Where was Gabby Petito killed? Details from American Murder: Gabby Petito, explored

Netflix's latest three-part true-crime docuseries, American Murder: Gabby Petito, investigates the Murder of Gabby Petito, who was killed by her boyfriend, Brian Laundrie, while they were on a cross-country trip.

The official synopsis of the docu-series reads as follows:

A young couple's cross-country van journey, documented on social media, ends in tragedy when domestic violence shatters their seemingly perfect life. Their story sparks a nationwide investigation and raises questions about family loyalty.

Gabby was killed in the Spread Creek camping area in Wyoming by her boyfriend, Brian.

More on Gabby's Murder in American Murder: Gabby Petito in our story.

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Exploring Gabby's relationship with Brian as shown in American Murder: Gabby Petito

As shown in American Murder: Gabby Petito, Gabby met Brian in March 2019 when she was 20 years old. The couple quickly started a relationship, and by December 2019, the couple moved to Florida to be with Brian's mother, Roberta.

In July 2020, Gabby's friends learned from her social media that Brian had proposed to her (without a ring), and the couple had decided to travel cross country in a van, which Gabby will document on her YouTube channel.

Problems started arising in their seemingly idyllic life when on August 12, 2021, a witness reported a couple fighting in Moab, Utah, to 911. The couple were later identified as Gabby and Brian.

As shown in American Murder: Gabby Petito, the Moab City Police Department stopped their vehicle near the Arches National Park, where the police observed marks on Gabby's face and arms. The officer noted:

"At no point in my investigation did Gabrielle stop crying, breathing heavily, or compose a sentence without needing to wipe away tears, wipe her nose, or rub her knees with her hands. The male tried to create distance by telling Gabby to take a walk to calm down. [...] She did not want to be separated from the male and began slapping him. He grabbed her face and pushed her back as she pressed upon him and the van."

On August 27, 2021, the couple was spotted in a CCTV footage outside Whole Foods in Jackson, Wyoming. According to Gabby's mother, she received texts from her daughter, but they were done by Brain, who took her card and paid for gas and supplies.

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What happened to Gabby in American Murder: Gabby Petito?

On September 11, 2021, the police visited Brian's house in Florida to investigate Gabby's disappearance. Elsewhere, Gabby's parents took to social media to look for potential tips on their daughter's missing.

Gabby's body was finally found in the Spread Creek camping area in Wyoming on September 19, 2021.

After Gabby's remains were found, the United States District Court for the District of Wyoming released an arrest warrant for Brian because he used Gabby's debit card and deceived people. His remains were also found in Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park on October 20, 2021. His autopsy report revealed that he had died by su*c*de.

Two months after his body was found, the police found Brain's diary, where he had committed to Gabby's murder:

"I ended her life. I thought it was merciful, that it is what she wanted, but now I see all the mistake [sic] I made. I am ending my life not because of a fear of punishment but rather because I can't stand to live another day without her.''

Watch the complete case on Netflix on American Murder: Gabby Petito on February 17, 2025.

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