It was the case that shocked the world. Gabby Petito and her fiancé Brian Laundrie had been travelling around America in a van, documenting their life on the road on YouTube. Then Gabby went missing in 2021, after at least one domestic dispute between her and Brian. Three to four weeks later, her body was found. It was later confirmed that she had been strangled to death by Brian.
Now, Gabby's story is retold in a three-part docuseries, American murder: Gabby Petito, which chronicles the harrowing search and tragic events that unfolded in the late summer of 2021. The documentary features interviews with family and friends, including Gabby's parents, Joe Petito and Nichole Schmidt. However, the family have stressed that people need to remember that they are a real family, not just characters in a true crime narrative.
'When you’re watching a documentary like this, remember that it’s not just a story. It’s not just entertainment for you; it’s not just “true crime.” Remember that there are always real lives involved and that these things can happen to anyone. So choose empathy and kindness every day, because everybody’s going through something. That’s how Gabby lived her life,' said Nichole in an interview with Tudum by Netflix.
As the documentary gets the internet talking, here's everything we know about Gabby Petito's parents...
Who are Gabby Petito's parents?
Gabby Petito's parents are called Joe Petito and Nichole Schmidt. Gabby was born in 1999 in New York, but Joe and Nicole split when she was young. Nichole married her current husband, Jim Schmidt, in April 2005, while Joe married Tara Petito in August that year.
Gabby's family was thrust into the spotlight after she went missing in September 2021, as they began a nationwide search for their daughter. Joe told Newsday at the time that Gabbys' disappearance was like 'drowning with your hands tied behind you,' adding 'You can't describe it. There's nothing you can do. You can't control anything.'
What legal action did Gabby Petito's parents take?
After Gabby's tragic murder, her parents filed two lawsuits. One was against her killer, Brian's, parents, Christopher and Roberta Laundrie. The Petito family filed their civil case in 2022, alleging that the Laundries had inflicted emotional distress with their actions.
They alleged that the Roberta family knew Gabby to be dead even while saying publicly that they hoped she would be found. After a legal battle, both families reached a settlement in 2024. This agreement was made reluctantly by all the parties involved to avoid additional legal costs and ongoing personal strife. Christopher and Roberta have denied any wrongdoing. ‘The parents did everything the right way, and they have no regrets,’ said Attorney Steve Bertolino, who represents Brian Laundrie's parents.
Gabby's family attorney released a statement on their behalf, saying, 'Our hope is to close this chapter of our lives, to allow us to move on and continue to honor the legacy of our beautiful daughter, Gabby.'
Gabby's parents also sued the city of Moab in November 2022, because of body camera footage that showed Gabby pleading with a police officer who had pulled over the van she was travelling in with her boyfriend. The lawsuit claims that police failed to recognise that Gabby was in danger and needed help. In a statement given to PEOPLE at the time Gabby's parents wrote: 'We saw the police officers intentionally ignoring the facts to intentionally stop them from protecting Gabby from a dangerous man.'
However, in November 2024, Nichole and Joe's lawsuit was dismissed by a judge. 'We never anticipated that this would be an easy process and look forward to the Utah Supreme Court upholding the Utah Constitution’s original intent to preserve the right to recover for wrongful death claims under these circumstances,' Gabby's parents said in a statement.
Where are Gabby Petito's parents now?
As the Netflix documentary highlights, Gabby's parents are not done fighting for justice for their daughter amid their ongoing grief. Speaking to Netflix ahead of the documentary's release, Tara highlighted why it's so important for the family to keep speaking out. 'Gabby touched so many people. She touched the world, and by getting her story out there to more viewers, maybe it’ll save one more life. We’ve already received so many messages saying, “Because of Gabby’s story, I got out of that relationship.” That’s why we started the foundation as well, to help others and get resources in their hands. That is so important, because Gabby was not able to get those tools,' she said.
In an interview with PEOPLE in June 2024, Joe Petito said he does not believe in closure after the death of a child. 'You’re never going to get closure over the loss of a child,' he said. 'There will always be a hole in your heart that’s never going away.' Nichole Schmidt, echoed this sentiment in a later interview, saying they would 'never feel like we have justice.' She added, It’s been three years now since the last time I heard her voice or seen her, and that’s really hard.'
In the same interview, Joe detailed how grief had bought the family closer. 'We lean on each other one day at a time,' he said 'Then we'll call up, and talk to one another, and get grounded, and then go back," Joe said. "We all are in it together. And the more we help, the more it makes us feel better.'
Tara added that they've all become close friends, which was 'something Gabby always wanted,' adding that she talks to Nichole almost every day.
Since their daughter's death, Gabby's family have decided to help others through the Gabby Petito Foundation.The foundation aims to help victims of domestic violence and also support locating missing persons.
When is the Gabby Petito documentary out?
The three-part documentary series was released on Netflix on Monday 17th February 2025, meaning it's available to stream now.