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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Anyone watched the Gabby Petito documentary

244 replies

Worriedsickmostofthetime · 16/03/2025 12:11

So disclaimer first… I have only watched the first episode. Not worried about spoilers because obviously we all know how the story ends. The story is told from the perspective of people in Gabbys life, her friends and her family.

Whilst it is evident given what happened that Brian is guilty of what he did. Did anyone notice how often Gabby clicked her tongue or rolled her eyes at him in annoyance.

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Worriedsickmostofthetime · 16/03/2025 12:12

Just considering that the relationship was toxic in its entirety.

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Dueanamechange2025 · 16/03/2025 12:14

The relationship probably was toxic but doesn’t give him my right to physically hurt and eventually murder her.

Worriedsickmostofthetime · 16/03/2025 12:15

Dueanamechange2025 · 16/03/2025 12:14

The relationship probably was toxic but doesn’t give him my right to physically hurt and eventually murder her.

Absolutely agree with you.

Just so tragic. I hope to be able to teach my children that a relationship with such constant provocation of each other and codependency is not the right relationship.

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Potsofpetals · 16/03/2025 12:19

I’ve watched it all and then some.

I think Gabby was a highly strung individual who pushed and pushed at people. She suffered with OCD and appeared to be hard work.

It is no excuse for what Brian did but I do think it was a spur of the moment thing that happened. I don’t think he ever had any intent to kill her when they set out that day.

Shetlands · 16/03/2025 12:20

Worriedsickmostofthetime · 16/03/2025 12:11

So disclaimer first… I have only watched the first episode. Not worried about spoilers because obviously we all know how the story ends. The story is told from the perspective of people in Gabbys life, her friends and her family.

Whilst it is evident given what happened that Brian is guilty of what he did. Did anyone notice how often Gabby clicked her tongue or rolled her eyes at him in annoyance.

Yes I did notice that but who hasn't tutted or rolled their eyes at something their partner did or said? I wouldn't call that toxic behaviour.

Brian on the other hand...

Worriedsickmostofthetime · 16/03/2025 12:22

Makes me reflect back on a relationship when I was young and we just had this intensity of love and anguish. So many points in my own relationship where the scales could have tipped into something so much more. I hit him and whilst he never hit me I think the craziness could easily have pushed him over the edge. Luckily it fizzled out.

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AreolaGrande · 16/03/2025 12:22

He very obviously did not want to be on camera and his discomfort/resentment of Gabby was obvious. In turn she was annoyed that he wasn't the perfect van life vlogger's boyfriend and her facial expressions showed this. She came across as young for her age and naive and irritating in the way most vloggers are (the fakeness of the videos, distinct switch in her demeanor the second the camera stops rolling).

Please do not misinterpret that as me feeling anything resembling pity towards Laundrie. He was an abusive murdering piece of shit (whose parents are also pieces of shit) but the two of them holed up in a tiny van was not a healthy way of life and will have intensified and hastened the abuse.

I wish her parents had just gone out and physically taken her home. I know she was an adult but I was a bit surprised at their passivity in the whole thing.

Worriedsickmostofthetime · 16/03/2025 12:24

Shetlands · 16/03/2025 12:20

Yes I did notice that but who hasn't tutted or rolled their eyes at something their partner did or said? I wouldn't call that toxic behaviour.

Brian on the other hand...

Just watched further on and she does hit him. So a bit more than tutting and rolling eyes.

if only they had the presence of mind (or wisdom of age) to see what they were doing to each other. So sad.

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Butchyrestingface · 16/03/2025 12:24

Did anyone notice how often Gabby clicked her tongue or rolled her eyes at him in annoyance.

Not really. I was too busy following the narrative about how he murdered her and his ever-loving parents tried to help him get away with it.

Worriedsickmostofthetime · 16/03/2025 12:25

AreolaGrande · 16/03/2025 12:22

He very obviously did not want to be on camera and his discomfort/resentment of Gabby was obvious. In turn she was annoyed that he wasn't the perfect van life vlogger's boyfriend and her facial expressions showed this. She came across as young for her age and naive and irritating in the way most vloggers are (the fakeness of the videos, distinct switch in her demeanor the second the camera stops rolling).

Please do not misinterpret that as me feeling anything resembling pity towards Laundrie. He was an abusive murdering piece of shit (whose parents are also pieces of shit) but the two of them holed up in a tiny van was not a healthy way of life and will have intensified and hastened the abuse.

I wish her parents had just gone out and physically taken her home. I know she was an adult but I was a bit surprised at their passivity in the whole thing.

Me too! I am keeping a watchful eye on my daughter. The blindness of youth.
And yes! Her parents possibly should have done more.

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Worriedsickmostofthetime · 16/03/2025 12:26

Butchyrestingface · 16/03/2025 12:24

Did anyone notice how often Gabby clicked her tongue or rolled her eyes at him in annoyance.

Not really. I was too busy following the narrative about how he murdered her and his ever-loving parents tried to help him get away with it.

As I said. I haven’t watched very far in!

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Butchyrestingface · 16/03/2025 12:26

Please do not misinterpret that as me feeling anything resembling pity towards Laundrie. He was an abusive murdering piece of shit (whose parents are also pieces of shit) but the two of them holed up in a tiny van was not a healthy way of life and will have intensified and hastened the abuse.

In terms of his parents, I feel that the Myakkahatchee Creek crocodile's work is not yet done.

Thelnebriati · 16/03/2025 12:27

Watch the stuff about how he reacted to her going to work or having friends before you pass judgement.

x2boys · 16/03/2025 12:30

AreolaGrande · 16/03/2025 12:22

He very obviously did not want to be on camera and his discomfort/resentment of Gabby was obvious. In turn she was annoyed that he wasn't the perfect van life vlogger's boyfriend and her facial expressions showed this. She came across as young for her age and naive and irritating in the way most vloggers are (the fakeness of the videos, distinct switch in her demeanor the second the camera stops rolling).

Please do not misinterpret that as me feeling anything resembling pity towards Laundrie. He was an abusive murdering piece of shit (whose parents are also pieces of shit) but the two of them holed up in a tiny van was not a healthy way of life and will have intensified and hastened the abuse.

I wish her parents had just gone out and physically taken her home. I know she was an adult but I was a bit surprised at their passivity in the whole thing.

As you said though she was an adult young and immature maybe but still an adult there were a couple of occasions where she had an opportunity to leave safely but didn't
Like when the police separated them and left her with the van or when brian flew home to empty a container ,
I think she was besotted with him and it was a toxic relationship, living in such a confined space would have been very difficult,
Obviously non of that excuses Brian murdering her!
His parents behaviour was very strange too.

stitchy · 16/03/2025 12:33

Every relationship which ends in murder is/was toxic.

Gabby is entitled to be pissed off with him, he was controlling and violent. They had both agreed to do that road trip, she had worked and saved to buy the van and their plan was to vlog about it to maybe develop an income stream, him then not playing his part would be irritating. No doubt his controlling ways exacerbated her OCD as she was trying to reclaim some personal control which manifested as OCD.

Nobody provokes, asks for or deserves what he did. The police body came incident was very distressing to see.

SuspiciousChipmunk · 16/03/2025 12:37

Butchyrestingface · 16/03/2025 12:24

Did anyone notice how often Gabby clicked her tongue or rolled her eyes at him in annoyance.

Not really. I was too busy following the narrative about how he murdered her and his ever-loving parents tried to help him get away with it.

Exactly! I wonder about the motives of a lot of posters on here.

BlumminFreezin · 16/03/2025 12:38

Yes.

One of the first things dh and I said to each other is that he clearly did not want to be on camera but still got it shoved in his face (with take after take) with her rolling her eyes and tutting at him. In several of the videos, if you had to guess and pick out who was abusive and who was 'putting up with it', i'd honestly have said her. Generally she seemed high maintenance, hard work and tbph not the nicest of people.

Please no one come at me about 'victim blaming'. Obviously I'm not saying she deserved to get battered or murdered 🙄

It's just a bit...disconcerting...when you realise how much of a certain 'swing' shows like this can put on things. Clearly the aim was to present her as a lovely, sweet, mild-mannered young girl who didn't say boo to a goose and I suspect that really wasn't the case in reality.

I knew she'd been murdered but before watching didn't know how it ended for him. I was gutted when he died. Bloody frustrating that he never had to face a trial and decades inside.

How his parents are not in fucking jail will forever baffle me. And I'm 100% convinced they knew he was dead and exactly where he was.

Worriedsickmostofthetime · 16/03/2025 12:39

SuspiciousChipmunk · 16/03/2025 12:37

Exactly! I wonder about the motives of a lot of posters on here.

Just a debate. Nothing we say or contemplate here changes the tragedy of what happened.
I just hope that if I ever see any red flags in my young daughters relationship from either side I would have the presence of mind to help!

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Worriedsickmostofthetime · 16/03/2025 12:43

BlumminFreezin · 16/03/2025 12:38

Yes.

One of the first things dh and I said to each other is that he clearly did not want to be on camera but still got it shoved in his face (with take after take) with her rolling her eyes and tutting at him. In several of the videos, if you had to guess and pick out who was abusive and who was 'putting up with it', i'd honestly have said her. Generally she seemed high maintenance, hard work and tbph not the nicest of people.

Please no one come at me about 'victim blaming'. Obviously I'm not saying she deserved to get battered or murdered 🙄

It's just a bit...disconcerting...when you realise how much of a certain 'swing' shows like this can put on things. Clearly the aim was to present her as a lovely, sweet, mild-mannered young girl who didn't say boo to a goose and I suspect that really wasn't the case in reality.

I knew she'd been murdered but before watching didn't know how it ended for him. I was gutted when he died. Bloody frustrating that he never had to face a trial and decades inside.

How his parents are not in fucking jail will forever baffle me. And I'm 100% convinced they knew he was dead and exactly where he was.

Thank you! It is exactly what struck me first. And it’s a pity no one feels free to comment on that without fear of victim shaming.
What he did was unforgivable.

I know of a few relationships where neither party is guiltless in the drama that envelops them and it would be better for everyone to just call it quits.

interested to see his parents role in this. I am not prepared to defend them!

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turkeyboots · 16/03/2025 12:44

I liked at the very end where the parents revisit their consideration of all the other missing women, who aren't attractive blondes. It showed some depth to the show, given the extraordinary and public police effort surrounding Gabby.

Easterbunnygettingsorted · 16/03/2025 12:45

After he killed her he went on a camping trip with his df!! Hardly remorseful of his actions...

MissRachelismycoparent · 16/03/2025 12:46

I think it was a toxic relationship from the start.

Add on living in a small van with limited money and a lot of time on camera it would make it more difficult.

The police in the videos who separated them get a lot of hate but ultimately she admitted she was the aggressor and he did have marks on him. I don't see what else they could have done.

How his parents didn't go to prison baffles me. The way after days of searching they rocked up and found him within a few hours? It was like they knew where he was.

LouisaPesel · 16/03/2025 12:53

It was also disturbing watching the random nutters who turned up outside the homes of Brian's parents and sister. Holding up their placards and shouting through loudspeakers. Bet the neighbours loved them.

Worriedsickmostofthetime · 16/03/2025 12:58

MissRachelismycoparent · 16/03/2025 12:46

I think it was a toxic relationship from the start.

Add on living in a small van with limited money and a lot of time on camera it would make it more difficult.

The police in the videos who separated them get a lot of hate but ultimately she admitted she was the aggressor and he did have marks on him. I don't see what else they could have done.

How his parents didn't go to prison baffles me. The way after days of searching they rocked up and found him within a few hours? It was like they knew where he was.

I always try and put myself into someone else’s shoes in the same place. How many parents would hand over their kid?

But then the way they just carried on with life to make it look like it was just another normal day is a weird way to deal with it.

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Worriedsickmostofthetime · 16/03/2025 13:24

So I have finished and I stand by what I’ve said before.

To those in the documentary who are aghast that he got given a space in a DA center / hotel please consider that she did admit to being the aggressor and the vehicle was registered to her so they possibly did what they needed to do to give them space.

His parents behavior is just terrible although possibly not surprising for parents who think their child is golden (the mother’s letter is telling).

Ive received some roasting on MN in the past for being too involved in my older teen kids lives but you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to know that sometimes they just don’t know better and remain in situations they should have gotten out of long before it turns in tragedy.

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