Gabby Petito’s parents are vehemently refuting false accusations and rumors following the recent airing of the three-part Netflix series, “American Murder: Gabby Petito.”
In a new two-hour interview, Gabby’s parents are calling out false narratives and answering questions the documentary left viewers with.
The documentary provides an in-depth look at the tragic murder of the 22-year-old travel influencer Gabby Petito, who was fatally attacked by her partner Brian Laundrie during a cross-country road trip across the American West.
Brian and Gabby embarked on their van life journey on July 2, 2021, but Gabby never returned home.
Petito’s body was found in Bridger-Teton National Forest, Wyoming, on September 19, 2021–eight days after she was reported missing.
Suspicion immediately turned toward Brian, who had returned home from the trip without his fiancee on September 1.
Brian and his parents refused to speak to police once Gabby was reported missing.
A few weeks later, Brian died by suicide.
In Netflix’s new special, Gabby’s friends and family are interviewed, as well as the law enforcement professionals who worked on the case.
Revelations from the documentary include the uncovering of disturbing evidence, such as a letter from Brian’s mother labeled “Burn after reading,” in which she assures him of her unwavering support regardless of his actions.
Viewers were also given access to the entire body cam footage from police officers who pulled over Gabby and Brian’s van on August 12, 2021, after a witness reported seeing a man hitting his girlfriend.
While the documentary thoroughly explained Gabby’s case, some social media users wanted more clarification on some issues.
Nicole Schmidt, Gabby’s mother, and Jim Schmidt, Gabby’s stepfather, answered some of the Internet’s questions on a live stream with YouTuber JustintheNickofCrime.
BRIAN’S BODY
Gabby’s parents clarified a looming rumor on social media that Brian’s body was never fully discovered, and instead, he was identified by his uncle who is a dentist.
Some users believed Brian escaped the country with the help of his parents.
Nicole and Jim cleared up the speculation and confirmed that medical examiners, not his uncle identified Brian’s body.
“Scientists, someone who does this for a living, identified him. They did the DNA testing and all of that,” Nicole said in response to the question.
“They found a lot more than Brian’s teeth, they found everything they needed to say no this is him,” Jim added.
Nicole ended her response by saying, “People love conspiracies.”
A 47-page autopsy report backs up their answer, confirming that Brian’s body was found in Sarasota County, Florida.
The report states that Brian shot himself in the left temple, local NBC affiliate WFLA reported.
GABBY’S WATER BOTTLE
The Schmidts confirmed another major question from Internet sleuths about a water bottle found near Gabby and Brian’s van.
On October 24, 2021, TikToker Olivia Vitale (@chroniclesofolivia) video taped her and her mother exploring the area where Gabby’s van was.
“I found something,” Olivia said as she approached a gray water bottle with stickers on it.
Gabby’s parents confirmed that water bottle belonged to their daughter.
“That was 100% Gabby’s water bottle,” Jim said.
However, they couldn’t confirm if it was just Gabby’s or if it was shared.
“It was the water bottle from the van. I don’t know if it was hers or Brian’s or they shared it,” Nicole added.
Gabby Petito timeline
Gabby Petito, 22, was last seen on August 24, leaving a hotel in Utah. Here is a timeline of Gabby Petito’s disappearance:
- June 2021 – Gabby Petito and her fiancé Brian Laundrie set off on a cross-country trip across the US.
- July 4 – Gabby posts photos of herself barefoot in Gove County, Kansas.
- July 8 – Gabby posts photos of herself at the Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado.
- July 18 – Gabby and Brian post photos of themselves at Utah’s Zion National Park.
- August 12 – Body camera footage was released in September showing an encounter Brian and Gabby had with police in Utah. Police confirmed that no significant injuries were reported.
- August 17 – Brian flies home to Florida to visit his parents, stock up on supplies, and close a storage unit.
- August 19 – Gabby and Brian post a video on their YouTube channel chronicling their trip.
- August 22 – Gabby texts her ex-boyfriend, Jackson.
- August 23 – Brian returns to meet Gabby in Salt Lake City.
- August 24 – Gabby is spotted leaving a hotel in Salt Lake City, Utah.
- August 25 – Gabby Facetimes her mom, Nichole Schmidt, for the final time. In a later police report, Schmidt said her conversations with her daughter revealed “more and more tension” between her and Brian.
- August 25 – Gabby also posts her last Instagram. No location is given.
- August 27 – Gabby messages Jackson for the final time.
- August 27 – Gabby is seen for the final time at a Whole Foods. Witnesses claim they saw Brian in an explosive argument with staff at a restaurant in Jackson Hole, leaving Gabby in tears.
- August 27 – Four hours later, travel bloggers driving through Grand Teton National Park drive past the couple’s van “abandoned” on a dirt road.
- September 1 – Brian returns home to Florida without Gabby.
- September 11 – Gabby’s parents report her missing to Suffolk County police.
- September 14 – Brian’s family issues a statement saying he has retained an attorney and will not be cooperating with investigators.
- September 14 – Brian is allegedly last seen by his family. He reportedly told them he was going hiking in Cartlon Reserve but failed to return.
- September 15 – Florida’s North Port police announce Brian is a person of interest in the case. He is not charged with any crime.
- September 16 – Utah police release body camera footage of the police encounter with Brian and Gabby.
- September 17 – Brian’s parents say they have not seen their son in a couple of days and report him missing.
- September 18 – Police announce they were searching Carlton Reserve in Florida for Brian. Police announce they have not found anything.
- September 19 – Authorities in Wyoming say they found a body in Grand Teton National Park. The FBI announces the body was believed to be Gabby’s but a full forensic identification needs to be completed first to confirm.
- September 20 – Police execute a search warrant on Laundrie’s home, seizing his silver Mustang and a hard drive that may contain “evidence relevant to proving that a felony has been committed.”
- September 21 – Officials announce they will be conducting an autopsy on the remains found in Wyoming to confirm whether or not they belong to Gabby. Police also resumed their search for Laundrie, this time on the Venice side of Carlton Reserve.
- September 21 – The FBI announced the body found in Wyoming was identified as Gabby’s. The cause of death was not yet revealed.
- September 21 – The Teton County Coroner’s office said Gabby’s official cause of death was still pending but the initial manner of death is homicide.
- September 22 – Police continue to scour Carlton Reserve for a trace of Laundrie but yield no leads. A specialist dive team is called in to assist with the hunt.
- September 23 – Officials announced a federal arrest warrant for Brian was issued.
- September 26 – Gabby’s funeral was held on Long Island, New York.
- October 12: Gabby’s autopsy results were made public. Teton County Coroner Dr Brent Blue confirmed Gabby died by strangulation.
- October 20: Laundrie’s personal items were found at the Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park. A medical examiner was called to the scene.
- October 21: The FBI confirmed the remains found have been identified as Laundrie’s.
- November 23: Laundrie’s autopsy reveals he died from a gunshot wound to the head.
- January 21, 2022: The FBI released its final investigative statement on Gabby’s case. The statement said, “The investigation did not identify any other individuals other than Brian Laundrie directly involved in the tragic death of Gabby Petito.”
- October 1, 2022: The Gabby Petito Story premieres on Lifetime without the family’s approval.
- February 17, 2025 – American Murder: Gabby Petito premieres on Netflix.
NOT IN THE WRONG
One key feature of the documentary is the body cam footage between Gabby and Brian.
The footage shows police pulling the couple over in response to a report about the two.
However, when they got pulled over, Gabby claimed to be the primary abuser and said she started hitting Brian while he was driving, causing him to swerve on the road.
Both Brian and Gabby had scratch marks and bruises on themselves.
During the incident, Gabby was treated as the instigator and was told to separate from Brian for the night.
Throughout the documentary and the live stream, Gabby’s parents fiercely defended their daughter.
“Sometimes someone who is being abused is accused of being the abuser. Whether it’s retaliation or self-defense,” Gabby’s mom said.
“Every police department around the country is using that video to help people better understand what the incident is,” Jim added.
NO MONEY
In 2022, the Petito family sued the Brian Laundrie’s estate for wrongful death and emotional distress.
The families settled the lawsuit for $3 million in November 2022.
A report by 20/20 had misleadingly claimed that the family put the settlement towards the Gabby Petito Foundation.
However, Nicole mentioned that they did not receive any money yet although they wish they could’ve donated it all to the foundation.
DEFENDING ROSE
Gabby’s parents also made a point to defend their daughter’s friend, Rose.
Rose and Gabby first met on Bumble BFF when Gabby had moved down to Florida to live with Brian.
The two quickly became close friends and Gabby would go to Rose when she needed to escape her abusive relationship with Brian.
At the beginning of the livestream, Nicole mentioned that Rose was receiving some hate online regarding her friendship with Gabby and Brian.
“I just want everyone to note that she’s a really good person. She really is a sweet sweet person,” Nicole noted.
