4 Theories Why Brian Laundrie Murdered Gabby Petito

On the surface, Gabby Petito and her fiancé, Brian Laundrie, were living the perfect life. In 2021, aged just 22 and 23 respectively, the couple were on what appeared to be the trip of a lifetime. After they postponed their wedding due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they took a "van life" road trip visiting American national parks, and it was meant to be a great adventure. They shared their journey on social media, posting numerous videos from across the country that appeared to show them having the time of their lives.

In September, Laundrie returned home to Florida without Petito. Petito's family reported her missing, leading to police identifying Laundrie as a person of interest in her disappearance, but he refused to cooperate with police. Days later, Laundrie himself went missing, leading to a huge manhunt. On September 19, Petito's remains were discovered in Wyoming, with an autopsy showing that she had suffered blunt head trauma and been strangled to death. Laundrie's body was discovered in Florida on October 21. He had died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, and a confession found by his body confirmed that he was responsible for Petito's death. But while Laundrie's note outlined what he claimed was the reason for the killing, other details suggest that even before death, he was not truthful about what happened.

Brian Laundrie's parents said he left their home in North Port, Florida, on September 13, telling them that he was going for a hike in nearby Carlton Reserve. They later said they believe he actually left on September 14. Regardless, he never returned home, and after the alarm was raised, the Laundrie family's Mustang was located outside Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park.

Laundrie's body was discovered along with a backpack containing several personal items, including a notebook, which proved to be one of several disturbing documents attached to the case. In it, he had written that Gabby Petito had fallen and suffered a serious head injury. Laundrie claimed that, believing Petito was suffering and unlikely to recover, he had killed her, but that the act had been "merciful," ABC 7 reported. "Please do not make life harder for my family," he wrote. They lost a son and a daughter. The most wonderful girl in the world. Gabby I'm sorry."

The note was met with disdain by Petito's family and their supporters, who saw it as a self-serving attempt to grasp hold of the narrative around the case and take the spotlight off Laundrie's family. The Laundries found themselves in the middle of a legal battle with Petito's family, who claimed the killer's parents knew more about their son's actions in the wake of the incident than they were letting on. They ultimately reached a settlement before the case went to civil court.

Shortly after news of Gaby Petito's disappearance broke, the truth of her relationship with Brian Laundrie was revealed to be quite different from the idealized version the couple had presented to the world online. On August 12, the couple were pulled over by police in Moab, Utah. A member of the public reported seeing Laundrie slapping Petito on the sidewalk before they got back into their van and drove away. 

Officers spoke to the couple separately, and they concluded that it was Petito who had assaulted Laundrie, characterizing the event as a "mental health crisis" on her part, per People. Footage from the stop shows Petito in tears, taking the blame for what happened. Police separated the couple, telling Petito to spend the night in the van and taking Laundrie to spend a night in a hotel. Experts now believe the footage shows all the hallmarks of domestic abuse, but that officers on the scene were not adequately trained to read the situation and identify Petito as the victim.

Petito's friends have since described Laundrie as forceful and controlling in his relationship with her. They noted coercive behavior, such as one incident where he allegedly stole her ID so she was unable to go to a bar with friends. In retrospect, such details paint a picture of what looks like an abusive relationship.

That Brian Laundrie's relationship with Gabby Petito was allegedly characterized by controlling behavior and possible aggression puts the road trip in a different light. The couple were isolated with only each other for company as they traveled around the country — a situation more dangerous for Petito than anyone could foresee. In 2025, fresh details emerged that shined a light on what may have led to the relationship turning murderous.

In a new Netflix documentary, "American Murder: Gabby Petito," Petito's ex-boyfriend, referred to only as Jackson, claims that he and Petito had been back in touch in August 2021, days before her death. Shortly after she and Laundrie had been pulled over by police, Jackson said Petito called him and said she wanted to leave her fiance but was afraid of how he would react if she did. "She wasn't sure of what he would do, or what he could do," he said. She apparently discussed a plan to leave her fiance, allegedly telling her ex-boyfriend, "I have to figure out when to do it."

In 2024, the FBI released a list of disturbing possessions discovered at Brian Laundrie's home, as well as a cache of personal writings that seemed to suggest he had experienced a mental health crisis in the months prior to meeting Petito. The possessions included weapons such as brass knuckles and a crossbow, as well as a trove of firearm ammunition. Most disturbing of all, though, was a notebook in which Laundrie has written, per NewsNation: "About a year ago I went into a type of mania where I was smashing holes in the wall with my head, kicking through paintings, tearing whatever I was working on, pouring gasoline on myself to burn alive but getting the lighter wet, parking out in murderland listening to Mac DeMarco with a gun to my head, wrestling alligators. I wanted to die and the weird thing is nothing's changed, but the timer's running down."

Gabby Petito's mother, Nicole Schmidt, described the words as "hard to hear," noting that they revealed Laundrie had a mental illness that required treatment. Petito's family now commit their time to the Gabby Petito Foundation to help other victims recognize and escape from abusive relationships.

If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.

If you or someone you know needs help with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.