When it was announced that Netflix was releasing a true crime docu-series on the murder of Gabby Petito, netizens flocked to social media to discuss and debate theories about the original investigation. Petito’s death, caused by her fiancé Brian Laundrie, drew massive media attention—particularly because Petito herself was an aspiring travel vlogger, who had been documenting her ‘van life’ travels with Laundrie across the US before her death. Now, almost a week after the Netflix documentary aired, people are still grappling with the mysteries behind the 22-year-old’s murder and taking to platforms such as X and Reddit to try and make sense of this tragedy.

On 17 February 2025, Netflix aired a three-part series titled: American Murder: Gabby Petito. The series tracks the beginning of Petito and Laundrie’s relationship, the first legs of their journey across the US in their campervan (much of which was captured by Petito and posted to her YouTube channel), and then Petito’s subsequent death and the investigation that followed.

So, what are the theories currently circulating on social media? And why do netizens have such a fixated obsession with this particular case? Let’s find out.

Gabby Petito was a 22-year-old American vlogger who grew up in New York with her six siblings. She met Brian Laundrie at Bayport-Blue Point High School in 2017 and, after striking up a romantic relationship in 2019, Petito moved in with Laundrie and his parents in Florida.

The couple regularly embarked on cross-country trips together, working at fast food restaurants to save money. In December 2020, Petito purchased a 2012 Ford Transit Connect van converted into a camper—this van would serve as the couple’s home during their next long-haul trip.

In the Netflix documentary, one of Petito’s friends describes at length the abusive ways in which Laundrie treated the vlogger, explicitly implying that he caused her a lot of emotional pain.

While there are still some differing accounts on the exact date that she died, authorities believe that Gabby Petito was murdered on 27 August 2021. Human remains were found at the Spread Creek Dispersed Camping area in Wyoming on 19 September, eight days after Petito’s mother filed a missing person report. Laundrie and the campervan had been previously spotted in this area.

Before her remains were discovered, Petito’s social media went offline and she stopped responding to her mother’s messages. Authorities also uncovered that Laudrie had allegedly returned home and that both he and his family were refusing to cooperate with the police.

After Petito’s body had been discovered, an autopsy revealed that death had been caused by blunt-force injuries to the head and neck, with manual strangulation. An arrest warrant was issued for Laundrie, however, on 20 October his skeletal remains were discovered in the Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park. Experts later confirmed that his death had been caused by a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

One of the biggest aspects of this case that has enthralled people was the domestic disturbance that took place between Petito and Laundrie just over one week before the 22-year-old was murdered. While travelling across Utah, a 911 caller reported seeing a man repeatedly slapping a woman before getting into a van and driving off. The police later caught up with the couple and recorded their interactions with Petito and Laundrie through bodycams.

In the videos, Laundrie is incredibly calm while Petito is visibly distraught, shaking and crying. Laughing and joking with the officers, Laundrie referred to Petito as “crazy” and explained how he pushed her away in self-defence, resulting in scratches on his face. Almost immediately, Petito is labelled by the police as the “aggressor” after she admits to hitting Laundrie first. After being told they need to separate for the night, Laundrie is taken to a hotel while Petito is left to stay in the van on her own.

watching the gabby petito documentary and this shit pissing me off so bad cus why the fuckass cops make him seem like the victim and send HIM to a hotel and left her alone in her van in the middle of utah pic.twitter.com/UGE9yQVzCV

— alo ྀིྀིྀིྀིྀིྀིྀིྀི ♡ (@sanngelic) February 19, 2025

Netizens online feel particularly strongly about this altercation, mainly because they see it as a clear example of police failings. Had greater intervention been taken, many believe Petito’s life could have been saved. Indeed, Petito’s case has re-emphasised a greater need for police training in identifying signs of domestic abuse.

I hope the cop that got Brian Laundrie a hotel room and told an obviously battered #GABBYPETITO to go sleep in the van at a truck stop never knows peace for the rest of his life

— meg (@thedalymegnews) February 18, 2025

gabby petito is proof that society doesn’t believe women until they’re dead. https://t.co/SEKoPb9vrO

— licinha 𐚁⸆⸉ (@folkthorn) February 18, 2025

‘I was distracting him from driving. I’m sorry.’

‘Some days I have really bad OCD.’

‘I was apologizing to him and saying, I’m sorry that I’m so mean.’

Anybody that is a victim of domestic abuse knows exactly how this feels and what it means! 🥺 #GABBYPETITO pic.twitter.com/iPsps0Rue7

— Rose (@901Lulu) February 19, 2025

One of the most outlandish theories about the Gabby Petito case is that she was actually an actor the entire time, fabricating the events that unfolded.

According to The Tab, in 2021, shortly after Petito’s disappearance, there was a massive increase in far-right conspiracy theories from QAnon about the situation—especially on Telegram.

One user posted: “Something’s not right about this whole situation… This is clearly Black Ops to cover for Biden’s failures. Was he ever real? Is SHE? Another false flag right before the audits.” Another wrote: “This whole case was nothing but an FBI distraction, literally on every news channel.”

Another user even theorised that the case was all part of QAnon’s larger mission to protect children: “Gabby’s story is hitting every news outlet mainstream and alternative news. Q said crimes against children would unite us. Q also said the first arrest would be uniting us. I believe this is all connected in a story that’s hopefully going to be mind-blowing for sleepers.”

A slightly more believable theory is that Brian Laundrie killed Gabby Petito because he discovered that she was in contact with her ex-boyfriend Jackson. In the Netflix documentary, Jackson revealed that he had been speaking to Petito quite a lot in the days leading up to her death. He even stated that Petito was preparing to leave Laundrie and escape his abuse.

@mochanolattee

Gabby Petito was making preparation to leave her abusive (killer) boyfriend Brian. She was making plans to go back home to her family and start fresh. ‼️💔 #fyp #fypage #fypシ #crime #crimejunkie #documentary #gabby #gabbypetito #fypツ #missing

♬ original sound - MochaNoLatte

This led people to believe that Laundrie potentially discovered the communication and murdered Petito in a bout of rage. Moreover, some of the last moments captured of Petito alive on CCTV were at a restaurant in Wyoming where it looked as though the couple were engaged in a fierce argument. Some have speculated that Laundrie could’ve discovered Petito’s texts or phone calls with Jackson at the restaurant.

The biggest theory surrounding the Gabby Petito case is that her murderer, Brian Laundrie, is still alive. Laundrie’s remains were found in October 2021, however, netizens are convinced that he is still alive—for a number of reasons.

Laundrie’s parents have faced a lot of criticism over the years, primarily because of their refusal to help the authorities in the search for Petito. In fact, their behaviour during this time was so disgusting that Petito’s parents filed a lawsuit against them for emotional distress. It was always unclear how much Laundrie’s parents knew. But then, as discussed in the Netflix documentary, it was revealed that Laundrie’s mother had written him a “burn after reading” letter offering to help him “dispose of a body.”

I don’t believe in a lot of conspiracy theories but I 100% believe Brian Laundrie is still alive and you can’t convince me otherwise. I hope his family never finds a moment of peace

— ann (@annnniethuy) February 24, 2025

brian laundrie is 100% still alive and his parents helped hide him/help him escape. you’re gonna let his own uncle identify his remains just bc he’s a dentist, when there’s proof that brian’s parents said they’d help hide a BODY for him? the whole family are monsters

— ༄ s e l l a ☽ (@gudlukkcharm) February 19, 2025

“If you’re in jail, I will bake a cake with a file in it. If you need to dispose of a body, I will show up with a shovel and garbage bags,” the letter read.

Naturally, after this discovery, many were convinced that the Laundrie parents had somehow conspired to cover up their son’s death and help him flee the country.

Idc. I 100% believe Brian Laundrie is alive. Ain’t no way in hell his mom was going to let him harm himself. She basically told him to run away in that letter 😭

— Kiara Kelly ♒️ (@akikiki__) February 20, 2025

So, there we have it. True crime investigations always attract conspiracy theories and debate online, however, it is important not to get too sucked into the void. More often than not, unfounded speculation leads to harm, not help.