Gabby Petito was a 22-year-old American woman born and raised in Blue Point, New York. She had six younger siblings and half-siblings.

Gabby began dating Brian Christopher Laundrie in March 2019, and they moved in together with Brian’s parents in North Port, Florida. The couple worked at a Publix supermarket in North Port—Gabby as a pharmacy technician and Brian in the grocery department

The tragic events unfolded during their van life journey across the United States. The trip, which was planned to last for four months, began on July 2, 2021. However, Gabby mysteriously disappeared on August 27. Brian Laundrie, her fiancé, raised suspicion when he drove their van from Wyoming back to his parents’ home in Florida and refused to discuss Gabby’s whereabouts. He became a person of interest in the case, and an arrest warrant was issued for him for making withdrawals using Gabby’s debit card. Brian left his home on September 13 and was reported missing four days later.

On September 19, Gabby Petito’s remains were found in Wyoming’s Bridger–Teton National Forest. An autopsy revealed that she was killed by blunt-force injuries to her head and neck as well as manual strangulation. After weeks of speculation about Brian Laundrie’s whereabouts, an extended search led to the discovery of his skeletal remains in Florida’s Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park on October 20. An autopsy confirmed that Brian had died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. The FBI later revealed that Brian had admitted to killing Gabby Petito in a notebook found near his remains.

Gabby Petito’s story is a heartbreaking reminder of the complexities of relationships, the impact of violence, and the importance of seeking justice for victims of crime.