Pod Insights Serial Killers & Murderous Minds MURDEROUS MINDS: The Murder of Gabby Petito Pt. 2 About this episode After Gabby Petito was reported missing, the desperate search for answers became a nationwide obsession. In Part 2, we follow the manhunt to find Brian Laundrie, the disturbing suicide note he left behind, his parents' suspicious behavior, and the lingering questions that still haunt Gabby’s family.
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Transcript Speaker names marked ? are inferred from speaking time and the show’s known hosts — they are not voice-verified.
0:01 Vanessa Richardson? Hi, everyone. Before today's episode, there's another show I want to tell you about. It's called What the Fact with Connor Tomlinson from Netflix's Love on the Spectrum and Carter Roy. Every week, they take three unbelievable true facts from history and tell you the full story behind them. Plus, Connor's infectious energy that'll make you realize history is the most fascinating thing on earth. Follow What the Fact wherever you listen, or subscribe on YouTube at What the Fact Pod.
0:36 Speaker 01 This is Crime House.
0:41 Vanessa Richardson? Deathbed confessions have provided answers to countless unsolved murders. With nothing left to hide, there's no reason for a killer not to reveal everything about their crimes. Maybe they do it as a last-minute attempt to atone for their sins, or to help their victim's loved ones finally get some closure. But in the case of Gabby Petito, a final confession only led to more questions than answers. And rather than provide any relief to her family, Brian Laundrie chose to be selfish with his final act and take the truth with him to the grave.
1:33 Vanessa Richardson? The human mind is powerful. It shapes how we think, feel, love, and hate. But sometimes it drives people to commit the unthinkable. This is Killer Minds, a Crime House original. I'm Vanessa Richardson.
1:48 Tristin Engels? And I'm Dr. Tristin Engels. Every Monday and Thursday, we uncover the darkest minds in history, analyzing what makes a killer.
1:56 Vanessa Richardson? Crime House is made possible by you. Please rate, review, and follow Killer Minds. To enhance your listening experience with ad-free, early access to each two-part series and bonus content, subscribe to Crime House Plus on Apple Podcasts. A warning: This story contains descriptions of physical abuse, violence, and murder. Listener discretion is advised. Today, we'll finish our deep dive into the disappearance and murder of Gabby Petito and the man who killed her, Gabby's fiance, Brian Laundrie. In the summer of 2021, 22-year-old Gabby and 23-year-old Brian went on the trip of
2:39 Vanessa Richardson? a lifetime, traveling the American wilderness in a camper van. Gabby hoped to use the experience to become a social media influencer, and she succeeded in the most tragic way possible.
2:52 Tristin Engels? And as Vanessa goes through the story, I'll be talking about things like the psychology behind social media investigations, how people are able to find the positives in tragedy, and why Brian felt compelled to lie about what happened to Gabby, even in death.
3:07 Vanessa Richardson? And as always, we'll be asking the question, what makes a killer? In the summer of 2021, 22-year-old Gabby Petito and her 23-year-old fiance, Brian Laundrie, left on an unforgettable adventure. They were planning to travel the American West in a modified Ford Transit Connect van, stopping at some of the country's most beautiful landmarks along the way. Gabby meticulously documented their journey on social media. She hoped to get enough followers to make it as a van life influencer.
3:47 Vanessa Richardson? Online, it looked like she and Brian were young, adventurous, and madly in love, but Gabby's social media profile was hiding a dangerous truth. On August 12, 2021, the police in Moab, Utah, had to separate Brian and Gabby for the night after a witness saw them fighting. Later that month, on August 27, another couple saw Brian tear into a hostess at a restaurant. His screaming left Gabby in tears. Two days after that, Brian made multiple calls to his parents, Chris and Roberta Laundrie. He was frantic and ended the final call with two ominous words: Gabby's gone.
4:32 Vanessa Richardson? Reportedly, he didn't elaborate, but it seemed like Chris and Roberta got the message, because right after that phone call, they retained a lawyer for $25,000. And on September 1st, 2021, Brian showed up at his parents' front door in Northport, Florida, alone. Back in Gabby's hometown on Long Island, things continued as normal. Although Gabby's mom, Nicole Schmidt, had gotten some strange texts from her daughter, she didn't suspect anything was wrong. As far as she knew, Gabby and Brian were still camping in Wyoming. Meanwhile, just a few days after Brian returned to Florida, he and his family went on a seemingly spontaneous trip of their own.
5:17 Vanessa Richardson? They traveled 75 miles away to Fort DeSoto Park, a picturesque waterfront campground on the edge of Tampa Bay. Brian's sister, 33-year-old Cassie, dropped by the campsite with her own family. At the time, she didn't know anything about the phone call or the lawyer. In fact, she would later say that she didn't sense anything unusual about her brother's behavior on that trip. It passed uneventfully, and the laundries returned to Northport on September 8th.
5:48 Tristin Engels? So let's talk about the decision to go camping. There are two psychological reasons that could explain this behavior. First, there's denial. Denial isn't just a refusal to accept reality, it's a defense mechanism designed to resist overwhelming emotional pain, anxiety, guilt, or fear. And in this case, camping would have functioned as some kind of psychological refuge, a way to delay having to fully confront what had happened, what was about to happen, and what it might mean for their son and their family. Second, this may have been another form of impression management. In other words, maybe they were strategically projecting a sense of normalcy with the intention of appearing like nothing is wrong. Or perhaps they had a different plan of action at that time that fell through.
6:33 Tristin Engels? Both could be true. They could have been deeply afraid, in denial, or overwhelmed, and also acutely aware of the need to maintain the appearance of normalcy. Whatever the case may be, this behavior suggests that they couldn't face reality yet, or maybe they knew reality would be closing in, and they were trying to get one step ahead of it by planning their next moves to protect Brian the way Roberta had once openly vowed to do. Either way, it was very unsettling.
7:00 Vanessa Richardson? Well, given the circumstances, how do you think Brian and his parents could put up a facade of normalcy like this? Like, it's so convincing that his own sister didn't notice anything.
7:11 Tristin Engels? The fact that she didn't notice or sense anything unusual on that trip just truly speaks to Brian's ability to emotionally compartmentalize, as I talked about in episode one. His parents, too. The fact that they likely knew something happened at this point, but were able to act as if nothing did, speaks to that as well. This may have been where Brian learned this behavior. Also, Roberta and Chris have likely been shielding Brian's behavior from others for a long time, even from Cassie, which would make it easy for her to miss these signs, if there were any. She's also 11 years older, so she has been living separately from Brian for a long time. And so she might not have known of any behavioral abnormalities or concerns as a result of that.
7:55 Tristin Engels? But also, Gabby wasn't reported missing yet. So aside from the fact that he wasn't with Gabby, of which I'm sure they had some kind of explanation for Cassie, what did she really have to be suspicious about at this point?
8:10 Vanessa Richardson? Well, while the Laundries were off camping, Gabby's family was beginning to panic. Her mom Nicole was used to talking to Gabby just about every day. Now it was almost mid-September, and Nicole hadn't directly spoken to her daughter since late August, and she still had no idea that Brian was back in Florida. It doesn't seem like Nicole tried to get in touch with the Laundries, and she didn't need to. On September 11th, Nicole realized something had to be wrong. That's when she called the local police in New York to officially report her daughter missing. The easiest thing to look for was the van, which was registered in Gabby's name. So the police in New York reached out to their colleagues in Florida.
8:55 Vanessa Richardson? Some officers swung by the Laundries' home in Northport and found the van parked in their driveway. That didn't necessarily indicate foul play, though. Before going on the road, Gabby and Brian had been living together at his parents' house, so it was certainly possible she'd just gone back and hadn't told her mom about it. However, what happened next was extremely suspicious. When officers knocked on the door, Brian's dad, Chris, answered. In body cam footage of the encounter, Chris appeared flustered when the police asked about Gabby's whereabouts. He confirmed that Brian was inside, but Gabby wasn't. But he refused to elaborate.
9:37 Vanessa Richardson? Instead, he said the family had retained a lawyer and wouldn't be answering any more questions.
9:45 Vanessa Richardson? It certainly seemed like they were hiding something, but there wasn't enough evidence to arrest Brian yet. There wasn't even any proof that a crime had been committed. Still, that didn't change the fact that Gabby was missing, and Brian seemed to know something about it. Over the next few days, investigators kept a close eye on the laundries home. Meanwhile, searches were organized in Wyoming, near Gabby's last known location. From there, the news spread quickly, and soon, the police weren't the only ones looking. After Gabby was reported missing, the story was picked up by the tabloid, The Daily Mail.
10:25 Vanessa Richardson? That's where comedian and writer Paris Campbell first read about Gabby's disappearance. Paris was a new mother, and found herself moved by the story. She decided to use her platform of about 150,000 followers to raise awareness of the case. Her first post about it was on September 13th, two days after Gabby was reported missing. It featured a poster with Gabby's face on it and a call to action to share the details of her disappearance far and wide. Paris posted about 40 more videos over the next few days, and it wasn't long before her channel had caught the attention of Gabby's family and people all over the world.
11:10 Vanessa Richardson? As the story took social media by storm, it got picked up by major news outlets. Before long, reporters and protesters were camped outside the Laundrie's house. What had started as another missing persons investigation had become a global phenomenon.
11:27 Tristin Engels? So there are many reasons why this case grabbed the attention of the nation. I mean, obviously, it spoke to Paris because as a new mother, it really just, you know, she identified with it in a lot of ways. But primarily, Gabby's life was already partially public. She already had been posting on Instagram, YouTube, and even TikTok. And although at the time she didn't have a huge subscriber following, after she went missing, people did learn about her social media, and that allowed them to connect with her digitally. Some even formed a parasocial relationship with her, making them feel personally connected to her. We were also still in a pandemic during this time. And during the pandemic, when collective trauma, isolation, and helplessness were already running high,
12:12 Tristin Engels? I think the public was more engaged because it gave them a way to channel feelings of helplessness into purpose. Social media turned Gabby's disappearance into a kind of mass collaboration project, where everyday people felt like they could contribute meaningfully to finding her. I also think that Brian and his parents' behavior contributed to the public's motivation to help the Petito family get answers because it was so brazen and shocking.
12:39 Vanessa Richardson? Whatever made people so interested in the case, Gabby Petito had become a household name. With her story all over the internet, it didn't take long for witnesses to come out of the woodwork. There was the fight in Moab on August 12th and the shouting match at the restaurant on August 27th. A few people said they'd run into Brian by himself in the Wyoming wilderness a day or two after that. Every witness thought he was acting strangely, and the people who spoke to him directly said he was irritable, jumpy, and erratic. None of them had seen any sign of Gabby. The police took these reports seriously. And on September 15th, four days after Gabby was reported missing,
13:23 Vanessa Richardson? they officially declared Brian a person of interest in her disappearance. On the 16th, the chief of the Northport Police held a press conference. He said that Brian was exercising his constitutional right to remain silent and that the investigation was still being treated as a missing persons case. Gabby's parents and stepparents also released a letter through their lawyer, publicly pleading with Brian's parents to speak up and help them figure out where Gabby was. There was no immediate response. But the next day, September 17th, Chris and Roberta Laundrie finally reached out to the police. They asked for officers to come to their home so they could talk.
14:07 Vanessa Richardson? However, it wasn't for Brian to share whatever he knew. In fact, when the officers arrived, he was nowhere to be found. Apparently, the police hadn't been watching the house closely enough because Chris and Roberta shared that they hadn't seen their son since the 14th. According to them, Brian had gone for a hike at a nearby nature reserve, and he hadn't come back.
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15:54 Speaker 01 Can't switch off at night? Give your curious mind somewhere peaceful to wander. I'm Simon Mettacks, host of Sleepy History. Join me for lost cities and ancient mysteries, told slowly and calmly, to help you drift off. And if you miss the ending, that's rather the idea. Find Sleepy History in your podcast app and try an episode tonight.
16:26 Vanessa Richardson? On September 11th, 2021, 22-year-old Gabby Petito was officially reported missing. As news of her disappearance spread, both the authorities and online sleuths suspected that her fiance, 23-year-old Brian Laundrie, had something to do with it. But now, he was missing as well. On September 17th, Brian's parents, Chris and Roberta, told investigators he'd left for a hike a few days earlier. They said he'd gone to the Carlton Reserve, a 25,000-acre nature area with over 80 miles of trails. The next day, about 50 officers descended on the park, looking for Brian, but there wasn't any sign of him.
17:11 Vanessa Richardson? With so much ground to cover, the search could take a very long time, and they couldn't afford to wait on Brian to tell them where Gabby was, so they turned to other avenues for help. Gabby's last-known location was somewhere around the vicinity of Wyoming's Bridger-Teton National Park. Police sent out word asking for anyone who'd seen a white Ford Transit van in that area in late August to get in touch. And with Gabby's case all over social media, it didn't take long to get a lead. On September 18th, the same day investigators started looking for Brian,
17:50 Vanessa Richardson? a van life blogger named Jen Bethune saw a post asking for information on Gabby's vehicle. After thinking it over, she realized she did see a car matching that description at the end of August. In fact, she even had footage of it on her GoPro camera. Jen and her family had been camping in Bridger-Teton National Park at the exact same time that Gabby disappeared. She remembered seeing a white van with Florida license plates parked on the side of the road. As a fellow Floridian, Jen had wanted to stop and say hello, but the van looked dark and locked, so they decided to keep driving.
18:30 Vanessa Richardson? According to Jen, she didn't think about the van again until that post jogged her memory. That's when Jen opened up her laptop and combed through her GoPro footage. It wasn't long before she found video of the van tucked away behind some trees with the license plate clearly visible. Jen sent the footage to the authorities, and a search of the area was organized for the next day, September 19th. Gabby's stepfather, Jim Schmidt, flew in from New York to be part of the efforts. They didn't have to look for very long, though. About 1,000 feet from where the van had been spotted, the search team made a tragic discovery: A dead woman was on the
19:15 Vanessa Richardson? ground, lying in the fetal position. Once the police had completed their initial investigation, Jim was asked to do the unthinkable: Identify the remains. He confirmed everyone's worst fears: The body they'd found belonged to his stepdaughter, Gabby Petito.
19:37 Tristin Engels? There's a profound psychological difference between hoping a missing loved one might still be alive and knowing for certain that they're gone. And I talked about the impact of ambiguous loss in our episode on Natalie Holloway. Essentially, it's a kind of grief without closure, when you don't have definitive answers, so your mind and your heart are stuck in this torturous cycle. Your emotions will swing between hope and dread, or denial and grief. And Gabby's family was living in ambiguous grief for at least eight days. Receiving confirmation forces you out of that protective armor of hope and into mourning. And although that sounds worse to some, at least on the surface, in actuality, many people prefer knowing the truth than living in uncertainty.
20:22 Tristin Engels? That's because having closure allows them to move from a thousand imagined endings to the one they can finally grieve. They can begin to mourn. And with grief, you can move through the process. But with ambiguous loss, you're trapped in an emotional prison.
20:38 Vanessa Richardson? After Gabby's identity was confirmed, a coroner concluded that she'd been killed by blunt force trauma to the head and strangulation. Investigators also noted that the scene appeared to have been staged. Gabby likely hadn't died in the fetal position. Someone had placed her there like that. And the authorities were convinced Brian Laundrie was the one who did it. On September 23rd, four days after Gabby's body was found, the FBI issued an arrest warrant for Brian. But he wasn't wanted for homicide. The warrant was related to fraudulent charges on Gabby's debit card. However, the authorities were confident in Brian's guilt and planned to use the financial
21:22 Vanessa Richardson? crimes to hold him while they built a murder case. But first, they had to track him down. Brian was nowhere to be found at the Carlton Reserve. The area was swampy and full of alligators and venomous snakes. Not only that, it was prone to unpredictable floods that time of year. It was a dangerous place to go into hiding, and there was growing concern that Brian would never be found at all, either because he hadn't survived the elements or because his parents had helped him get away. It turned out Chris and Roberta Laundrie seemed to know more than they were letting on. Apparently, they'd gone looking for Brian after he disappeared,
22:04 Vanessa Richardson? and not only did they find his car at the entrance to the Carlton Reserve, they drove it back home, all before reporting him missing to the police. However, they didn't explain why they took the car, especially if they believed Brian might still come back for it, which meant they either didn't think he was alive or they were trying to hide something.
22:30 Tristin Engels? As I mentioned in episode one, a parent's instinct to protect their child is one of the most deeply wired psychological drives that we have. It's biological and it's evolutionary. From the moment a child is born, a parent's brain is reorganized around the idea of keeping that child safe, and that lasts into adulthood. And this can explain, in part, their mindset at subsequent behaviors. But it's certainly no excuse, because in extreme situations like this one, their protectiveness became morally compromised. If they knew more than they were letting on, then it speaks to their desperation to shield Brian emotionally and legally. It's possible that they were in denial over the situation, although I'm hesitant to believe that's the case
23:13 Tristin Engels? because they immediately went into action mode. Before Gabby was even found, they were telling officers they had a lawyer. They refused to speak to authorities. They even refused to speak to Gabby's family. And when you consider the letter that Roberta had written Brian that we also covered in episode one, there was evidence of pathological enmeshment. She vowed to protect him against any actions, even if it was legally, ethically, or morally wrong, even if it meant breaking the law herself. And the Laundries certainly acted in ways that supported those vows, at least on the surface. This goes beyond a parent wanting what is best for their child and appears to have turned into a form of complicity. Trying to protect their son, they failed Gabby and her family.
23:58 Tristin Engels? They failed the truth. They failed to participate in any real sense of justice, all to seemingly protect an illusion of innocence for their son. And when we know how strongly her connection was to her son, Roberta, it's really hard for the public to understand because how would she feel if it was Brian that was missing? And Gabby's family refused to cooperate in any way, in any meaningful way. She would be beside herself. So this, I think, also really struck the nation.
24:27 Vanessa Richardson? Even with Chris and Roberta's suspicious behavior with the car, there wasn't any indication that Brian had gone anywhere other than the Carlton Reserve. So the authorities kept their search focused there. In the meantime, Gabby's loved ones were trying to make peace with her passing. On September 26th, a week after her body was found, Gabby's funeral was held near her hometown in New York. The funeral home was full of family, friends, and even strangers who wanted to pay their respects. In a tragic reminder of the circumstances, Gabby's family had to display an empty urn in place of her remains because her body was still being examined by the authorities. But during the eulogy,
25:11 Vanessa Richardson? Gabby's father, Joseph, told the attendees not to be sad. He said that Gabby didn't live that way, and they shouldn't either. In that spirit, her family asked that, instead of buying flowers, mourners should send donations to a foundation they'd set up in Gabby's honor. It would be dedicated to helping families bring home their missing children.
25:34 Tristin Engels? There are many ways in which people grieve or choose to honor a loved one. In this case, it sounds like Gabby's family was engaging in a process known as meaning-making, which is finding significance and purpose in the face of loss as a way to cope with the emotional and psychological impact of that loss. It's a critical part of healthy grieving, especially after a traumatic and violent loss like this one. They chose to turn this loss into meaning by giving that loss a direction. It also allows any mourner to transform suffering into action, and that can restore hope. But there's also something called the continuing bonds theory that's occurring here. And in grief psychology, healthy grieving isn't about just letting go, but rather building a new relationship with the person who is gone.
26:18 Tristin Engels? The Gabby Petito Foundation can help people keep their connection or their bond to her in tangible ways. They turned unimaginable pain into purpose because it was the only way that they could move forward.
26:31 Vanessa Richardson? How difficult is it to move on in a situation like this, where you still don't know all the facts, and Gabby's suspected killer, who also happens to be her fiance, is still at large?
26:42 Tristin Engels? This is traumatic grief because it's resulting from a death that occurred during a traumatic or violent way. And individuals who experience a traumatic loss like this are at a greater risk of something called complicated bereavement, or what we now call prolonged grief disorder. And that is an intense and prolonged grief reaction that significantly impairs daily functioning and lasts beyond what is considered normal. In "normal grief," a person is mourning what happened. But in traumatic grief, they're mourning what happened and trying to make sense of how it happened and why, and they don't have those answers yet. Now add the fact that the suspected killer was also her fiance. That was someone her family trusted, someone who was once welcomed into their lives, and
27:26 Tristin Engels? that pain becomes laced with betrayal, confusion, and emotional turmoil. And there is the added component of helplessness because they have to put trust into law enforcement to ensure justice for their daughter. These are people that they have not met. They are not officers or investigators that they got to choose. Relying on someone else to carry your pain forward into action, especially when the suspect is still free... Can lead to anger, anxiety, and a desperate need for control. It's why some families become hyper-involved in the investigation, but others also go silent. Everyone copes differently, but when the prime suspect is not apprehended,
28:07 Tristin Engels? that deep tension between faith in justice and fear of failure is always present.
28:15 Vanessa Richardson? While Gabby's family was trying to find closure, the authorities were still carefully searching the Carlton Reserve, but it was slow-going. Heavy rains and flooding were keeping huge chunks of the reserve underwater, and the areas the investigators could access were incredibly dangerous to navigate. And by this point, it was unclear if they were looking for Brian or a body.
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29:45 Speaker 04 Did you know that if your spouse goes missing and you don't tell anyone, that's not necessarily a crime? That surprising fact is at the heart of the brand-new season of Bear Brook, the critically acclaimed true crime podcast from New Hampshire Public Radio. I'm your host, Jason Moon. In this season, Bear Brook investigates another New Hampshire mystery. A Christmas tree farmer with dementia vanishes. His wife never reports him missing. Can he still be found? Don't miss it. Follow Bear Brook wherever you get your podcasts.
30:16 Vanessa Richardson? By September 27, 2021, it had been two weeks since Chris and Roberta Laundrie had seen their son. They claimed that 23-year-old Brian had gone for a hike in the Carlton Nature Reserve around the 14th, and they hadn't heard from him since. But given their lack of transparency in the case so far, a lot of people wondered if Chris and Roberta were hiding something, or maybe had even helped Brian escape. In the 16 days since Gabby's disappearance was made public, protesters, journalists, and amateur detectives had gathered outside the Laundrie family home demanding answers and results.
30:58 Vanessa Richardson? With the pressure on the Laundries building, Chris and Roberta finally released a statement on the 27th. They reiterated that they had no idea where Brian was, and denied that they'd helped him escape in any way. But beyond that, they remained quiet. They weren't talking to anyone, not even their daughter, Brian's older sister, Cassie. Cassie was just as desperate for answers as everyone else, and by October 4, she'd had enough. Speaking to reporters on her lawn, Cassie said she hoped her brother was still alive, and publicly called for Brian to turn himself in.
31:37 Tristin Engels? The silence from Chris and Roberta was one of the most haunting, I think, and infuriating aspects of this case for the public. Whether they were hiding something or not, their refusal to speak, clarify, or cooperate early on created a flood of speculation, projection, and rage. So why did they do this? There are a few possible reasons from a psychological standpoint. First, it could have been protective. I mean, obviously, in high-stress environments or trauma, people can shut down emotionally, and that includes their communication. This doesn't necessarily mean they're guilty of anything, but it can indicate that they are overwhelmed with fear, worry, shame, or confusion.
32:17 Tristin Engels? Conversely, though, it could be guilt avoidance or complicity. So if they do know something, even if it's something small, the fewer chances they have to contradict themselves or reveal unintended details, the better the outcome for all. In that context, silence becomes a legal shield, and a very calculated one because they were likely advised to remain silent by their counsel. But from the outside, it just, it reads as suspicious. It reads cold. And lastly, as I've highlighted multiple times, it could be related to deep psychological enmeshment. If their relationship with Brian was boundaryless, they would have felt it was their duty to protect him, no matter the cost. Whatever the reason, whether they were hiding something or not,
33:02 Tristin Engels? their silence became a statement, and it wasn't well received.
33:06 Vanessa Richardson? What would it be like for Cassie in this situation? I feel so bad for her, not knowing whether your brother's alive and total radio silence from your parents.
33:16 Tristin Engels? Yeah, I could just imagine learning firstly that your brother might have killed someone, and now he's missing, and your own parents won't speak to you about it. They're showing such loyalty and protection to Brian while showing none for Cassie in this situation. This is what we would call relational trauma, which is caused by a breakdown in trust within close relationships. But obviously, in this case, it's her own parents. This had to have taken a huge psychological toll on her, violated her trust, and felt like a form of betrayal. It's as if they did not even consider how this would affect her or her own family. For Cassie to speak publicly, even if it's indirectly, against her parents' silence and call for answers in Gabby's case
34:00 Tristin Engels? and call for Brian to turn himself in, that was psychologically significant. It wasn't just about public image. It reflected her own conflict between loyalty to family and loyalty to truth, and it seems to me she chose truth. She chose moral clarity over family loyalty. She may have also done this to protect her own identity and that of her children, since she is a mother herself, but she seemed to distance herself from her parents' position of silence. I think this was likely due to a complex mix of moral urgency, her own identity preservation, and self-protection.
34:35 Vanessa Richardson? The search would drag on for over a month, but by the second week of October, the floodwaters had receded enough for search teams to resume their work in earnest. And on October 20th, 2021, they found what they were looking for. Human remains were discovered in an area that had previously been flooded. The body had clearly been in the elements for a long time. Nearby, investigators found a pair of shorts, shoes, a waterproof bag, and a handgun. A forensic investigation later revealed what authorities and the laundries already expected, that the body did indeed belong to Brian, and he had died from a self-inflicted
35:20 Vanessa Richardson? gunshot wound to the head. Police found a number of items inside Brian's waterproof bag, including a small wooden box, photographs, and a journal. One entry, written after Brian went missing, detailed his account of Gabby's death, though he didn't give an exact date for when that was. Brian claimed that he and Gabby were hiking back to their campsite as the sun set. As the temperatures plummeted, he said Gabby slipped and fell into the water. According to the letter, she was barely conscious, and he carried her as far as he could before his strength gave out. Brian said he tried to keep her warm, but nothing was helping.
36:04 Vanessa Richardson? Apparently, Gabby was in so much pain, she asked him to end her life. And, thinking it was a mercy, he obliged. However, none of his story was backed up by the autopsy results, which only concluded that Gabby had died of blunt force injuries to the head and neck with manual strangulation. There was no sign of her mysterious injury, no sign of hypothermia. So whatever really happened to Gabby, it probably didn't happen the way Brian said.
36:38 Tristin Engels? Brian's note is deeply disturbing, not just because of what he wrote, but because of why someone would lie, even in their final words. But in reality, this kind of dishonesty at the end of life is not necessarily unusual, especially in cases where the person can't face the reality of what they've done. Brian wasn't just trying to explain himself. He was trying to control the narrative, even in death. We already know that he had controlling tendencies. So this actually tracks. But why would he do it? Well, we've already seen a pattern of emotional compartmentalization as well as emotional manipulation. People who engage in emotional abuse or coercive control want to control the narrative to maintain power.
37:23 Tristin Engels? He's attempting to influence public perception of himself. It's as if he's saying, I did this awful thing, but here's why you should feel sorry for me. This pattern likely occurred often in his relationship with Gabby, which is common with intimate partner violence. He's repositioning himself as the quote "real victim" and making Gabby the offender for, according to him, forcing him to take her life out of mercy. So essentially, he's shifting blame, but also avoiding accountability in more ways than one, not just with this letter, but also with taking his own life. He was unable to face the truth, face the consequences, and unable to acknowledge the pain he caused. Once again, it highlights his inability to tolerate strong emotions.
38:07 Tristin Engels? Everything that happened to Gabby is absolutely tragic, from how his family treated her in life to how he treated her during the relationship, to her death, and now how they behaved after the fact. And it just, she deserved so much better.
38:24 Vanessa Richardson? Well, Gabby's family definitely wasn't buying Brian's explanation. After the letter was released, Gabby's mom Nicole called Brian a narcissist. And even though Brian could no longer face justice, the Petito family filed a civil lawsuit against his estate for wrongful death. A judge awarded them $3 million. Although Brian's estate didn't have anything close to that, any funds that were collected went straight to the Gabby Petito Foundation. Her family also filed a civil suit against Brian's parents personally for helping conceal Gabby's murder. That case was settled almost two years later, in February 2024.
39:08 Vanessa Richardson? The terms were confidential.
39:12 Vanessa Richardson? Sadly, we'll probably never get all the answers in this case. As Gabby's mother pointed out, the two people who really know what happened are no longer with us, which is something Gabby's loved ones have accepted, even embraced. In the wake of her murder, her family got matching tattoos across their forearms, just like the one Gabby had. It was the name of a famous song by The Beatles, "Let It Be."
39:52 Vanessa Richardson? Thanks so much for listening. Come back next time for a deep dive into the mind of another murderer.
39:59 Tristin Engels? Killer Minds is a Crime House original powered by Pave Studios. Here at Crime House, we want to thank each and every one of you for your support. If you like what you heard today, reach out on Instagram at Killer Minds. And don't forget to rate, review, and follow Killer Minds wherever you get your podcasts. Your feedback truly makes a difference.
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40:35 Vanessa Richardson? Killer Minds is hosted by me, Vanessa Richardson, and Dr. Tristin Engels, and is a Crime House original powered by Pave Studios. This episode was brought to life by the Killer Minds team: Max Cutler, Ron Shapiro, Alex Benedon, Laurie Marinelli, Natalie Pritzowski, Sarah Kemp, Sarah Tardif, and Carrie Murphy. Thank you for listening.
41:04 Vanessa Richardson? If you're looking for your next podcast, check out What the Fact with Connor Tomlinson from Netflix's Love on the Spectrum and Carter Roy. Every week, they take three unbelievable true facts from history and tell you the full story behind them. Follow What the Fact wherever you listen, or subscribe on YouTube at What the Fact Pod.
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