Brian Laundrie told police Gabby Petito was 'crazy'. She wasn't believed until she was dead.

The murder of Gabby Petito is one of the most tragic stories to capture the internet in recent years.

The 22-year-old disappeared in August 2021 during a cross-country van trip with her fiancé Brian Laundrie. Her body was discovered in Wyoming's Bridger-Teton National Forest on September 19, 2021, with authorities determining that she died by strangulation.

Laundrie returned home alone to Florida, later disappeared, and was found dead in October 2021. In his recovered notebook, Brian confessed to killing Petito.

However, he claimed she was injured and said he had killed her as an act of 'mercy' — a fact Petito's family have vehemently denied via autopsy reports that show her sole cause of death as blunt trauma and strangulation. Experts also contend that Laundrie's account does not match investigators' findings.

Listen to The Quicky discuss Gabby Petito's disappearance. Post continues below.

Netflix's new three-part docuseries American Murder: Gabby Petito explores the case through interviews, social media posts, text messages and police footage, offering fresh insights into their relationship and the events leading to her tragic death.

The documentary features some deeply disturbing revelations about Brian's behaviour leading up to and during the couple's fateful van trip.

We've rounded up eight of the biggest warning signs that were missed.

Watch the trailer. Post continues after video.

1. Brian would steal Gabby's ID and wallet during arguments.

Gabby's best friend in Florida, Rose Davis, shared that she was increasingly concerned as she observed her relationship with Brian.

"Brian had a very dark side of him," she recalled. "He seemed very manipulative."

A particularly troubling incident occurred when Gabby missed plans due to Brian taking her wallet which held her identification.

"Brian admitted he stole it because he didn't want her to go out," Rose shared.

Stealing your partner's wallet is a common example of financial coercive control.

2. Brian contacted Gabby's mother in an attempt to restrict her social life.

The relationship began showing more concerning signs when Gabby took a job at Taco Bell to save money for their planned van trip. During this period, Brian's controlling behaviour intensified, particularly regarding her social interactions.

"She would work, then hang out with me. That's when Brian started feeling neglected and having this possessiveness over Gabby," Rose said.

Image: Netflix.

The situation escalated with Brian sending hostile messages to Gabby about her whereabouts, including telling her she was "f***ing disgusting".

The extent of his control reached beyond Gabby, extending to her family.

He contacted Gabby's mother, Nichole, who recalled: "He called me and was like, 'Gabby's working really late every night, and she's hanging out with these people, and they're bad.' And... I believed him."

3. Gabby's friend said the van trip was an effort for Brian to 'isolate' her from her friends and family.

A text message from Gabby to Brian before the van trip revealed a toxic dynamic, as she texted him "Don't try to control me because it only makes me mad".

Rose, who witnessed changes in Gabby's demeanour, noted a significant shift in her friend just before the van journey commenced.

According to Rose, she perceived this van excursion as Brian's calculated attempt to further separate and 'isolate' Gabby from her support network.

4. On the trip, a witness said they saw Brian repeatedly hitting Gabby.

Just weeks before her murder, someone called the police to report they had seen Brian hitting Gabby.

The witness reported observing an altercation where Brian was allegedly physically aggressive toward Gabby outside a grocery store in Moab, Utah.

According to police dispatch audio, the caller specifically reported witnessing a male striking a female in what was described as a domestic incident. The witness stated that Laundrie had attempted to prevent Petito from leaving by taking her phone.

Despite this, the police pulled over the couple's van and didn't ask Gabby about what had happened during this reported incident.

The police failed to obtain a statement from the original 911 caller who reported seeing Laundrie slapping Petito.

So the cops get a call of someone witnessing a man hit a woman REPEATEDLY and they see Gabby hyperventilating obviously injured and they call HER the aggressor???#GabbyPetito pic.twitter.com/i6EJnUS6v0

— gagged accidentally on purpose (@blueraspberrya1) February 18, 2025

5. Police ignored Gabby's injuries and emotional state.

When the couple are pulled over in the documentary, the bodycam shows police seemingly glazing over the fact that Gabby has a black eye, bruises on her arms and is hyperventilating and crying the entire time.

When they first notice the marks, Gabby says they're from Brian grabbing her face.

Instead, they focused on scratches on Brian's arms, face, and neck, which they photographed.

Gabby is in clear emotional distress and crying, yet she was not provided with any domestic violence resources.

Image: Netflix.

6. Police believed Brian's account of what happened.

The police bodycam encounter revealed a stark contrast between Gabby and Brian's demeanours.

Gabby was visibly distraught, tearfully stating "We've just been fighting this morning. Some personal issues," but Brian displayed a markedly different attitude, appearing relaxed and jovial with law enforcement.

The police overlooked a lot of Gabby's worrying comments.

"He wouldn't let me in the car before," Gabby explained through tears. She went on to tell officers that Brian "really stresses her out" and described their "rough morning".

Brian casually smiled as he told officers he had pushed Gabby several times, claiming it was to create space between them.

"She gets really worked up and I try to distance myself from her," he said.

"I love Gabby and I hope she doesn't have too many complaints about me."

When the police asked Laundrie if Petito "takes anything," for her mental health, he said "she's crazy," and then laughed.

The responding officers concluded that Petito was the primary aggressor in the situation, telling Laundrie he was the victim.

gabby petito is proof that society doesn’t believe women until they’re dead. https://t.co/SEKoPb9vrO

— licinha 𐚁⸆⸉ (@folkthorn) February 18, 2025

In one of the more baffling moments, the officers at the scene deliberated over whether Brian could be considered "a battered man."

The incident was also incorrectly classified as a "mental health crisis" on Gabby's part instead of a domestic violence incident.

Brian was even awarded a hotel room for the night while Gabby was expected to spend the night alone in the van.

7. Gabby had a worrying phone call with her ex-boyfriend.

Days before Gabby's disappearance, she and Brian briefly separated, during which time she stayed at a hotel.

It was here when she reached out to her ex-boyfriend Jackson with a poignant message: "I would really love to talk to you, I'm only alone until tomorrow."

When Jackson spoke with Gabby over the phone, he noted she was clearly distressed. She revealed that she and Brian were at a breaking point, telling Jackson "I have a plan. I think I want to leave him. I'm going to do it. I need to figure out when to do it."

Gabby's ex-boyfriend, Jackson. Image: Netflix.

Jackson later reflected on their conversation, recalling the underlying fear he detected in her voice.

"From the sound of her voice and the way she was saying it, it sounded like she wasn't sure what he would do or what he could do," he said.

Concerned for her safety, he emphasised to her the importance of being cautious.

Tragically, Jackson would receive one final missed call from Gabby, the last communication he would ever have with her.

8. Gabby's final text to her mother was a red flag.

Gabby's final text message exchange with her mum Nichole revealed a concerning development.

During their conversation, Gabby shared that she had convinced Brian to camp in the woods while she kept the van.

The messages took an unusual turn when Gabby mentioned that Brian offered her the van in exchange for payment. When her mother directly asked if they were breaking up, Gabby deflected, responding that she could earn more money as a "solo female van lifer".

American Murder: Gabby Petito is now streaming on Netflix.

Feature image: Netflix.