Her murder had an impact on the van-life TikTok community, and American Murder: Gabby Petito sheds light on the last couple of days before the influencer’s death.
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, also examines the role Brian Laundrie’s parents played—particularly after Laundrie returned home without Petito.
Related: The Truth to Claims Netflix Used AI to Recreate Gabby Petito’s Voice & If Her Family Agreed
Friends and family regularly reached out to her, but the text messages between Laundrie and Petito were concerning. “Looking at her text messages with Brian for the first time, knowing that he had murdered her was haunting because it was like the manipulation… was very subtle,” director Julia Willoughby Nason told Fox 13. “And I think that we’re hoping that this series can show the subtlety of intimate partner abuse, especially among young people.”
Schmidt recalled that Gabby texted her about Brian’s mother freaking out about no one focusing on her pie and wasn’t talking to them.
Gabby: “your moms not in a good mood so idk what’s for dinner”
Brian: “A lot of days were like this when I was growing up and it just blows over”
Gabby: “I was just grocery shopping”
Brian: “Just say goodbye to her”
Gabby: “I know I’m just nervous to walk out of the room, I feel like I did something.”
Brian: “SMH I’m ashamed Say goodbye.”
Gabby: “I’m on my way!”
“He stole my wallet!!”
“Literally crying Idk why sorry”
“I really am ow tho”
Brian: “I’ll be happy when I see you but I’ll so pissed right now. I fucking hate that you worked at Taco Bell with all those lowlifes.”
Gabby: “Okay…well I know sorry.”
Brian: “I don’t know why you had to turn into one of them. Fucking disgusting”
Brian: “Please please please forgive me for calling your mom but I’m f—ked in every aspect of my life now, I just wanted this week to go smoothly 🙁 I’m crying so hard in the dumb f—king bathroom typing this”
“And I know you love me and I’m so sorry I worry you’ll leave, It’s just that I couldn’t have my life without you.”
Gabby: “No no honey I didn’t want you to be sad today”
“I love you so much I’m sorry”
“I will never leave!!!”
Brian: “I’m crying right now but it’s okay I was just saying how it’s so crazy I was along for so long, and was so happy but now that I love you so much every second alone I’m just stuck with a person I hate”
Gabby: “No hate”
“All love here”
Brian: “Hey hunny, I don’t want to keep bothering you my texting you how much I love you but really miss you. I’m sorry I’ve been so anxious, I’m really trying to focus on getting our life together so that we can hit the road. I’m definitely getting a lot done, working on the van right now”
“Aw man you took over the Spotify but you can’t txt me back, I miss you so much you hurt my feelings”
Gabby: “Sorry I just got service back! I tried to text you, relax”
Gabby: “Don’t try to control me because it only makes me mad. I love you so much but it’s the way you speak to me that hurts me the most.”
Gabby: “Ash for the check and tell her that the smell made me sick…idk the chicken wasn’t right”
“I actually don’t feel good…gonna be a min”
Brian: “Should I wait for you, then?”
Gabby: “I don’t want to pay for food that made me sick”
Gabby: “Hi I’m sure I’m the last person you want to hear from”
Gabby: “I’m fine, I convinced Brian to go camp out in the woods so I can have the van to myself.”
“It’s what he wants to do anyway”
“I don’t care”
“He said I could have the van if I paid him”
Nichole: “Are you guys breaking up?”
Gabby: “No I just said I could make more money as a solo female van lifer”
“I’m driving to a campsite now”
Brian: “Hey Hunny, just calling to let you know I made it to Colter Bay! I think the campground is still a little ways up the road, I’m gonna go check it out! LMK when your[sic] on your way, no rush:)”
“no rush”
“Can’t wait for you to see the mountains across the water!”
Brian from Gabby’s phone: “Yeah sure baby! we’ll do one more night of dispersed and then we’ve got our site at Colter Bay for TWO NIGHTS!!”
