The family of the late Gabby Petito sat down with NewsNation’s Brian Entin to discuss the Netflix documentary about the murder of their daughter and how they’re working to prevent youth domestic violence.
“When you watch the documentary, remember that this is a real person, this is a real family, it’s a real story and it’s real life,” Gabby’s mother Nichole Schmidt told NewsNation. “It’s not just true crime. This can happen to anyone.”
“We never in a million years thought this would happen to our family. That’s why we’re trying to help people so we can prevent this from happening to them,” she added.
In July 2021, Gabby and her boyfriend Brian Laundrie went on a road trip across America, but only Laundrie returned to his parent’s house in North Port, Fla.
Authorities said Laundrie killed Petito and left her at the Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. Her body would be found weeks later in mid-September, days after Laundrie went missing in the Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park in Florida.
His remains were later found in the nature preserve in October 2021. Investigators said he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound and left a notebook confession saying he killed his girlfriend.
Petito’s family will share their story in “American Murder: Gabby Petito,” a three-part documentary set to premiere on Feb. 17.
“American Murder: Gabby Petito, a new three-part documentary series, goes beyond the media frenzy to let Petito’s family and friends share her story,” a news release from Netflix reads in part.
“Illustrated with real text messages, video footage, and excerpts from Petito’s personal journals, the series captures the reality of a young woman enmeshed in an abusive relationship behind closed doors — even as she put on a happy, ‘Insta-perfect’ face for social media,” it continues.
NewsNation Senior Correspondent Brian Entin spoke with Gabby Petito’s parents ahead of the release of a Netflix docuseries about her case. Watch his full report on “Morning in America” on Monday starting at 6a/5c.
