Netflix’s three-part true crime docuseries “American Murder: Gabby Petito” was released on Feb. 21st, and became an instant top 10 in the U.S.
Director duo Michael Gasparro and Julia Willoughby's documentary especially resonates on the homefront. The Twentysomething Van Life couple Petito and her boyfriend turned eventual murderer, Brian Laundrie, were Long Island born and raised.
Reported missing on Sept. 11th, 2021 after spending the summer cross-country traveling with Laundrie, national interest in the search for Petito inspired social media hawks to launch their own investigations concurrent with proper authorities' efforts.
Testimonial interviews with family and friends retroactively paint a portrait Petito was sadly too love-blind to spot. Laundrie was a textbook controller; by the time she recognized she had been manipulated into mobile imprisonment, it was too late.
Petito’s body was discovered in a Grand Teton, Wyoming park on Sept. 19th. A coroner ruled her death a homicide.
Controversially, Moab, Utah police bodycam footage released after the saga first grabbed a hold of the pop culture wheel confirmed Laundrie and a distraught Petito were pulled over on suspicion of domestic violence not weeks before Petito stopped answering loved one's messages.
Police separated the couple that night, a decision full of puzzling particulars the documentary expands upon with justified contempt.
Also called to task: Laundrie’s parents, who have been mightily scrutinized for allegedly helping their son evade capture. Brian returned to Bay Shore, Florida in September—van in tow, but without his partner.
The Laundrie family’s attorney has vehemently criticized the documentary; this is no surprise, considering one of his clients, Roberta Laundrie, is revealed to have written a letter to his son that is simply unbelievable.
It was a jarring creative choice by the producers, deploying voice recreation technology to have the late Petito read back her own diary entries. Otherwise, the documentary successfully honors Petito and further buries the monster responsible for her demise.
"American Murder" pleads to the battered-in-love community: leave your relationship before the worst-case scenario unfolds.
Something about learning someone had called their girlfriend, who they would later strangle to death, a "low-life" for working 50-hour weeks at Taco Bell inspires one to envision nearby alternate realities.
One where the recipient of such had the fortitude to leave comes to mind; as does one other, where evil meets defeat by any force other than the hands of an utter coward.