole Schmidt, says in the trailer.
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‘I now know why you came here’
When he traveled to Wyoming to recover his daughter’s remains, Gabby Petito’s father, Joe Petito, posted the “beautiful view” of a lake near where Gabby’s body was found in Wyoming.
“I now know why you came here. #gabbypetito has a beautiful view from now on. Love you, and miss you,” Joe Petito wrote on Twitter, alongside a picture of a lake surrounded by mountains.
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Waiting for the documentary
People on social media are anxiously awaiting the documentary, which is scheduled to be released on Peacock on Friday.
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Gabby Petito timeline
Gabby Petito timeline
Gabby Petito, 22, was last seen on August 24, leaving a hotel in Utah. Here is a timeline of Gabby Petito’s disappearance:
- June 2021 – Gabby Petito and her fiancé Brian Laundrie set off on a cross-country trip across the US.
- July 4 – Gabby posts photos of herself barefoot in Gove County, Kansas.
- July 8 – Gabby posts photos of herself at the Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado.
- July 18 – Gabby and Brian post photos of themselves at Utah’s Zion National Park.
- August 12 – Body camera footage was released in September showing an encounter Brian and Gabby had with police in Utah. Police confirmed that no significant injuries were reported.
- August 19 – Gabby and Brian post a video on their YouTube channel chronicling their trip.
- August 24 – Gabby is spotted leaving a hotel in Salt Lake City, Utah.
- August 25 – Gabby Facetimes her mom, Nichole Schmidt, for the final time. In a later police report, Schmidt said her conversations with her daughter revealed “more and more tension” between her and Brian.
- August 25 – Gabby also posts her last Instagram. No location is given.
- August 27 – Gabby is seen for what’s believed to be the final time. Witnesses claim they saw Brian in an explosive argument with staff at a restaurant in Jackson Hole, leaving Gabby in tears.
- August 27 – Four hours later, travel bloggers driving through Grand Teton National Park drive past the couple’s van “abandoned” on a dirt road.
- September 1 – Brian returns home to Florida without Gabby.
- September 11 – Gabby’s parents report her missing to Suffolk County police.
- September 14 – Brian’s family issues a statement saying he has retained an attorney and will not be cooperating with investigators.
- September 14 – Brian is allegedly last seen by his family. He reportedly told them he was going hiking in Cartlon Reserve but failed to return.
- September 15 – Florida’s North Port police announce Brian is a person of interest in the case. He is not charged with any crime.
- September 16 – Utah police release body camera footage of the police encounter with Brian and Gabby.
- September 17 – Brian’s parents say they have not seen their son in a couple of days and report him missing.
- September 18 – Police announce they were searching Carlton Reserve in Florida for Brian. Police announce they have not found anything.
- September 19 – Authorities in Wyoming say they found a body in Grand Teton National Park. The FBI announces the body was believed to be Gabby’s but a full forensic identification needs to be completed first to confirm.
- September 20 – Police execute a search warrant on Laundrie’s home, seizing his silver Mustang and a hard drive that may contain “evidence relevant to proving that a felony has been committed.”
- September 21 – Officials announce they will be conducting an autopsy on the remains found in Wyoming to confirm whether or not they belong to Gabby. Police also resumed their search for Laundrie, this time on the Venice side of Carlton Reserve.
- September 21 – The FBI announced the body found in Wyoming was identified as Gabby’s. The cause of death was not yet revealed.
- September 21 – The Teton County Coroner’s office said Gabby’s official cause of death was still pending but the initial manner of death is homicide.
- September 22 – Police continue to scour Carlton Reserve for a trace of Laundrie but yield no leads. A specialist dive team is called in to assist with the hunt.
- September 23 – Officials announced a federal arrest warrant for Brian was issued.
- September 26 – Gabby’s funeral was held on Long Island, New York.
- 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 at the Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park. A medical examiner was called to the scene.
- October 21: The FBI confirmed the remains found have been identified as Laundrie’s.
- November 23: Laundrie’s autopsy reveals he died from a gunshot wound to the head
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Where was Gabby’s body found?
On September 19, 2021, authorities in Wyoming announced a body was found in the area where the search for Petito had been underway.
The Petito lawyer later confirmed on September 21, that the body was identified as Gabby.
The remains were discovered in Grant Teton National Park, where she had been camping with her fiancé when she disappeared.
“I want to personally thank the press and news media for giving the Petito and Schmidt family time to grieve,” lawyer Richard Stafford said in a statement.
“We will be making a statement when Gabby is home. I will contact you to arrange a time and location.”
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Gabby Petito wasn’t pregnant
Gabby’s autopsy confirmed that she was not pregnant at the time of her death.
Online sleuths had speculated that Gabby may be pregnant after discovering a Pinterest board titled: “Oh Baby”.
The board was also shared by Brian Laundrie’s mom, the International Business Times reports.
The page contains several links to items of clothing that were previously for sale including onesies and crocheted bibs.
There are several snaps of toddlers playing on the beach and cute family photos.
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Gabby’s wedding plans
The 22-year-old vlogger had mapped out several design schemes and alfresco ideas for her nuptials on her Pinterest page in an album poignantly titled “Life goals” before her tragic death.
The curated collection of images, which include photos of outdoor ceremonies and beachfront banquets, is shared with Brian Laundrie, his mother Roberta, and a fourth account by the name of “PinJunkeeMama.”
A sub-folder within the album, titled “Oh Baby” and shared between the same four people, indicates that Gabby and Laundrie may have been planning to eventually have a child together.
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‘For the rest of his life’
In a heartbreaking recent interview, mom Nichole Schmidt slammed Brian Laundrie as a “coward” who “knows what he is doing.”
Before his remains were identified, in an interview with 60 minutes, Gabby’s mom Nichole said: “He is a coward. “I just want to get him in a cell for the rest of his life.”
“I don’t want to say he is insane or anything, he went home, he’s hiding, he used her credit card.”
“I mean, that’s not someone who has gone crazy. He knows what he is doing.”
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When does the Gabby Petito documentary air?
The documentary, The Murder of Gabby Petito: Truth, Lies and Social Media, is scheduled to be released on Friday.
It will be released on NBC’s streaming service, Peacock, so it doesn’t have an “air time” the way that a show on cable would.
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Did Brian Laundrie have a funeral?
Through their attorney, the Laundrie family revealed that they would be cremating their son’s ashes and forgoing a funeral.
His family left their homes in North Port on October 24 to grieve together in an undisclosed location in Florida.
Chris and Roberta Laundrie returned to their home on October 26.
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‘Her final resting place’
Gabby’s family traveled to Wyoming where her remains were found near Grand Teton National Park on September 19.
“It almost felt like her home. Her final resting place,” Gabby’s mom, Mrs Schmidt, told Dr Oz on a recent episode of the show featuring Gabby’s parents and step-parents.
“Such a beautiful, peaceful place to be. And we went there to bring her home and that’s what we did.”
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Gabby’s final text
Gabby’s mother believes that her daughter’s last text wasn’t written by the late vlogger.
The message was sent to Nichole Schmidt on August 30 when Gabby and fiancé Brian Laundrie were still on their cross-country road trip.
The mysterious text read: “No service in Yosemite”
Yosemite is about 800 miles away from Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming where Gabby’s remains were eventually found.
It’s unclear if Gabby was the one who sent the message, but the FBI has pinpointed her date of death to between August 27 to 30.
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Gabby Petito’s dad at her funeral, continued
“And she’s inspired a lot of women and a lot of men to do what’s best for them first. Put yourself first and do it now while you have the time. I couldn’t be more proud as a father,” he added.
Joe also warned women in toxic relationships to “leave now” so that way this tragedy does not happen to them.
Just days after, the family then held a press conference, where Nicole showed off matching tattoos that were designed by Gabby prior to her death.
On October 3, 2021, Gabby’s family announced that they had launched the Gabby Petito Foundation in honor of their late daughter.
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Gabby Petito’s dad at her funeral
On September 26, the Petito family held a memorial service for Gabby to lay her to rest following the autopsy results.
At the service, her father Joe said that he wanted people to be “inspired” by the life she embodied.
“So when you leave here today, be inspired by what she brought to the table because the entire planet knows this woman’s name now,” he said.
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Foundation helps find missing persons
The Gabby Petito Foundation on Twitter advised in early December that they have a separate page dedicated to helping find other missing persons.
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Family honors Gabby with foundation
On October 3, 2021, Gabby’s family announced that they had launched the Gabby Petito Foundation in honor of their late daughter.
“The Gabby Petito Foundation is up and running!,” a post on the foundation’s Twitter page read. “We have a lot of work to do, website is just starting out so be patient with us, we will get there. Thank you for all the support and love!”
The family then repeated a phrase coined by Gabby’s dad in an Instagram post after her remains were found at a Wyoming campsite on September 19: “She touched the world.”
A link to the foundation’s website is also now live, having previously been “under construction” in the week since the family first unveiled their plans to launch a charity in Gabby’s name at her funeral.