IDAHO FALLS — Viewers who watch a Netflix docuseries about Gabby Petito will see a beautiful, artistic young woman who loved life and those around her, according to her mother, Nichole Schmidt.
“American Murder: Gabby Petito” premieres Monday on the streaming service. Schmidt and her husband, Jim Schmidt, along with Petito’s father and stepmother, Joe and Tara Petito, have been working with producers for years to ensure their daughter’s story is told correctly.
“We really just wanted to tell our story from our perspective and I have to say, it was done beautifully,” Schmidt told EastIdahoNews.com in a Zoom interview. “What we went through was horrific, but we have the experience and we can use it to help as many people as we can.”
Petito, 22, made headlines around the world when she vanished in September 2021. She had been traveling across the country in a van with her boyfriend, Brian Laundrie, documenting their journey on social media.
During a stop in Moab, Utah, police were called to a report of a couple fighting. Body camera footage showed a visibly upset Petito in the back of a patrol car with marks on her arm and face. Nobody was charged in the incident but weeks later, on Sept. 11, 2021, Petito’s family reported her missing after they had not heard from her.
Laundrie returned to his home in Florida and disappeared a few days later.
Petito’s body was found on Sept. 19 in the Bridger-Teton National Forest near the border of Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. An autopsy determined she was killed by blunt-force injuries to her head and neck and manual strangulation.
A month later, on Oct. 20, Laundrie’s remains were discovered in a nature reserve in North Port, Florida. Authorities say he died by suicide, and in a notebook found near his body, Laundrie had written statements claiming responsibility for his fiancé’s death.
“(In the series), you’re going see some new information and some things you haven’t seen before,” Schmidt said. “They did a beautiful job of highlighting Gabby’s footage and some behind-the-scenes videos different from what we see on social media.”
Since their daughter’s death, her parents launched the Gabby Petito Foundation with the goal of preventing domestic violence and supporting the search for missing people through education, awareness and prevention.
They’ve spoken across the country and helped raise money for domestic violence shelters. Days ago, Schmidt was in Myrtle Beach addressing 911 dispatchers at a nationwide conference.
“By constantly talking about Gabby, other people can align with her story. We hope it inspires to get out of a bad relationship or maybe recognize signs of domestic violence,” Schmidt explained. “I hope it’s saving lives. It makes us feel really good when we hear positive things from people because of what we’re doing so that’s why we keep going.”
Petito’s parents have visited the spot in Wyoming where their daughter’s body was found. They plan to eventually take a cross-country trip in RVs with their entire family to trace Petito’s steps and celebrate her life as an explorer.
“She was just an amazing free spirit who was artistic and loved traveling,” Schmidt said. “What you might not know about her is she was feisty and would stick up for people. She was a really good friend and a good bystander.”
Schmidt hopes the Netflix series prevents other tragedies and serves as a reminder to cherish every day.
“Remember that tomorrow is not promised so be a good person, be good to your loved ones, take the pictures, take the trips, life is short so live it to the fullest,” she said.
Watch the entire interview in the video player below:
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