Here’s Where Gabby Petito’s Parents Are Now After the Murder of Their Daughter
“Van life” vlogger Gabby Petito and her fiancé Brian Laundrie seemed, on the outside, to have the kind of relationship that could never end the way it did. Now, Netflix’s American Murder: Gabby Petito, a three-part documentary, is exploring Petito and Laundrie’s last trip together, her disappearance, and what led to her murder and Laundrie’s death from a self-inflicted gunshot.
The documentary, which features real text messages, video footage, and personal journals from Petito, as well as never-seen-before interviews with members of her family, including her parents Joseh and Nichole, also examines the role Petito and Laundrie’s parents played after her disappearance. The story of Petito’s disappearance, the subsequent discovery of her remains, the hunt for Laundrie and his death were well documented at the time they happened. But the documentary focuses on what we don’t know—what Petito and Laundrie’s relationship was like, what her parents did to try to find her, as well as what his parents did to try to cover up the murder.
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Gabby Petito’s mom, Nichole Schmidt originally filed the missing person’s report when Brian Laundrie returned home but her daughter did. Her father, Joseph Petito, was also heavily involved in the search for his daughter, saying in a press conference, “I’m asking for help from the parents of Brian and I’m asking for the help of the family members and friends of the Laundrie family as well. Whatever you can do to make sure my daughter comes home, I’m asking for that help. There is nothing else that matters to me now.”
Tragically, Gabby Petito did not come home. With the documentary now examining Petito’s last moments, what happened to her parents since? Where are Gabby Petito’s parents Joseph and Nicole now?
Where Are Gabby Petito’s Parents Now?
Gabby Petito’s parents—Joseph Petito and Nichole Schmidt—both live in Florida and have become advocates for domestic violence and missing persons. Joseph Petito and his wife, Tara Petito ,and Nichole Schmidt and her husband Jim Schmidt also came together to create the Gabby Petito Foundation, whose purpose is to “address the needs of organizations that support locating missing persons and to provide aid to organizations that assist victims of domestic violence situations, through education, awareness, and prevention strategies.”
They also donated $100,000 to the National Domestic Violence Hotline in 2022.
“We have to prevent this from happening to other people,” Nichole, told People. “It keeps us strong. Gabby works through us. We can’t not do it. We have to move forward and change the world together.”
Joseph Petito had similar thoughts. “When you help one person, you … help change the course of their life in a positive way, and you want to do that again,” he also shared with the outlet, adding that, “We get emails and messages on social media on how many people have left their bad relationships because of Gabby’s story.”
And the four have become friends, something Gabby Petito always wanted. “It was something Gabby always wanted,” Tara Petito said. “She always wanted us, all four parents, to live together under one roof.”
Her mom, Nichole, agreed. “She always had this desire to have us all together. I think her spirit shines down now and is so happy that we’re working together and we’re together all the time because that’s what she wanted.”
In March 2022, Gabby’s parents filed a lawsuit against Brian Laundrie’s parents, Christopher and Roberta, accusing them of assisting their son in covering up Gabby’s murder and trying to help him flee the country. That lawsuit has been settled.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, help is available. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-SAFE (7233) for confidential support.
