Latest news with #Petito
IOL News
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- IOL News
When red flags go unseen: the silent cries for help in 'American Murder: Gabby Petito'
The docuseries digs deep into the couple's seemingly happy journey across the United States, with Petito and her fiancé Brian Laundrie posting their van life adventures online. Image: X/@NetflixDE Oh, the irony. The happiest people on social media often have the darkest secrets, and the "American Murder: Gabby Petito" story is a brutal reminder of this truth. If you've heard the name Gabby Petito before, it's likely because of the tragic, gut-wrenching story that's still a topic of discussion across social media. Netflix's docuseries is a reminder that behind every picture-perfect post, there's often more than meets the eye. It digs deep into the couple's seemingly happy journey across the United States, with Petito and her fiancé Brian Laundrie posting their 'van life' adventures online. What they didn't show their followers, however, were the cracks in their relationship. Right from the start, the series pulls you into a real-life horror story, beginning with the bodycam footage of a police stop in Utah. In the footage, an emergency call has prompted officers to pull over the couple's van after a domestic incident. What follows is a scene that will stay with you: despite Petito's bruises and distress, she's labelled as the aggressor, and the police choose to separate the two for the night, sending Laundrie to a hotel and leaving Petito alone in the van. Throughout the episodes, the facade of the perfect couple begins to crumble, revealing increasingly obvious flaws in their relationship. Petito, an outgoing and free-spirited individual who lived for the outdoors and social media, was trying desperately to hold it together. But behind the smiles and photos, there was a dark reality. Initially seen as a quiet and awkward fiancé, Laundrie's true character began to emerge, revealing him to be controlling, manipulative, and increasingly toxic. His actions, like confiscating Petito's ID to stop her from socialising with friends, were apparent to those who observed him. She even reached out to her ex-boyfriend, Jackson, revealing to him that she was planning to leave Brian. She confided in Jackson that she was trying to figure out when and how to break free from the abusive situation. This conversation was a telling moment, a 'cry for help,' and it showed the desperation she was feeling.
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Yahoo
Readers sound off on gender-based violence, off-duty dancing and NIMBYism
Seattle: Gender neutrality benefits women in many areas: the office, home and under the law. However, as Netflix's 'American Murder: Gabby Petito' underscores, when domestic violence is suspected, it can cost a woman her life. During a now-publicized traffic stop in Moab, Utah, officers rushed to judgment, naming Petito's boyfriend and travel companion, Brian Laundrie, the aggressor. They separated the couple, sending Laundrie to a hotel for domestic violence victims while leaving Petito to sleep in her van. Domestic violence is not an equal-opportunity crime. Men can be victims, but men are far more often the aggressors. In 2023, the National Library of Medicine reported that 500,000 women versus 100,000 men experienced physical assault or rape by an intimate partner. It goes against my grain to call women the weaker sex. It's not how I was raised or raised my children. But gender differences, particularly physical strength, automatically place women in a subordinate position. Then there's the verbal gymnastics that put women on the defensive — like Petito, who felt compelled to explain her OCD and how she angered Laundrie by editing her videos. Women are conditioned to suppress their needs; men to expect it. Feminism challenges these notions, and rightly so. The officers likely thought they were avoiding gender bias. But domestic violence against women isn't a stereotype — it's a reality. Their neutrality was misplaced, and another young woman died because of it. The Gabby Petito Act, a 2024 Florida law requiring police to conduct a 12-question assessment in domestic violence incidents, is a start. But until society acknowledges women's disproportionate vulnerability, there will be more Gabbys, unheard — or worse, left for dead. Elise Buie Hempstead, L.I.: To Voicer Thomas Facchiano: Ya got that right. 'Conclave' was the best movie in years — great acting, should have been nominated for cinematography, great twist ending and tour de force performances. Loved it! Leslie Feldman Brooklyn: So, Columbia student Mahmoud Khalil has been arrested for exercising his right to free speech. That's the real reason he was grabbed out of his apartment. His green card was probably completely in order. This administration just doesn't want 'troublemakers' speaking up. What's next, are we going to arrest anyone who supports the IRA? Bob Gomez Manhattan: If Brad Lander, as he claims, doesn't know anyone who spends the amount of money Andrew Cuomo pays in his monthly Manhattan housing rent, then Lander doesn't know many NYC residents. Mayors need to know the full populace and work together to get things done. I know more than enough high-income renters who pay more than Cuomo. Either Lander is lying, or if he is telling the truth, he does not deserve to be mayor of New York City. Joey Dluzak West Columbia, S.C.: Why are politicians arguing about how to cut Medicare and Social Security instead of how to increase taxes on the richest 1%? Who wanted an Elon Musk to bring an army of reckless amateurs to gut government departments and kick out employees? Will they ever deliver a real accounting of how much money was saved and how much they charged? What is Russia receiving in exchange for America's abandonment of Ukraine? Why have male politicians become obsessed with controlling women's health choices? Will Canadian patience hold out until our president loses his urge to take over their country? Will Republicans ever get their mojo back and take a stand for democracy again? Can the Democrats find a workaround to halt the damage being done? Are there any answers out there, or just questions? Carol Robinson Bronx: With President Trump's attack on USAID and Medicaid plus his tariffs, I can hear the painful cries of veterans, of people with disabilities, people of color, the poor, red state voters and women. How many of these victims voted for the demented man in the Oval Office? Why are so many Trump voters dismayed by the executive orders that have negatively affected them? New Yorkers have received the most wrath from Trump, and you can do something about it. Vote out all Republican House members, they have betrayed their states. We can cut the legs off of this lame duck president by a landslide vote in 2026, taking back both houses of Congress. Gilbert M. Lane Manhattan: To Voicer Glenn Hayes: Your letter was excellent in encouraging readers and fellow Americans to take heed in protecting their economy in their own houses and being wise with personal spending. Unfortunately, most Americans aren't going to take heed, as we live in a society where most are programmed to consume. If you continue to live above your means, to spend crazy and be bamboozled by the government, it's not a Trump/Musk problem, it's a man/woman in the mirror problem. Omar Branch Richmond Hill: To Voicer Nat Saraceni: You believe that JD Vance never wore blue jeans. Yes he did, and they probably were some hand-me-downs with a lot of wear and tear on them. Do you not know anything about the way he grew up? Read his book 'Hillbilly Elegy' or watch the film before you open your misinformed mouth! Maybe Trump never wore blue jeans, but growing up poor in Appalachia, raised by his elderly grandmother and with an alcoholic, substance-abusing mother, Vance certainly did. He joined the Marine Corps, served in Afghanistan and worked his way through Ohio State University and Yale Law School. Your hatred blinds you to the truth. Joseph Napoleone Melville, L.I.: He disparaged the military service of American hero John McCain on camera. According to many witnesses, he referred to servicemen and women as 'suckers' and 'losers.' Now the man who faked bone spurs to get out of military service is having his administration ban patriotic Americans from serving in the military. Is there nothing he can do that will make you see the truth about this man? Dennis Joyce Tarrytown, N.Y.: Captain Bone Spurs is betraying our allies and everything that our great country has stood for in the last century. In the blink of an eye, we have shown the world that America can no longer be respected or trusted in their time of need. I just observed a quote from the draft-dodger stating that if America would ever require help, our NATO partners would decline. When we launched Operation Enduring Freedom in 2001, every single one of our NATO partners assisted, and most countries had soldiers killed, including 160 from our neighbor to the north. These brave Canadian soldiers stood side-by-side in protecting America's interests. Their memory is disrespected by someone who clearly failed history. But we'll never know, as you can be severely sued for obtaining those school records. Stephen Talenti Yonkers: I generally enjoy Voicer James McCaffrey's frequent contributions to the Voice of the People page, though they may be a tad hyperbolic and verbose at times. I just wish his contributions were around when I was trying to enhance my vocabulary for the Graduate Record Examination a few decades ago. Frank Brady Lake Ronkonkoma, L.I.: Re 'Cop's jiggle-joint-vid fan' (March 9): Why should Det. Melissa Mercado be disciplined? And why has she been removed from active investigations? Her record clearly shows she's an excellent police officer and a credit to the NYPD. Has an investigation ever taken place for policemen who regularly attend men's clubs? The article states the video went viral within the NYPD. Was it watched during working hours? Are the officers who watched it being disciplined? I am so sick and tired of having centuries of men's double-standard determinations of how women should act shoved down my throat. Joanne Lee Manhattan: What hypocrisy! Normal Siegel wants to end homelessness ('New York City can really end street homelessness,' op-ed, March 9) although he has been legal counsel to supporters of the Elizabeth Street Garden who are opposing affordable and low-income housing on that street. It seems that he advocates for housing unless it affects his friends and clients. Unfortunately, he isn't the only person who supports housing in the abstract but not when it can actually be built — the exact definition of NIMBYism. Alec Pruchnicki
Yahoo
08-03-2025
- Yahoo
Netflix's Gabby Petito series lays bare hidden patterns of domestic violence
The National Domestic Violence Hotline offers free, confidential support: Call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Text 'START' to 88788. Chat live at Gabby Petito caught the nation's interest in 2021 when she went missing while on a cross-country van trip with fiancé Brian Laundrie. After an extensive search, the 22-year-old woman's body was discovered near a camp ground in Wyoming, and a medical examiner ruled that she had been strangled. Opinion: Why progressive women are lonelier, unhappier than conservatives Laundrie, 23, also went missing, after he returned alone to his parents' home in Florida. His body, along with a written confession that he had killed Petito, was found in a park, and his death was ruled a suicide. Now, a new Netflix documentary series, "American Murder: Gabby Petito," uses text messages, social media videos and interviews with family members to weave a vital narrative about domestic violence. One thing the documentary does well is to dispel myths about abusers. It also highlights the primary element of abuse − coercive control. One myth is that abusers are always violent from the start. That might be true in some cases, but often it's the opposite. The abuser conceals red flags early in the relationship, but abusive language, domineering control and physical violence creep in over time. In the documentary, Laundrie initially seems like a regular guy. While I did sense that something was off about him early in the series, he doesn't appear to be violent. If anything, he comes across as quiet and insecure. He charms Petito, and the two engage in a whirlwind romance. It's common for abusers to quickly push a new relationship to the next level, so a victim is emotionally entangled before abusive behavior fully emerges. That doesn't mean that every romantic partnership that moves quickly involves abuse. But almost all abusive relationships move rapidly through the initial stages of getting to know someone as a person and as a romantic partner. Physical violence rarely happens early in a relationship, but elements of emotional abuse often begin right away, as we see in the documentary. Like most abusers, Laundrie shows several signs of controlling behavior, although they're subtle enough that I can see where Petito and her family missed them. The documentary shows text messages in which he complained about her work and the time she spent away from him, including with friends. He called her names in some messages and appeared jealous of her at times. But the two would quickly make up, and it's clear that Petito wanted to make the relationship work. That's another common factor in abusive relationships − the victim is emotionally invested enough to overlook the early signs of destructive behavior. Laundrie quickly starts to isolate Petito, which is another common tactic. While she was onboard with their decision to drive across the country in a converted van, the trip also worked to separate Petito from her support system. The couple also were often without cell service while traversing Utah, which created a ripe opportunity for an abuser to take advantage of his victim. I first paid attention to the Petito case when police bodycam video was released in 2021. Scenes from that video are shown in the documentary, but they're presented with text messages and journal entries that provide context about what had happened and would happen in the relationship before and after the encounter with police. With that context, the video, recorded less than a month before Petito was reported missing, is nauseating and shows a classic example of an abusive dynamic in a relationship. After receiving a 911 call about a potential domestic violence incident, police in Moab, Utah, confronted the couple. The caller described seeing Laundrie slap Petito, but the police focused on scratches on his face. Although Petito is crying, it's Laundrie who claimed that she slapped him. Police separated the couple to speak to each separately. When an officer asked Petito why she was crying, she blamed herself: "We've just been fighting this morning. Some personal issues." The couple told officers the same story − they were arguing and both became violent. But their body language told a different story. While Petito struggled to calm down, Laundrie was relaxed, almost charismatic, as he joked with officers. He seems chummy with the police, even though his fiancée was distraught. Incredibly, the police bought the story. 'You're the victim of a domestic assault,' one officer told Laundrie. They sent him to a hotel for the night for refuge, and Petito was left alone on the road in the van. The scene is infuriating, not only because of what happened to Petito but also because the police overlooked a common dynamic in abusive relationships. Abusers crave control, and they maintain it by turning the tables on their victims to keep them disoriented and confused. Abusers are able to gaslight their victims and others into thinking they are charming and kind. They're not abusive, their partners are. Abusers play the victim often and well, cycling from bully to supposed victim with ease. Abusers are often so good at this, they can fool therapists and police − the very people victims look to for help. Petito's story is heartbreaking, but it can help people understand just how common it is for women to suffer violence and abuse. The World Health Organization reports that globally, 1 in 3 women experience physical or sexual violence in their lifetimes. After her death, Petito's parents started the Gabby Petito Foundation to help people learn about the cycles and signs of abuse. The foundation offers training programs and other resources on domestic violence. Online resources that allow victims to search in private are key to helping them learn the signs of an abusive relationship and how to escape. Policy changes also can help. Thanks in part to the public support of Petito's parents, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox in 2023 signed a law that requires police responding to a report of domestic violence to ask specific questions to determine if a person is at risk of being hurt or killed by their partner. Every state should adopt such a measure. Yet, the best way to stop abusers is for women but especially men to stand in the gap, to force a spotlight on this insidious behavior and to demand that it stop. The Netflix documentary ends with scenes from the only video that Petito uploaded to her vlogging channel. She is shown running along a beach on a sunny day. She is young, pretty and carefree. Her whole life appears to be ahead of her. We know, of course, that her life would end far too soon. She became a victim of a violent abuser, another life cut short by the evil of domestic violence. Nicole Russell is a columnist at USA TODAY and a mother of four who lives in Texas. Contact her at nrussell@ and follow her on X, formerly Twitter: @russell_nm. Sign up for her weekly newsletter, The Right Track, here. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Gabby Petito documentary reveals domestic abuser in action | Opinion
USA Today
03-03-2025
- USA Today
Gabby Petito series on Netflix shows vital lessons about domestic violence
Gabby Petito series on Netflix shows vital lessons about domestic violence | Opinion Docuseries 'American Murder: Gabby Petito' uses text messages, social media videos and interviews with family members to weave a heartbreaking narrative. Show Caption Hide Caption Netflix releases docuseries on Gabby Petito murder case Netflix's "American Murder: Gabby Petito" explores the tragic disappearance and death of Gabby after a road trip with fiancé Brian Laundrie. The National Domestic Violence Hotline offers free, confidential support: Call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Text 'START' to 88788. Chat live at Gabby Petito caught the nation's interest in 2021 when she went missing while on a cross-country van trip with fiancé Brian Laundrie. After an extensive search, the 22-year-old woman's body was discovered near a camp ground in Wyoming, and a medical examiner ruled that she had been strangled. Laundrie, 23, also went missing, after he returned alone to his parents' home in Florida. His body, along with a written confession that he had killed Petito, was found in a park, and his death was ruled a suicide. Now, a new Netflix documentary series, "American Murder: Gabby Petito," uses text messages, social media videos and interviews with family members to weave a vital narrative about domestic violence. Domestic violence is about control One thing the documentary does well is to dispel myths about abusers. It also highlights the primary element of abuse − coercive control. One myth is that abusers are always violent from the start. That might be true in some cases, but often it's the opposite. The abuser conceals red flags early in the relationship, but abusive language, domineering control and physical violence creep in over time. In the documentary, Laundrie initially seems like a regular guy. While I did sense that something was off about him early in the series, he doesn't appear to be violent. If anything, he comes across as quiet and insecure. He charms Petito, and the two engage in a whirlwind romance. It's common for abusers to quickly push a new relationship to the next level, so a victim is emotionally entangled before abusive behavior fully emerges. That doesn't mean that every romantic partnership that moves quickly involves abuse. But almost all abusive relationships move rapidly through the initial stages of getting to know someone as a person and as a romantic partner. Physical violence rarely happens early in a relationship, but elements of emotional abuse often begin right away, as we see in the documentary. Opinion: The Blake Lively smear campaign exposes sordid level of public manipulation Like most abusers, Laundrie shows several signs of controlling behavior, although they're subtle enough that I can see where Petito and her family missed them. The documentary shows text messages in which he complained about her work and the time she spent away from him, including with friends. He called her names in some messages and appeared jealous of her at times. But the two would quickly make up, and it's clear that Petito wanted to make the relationship work. That's another common factor in abusive relationships − the victim is emotionally invested enough to overlook the early signs of destructive behavior. Laundrie quickly starts to isolate Petito, which is another common tactic. While she was onboard with their decision to drive across the country in a converted van, the trip also worked to separate Petito from her support system. The couple also were often without cell service while traversing Utah, which created a ripe opportunity for an abuser to take advantage of his victim. Abusers play the victim, and even professionals miss it I first paid attention to the Petito case when police bodycam video was released in 2021. Scenes from that video are shown in the documentary, but they're presented with text messages and journal entries that provide context about what had happened and would happen in the relationship before and after the encounter with police. With that context, the video, recorded less than a month before Petito was reported missing, is nauseating and shows a classic example of an abusive dynamic in a relationship. Opinion: 'It Ends With Us' shows some realities of domestic violence. Here's what it got wrong. After receiving a 911 call about a potential domestic violence incident, police in Moab, Utah, confronted the couple. The caller described seeing Laundrie slap Petito, but the police focused on scratches on his face. Although Petito is crying, it's Laundrie who claimed that she slapped him. Police separated the couple to speak to each separately. When an officer asked Petito why she was crying, she blamed herself: "We've just been fighting this morning. Some personal issues." The couple told officers the same story − they were arguing and both became violent. But their body language told a different story. While Petito struggled to calm down, Laundrie was relaxed, almost charismatic, as he joked with officers. He seems chummy with the police, even though his fiancée was distraught. Incredibly, the police bought the story. 'You're the victim of a domestic assault,' one officer told Laundrie. They sent him to a hotel for the night for refuge, and Petito was left alone on the road in the van. The scene is infuriating, not only because of what happened to Petito but also because the police overlooked a common dynamic in abusive relationships. Abusers crave control, and they maintain it by turning the tables on their victims to keep them disoriented and confused. Abusers are able to gaslight their victims and others into thinking they are charming and kind. They're not abusive, their partners are. Abusers play the victim often and well, cycling from bully to supposed victim with ease. Abusers are often so good at this, they can fool therapists and police − the very people victims look to for help. Resources are available to help victims escape domestic violence Petito's story is heartbreaking, but it can help people understand just how common it is for women to suffer violence and abuse. The World Health Organization reports that globally, 1 in 3 women experience physical or sexual violence in their lifetimes. After her death, Petito's parents started the Gabby Petito Foundation to help people learn about the cycles and signs of abuse. The foundation offers training programs and other resources on domestic violence. Online resources that allow victims to search in private are key to helping them learn the signs of an abusive relationship and how to escape. Policy changes also can help. Thanks in part to the public support of Petito's parents, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox in 2023 signed a law that requires police responding to a report of domestic violence to ask specific questions to determine if a person is at risk of being hurt or killed by their partner. Every state should adopt such a measure. Yet, the best way to stop abusers is for women but especially men to stand in the gap, to force a spotlight on this insidious behavior and to demand that it stop. The Netflix documentary ends with scenes from the only video that Petito uploaded to her vlogging channel. She is shown running along a beach on a sunny day. She is young, pretty and carefree. Her whole life appears to be ahead of her. We know, of course, that her life would end far too soon. She became a victim of a violent abuser, another life cut short by the evil of domestic violence. Nicole Russell is a columnist at USA TODAY and a mother of four who lives in Texas. Contact her at nrussell@ and follow her on X, formerly Twitter: @russell_nm. Sign up for her weekly newsletter, The Right Track, here.
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Gabby Petito murder documentary sparks viewer backlash after it uses fake AI voiceover
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Netflix's American Murder: Gabby Petito has upset some people for using an AI-generated voice to narrate Petito's journal entries. Despite permission from Petito's family, critics argue the AI voice raises ethical concerns. This isn't the first occurrence of such debate, and it will likely keep happening as the technology improves. Netflix's latest true-crime docuseries, American Murder: Gabby Petito, has stirred up a heated debate over how to deploy AI to mimic the voices of people who have passed away. The filmmakers employed AI to recreate Petito's voice and have it narrate excerpts from her personal writings, which has reportedly made many viewers feel uncomfortable and raised ethical concerns about using AI to give voice to the deceased. The three-part series chronicles the 2021 murder of 22-year-old Petito at the hands of her fiancé, Brian Laundrie. It pieces together her final months through interviews, personal videos, and social media posts, evoking how the tragedy happened in real-time on the internet. True crime aficionados famously dissected every frame of Petito's travel vlogs before authorities found her remains in Wyoming. At the start of the series, a disclaimer appears: 'Gabby's journal entries and text messages are brought to life in this series in her own voice, using voice recreation technology.' That means the voice narrating parts of the documentary isn't actually Petito's but a synthetic recreation made with an AI model. Netflix has said the filmmakers received permission from Petito's family to do so. That hasn't stopped some people from vocalizing how eerie the AI-generated voice feels. Social media content creators have racked up hundreds of thousands of views discussing it. This isn't the first controversy over AI-generated voices. Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain faced similar criticism when its director revealed that parts of the documentary featured AI-generated narration of Bourdain's own words. That movie didn't indicate which bits were narrated by the AI or by Bourdain, which led many to feel that the technique was deceptive. Filmmaker Michael Gasparro defended the decision in an interview with Us Weekly, saying the team wanted to tell the story as much 'through Gabby's voice as possible.' They had access to a wealth of her journals, notes, and online posts and thought AI narration would bring them to life in a more powerful way. 'At the end of the day, it's her story.' Technology has always shaped the way we tell stories, but AI presents a new challenge, especially when it comes to memorializing people who can no longer speak for themselves. Robert Downey Jr. has vowed that AI will never replicate him on screen, while James Earl Jones secured a deal with Disney before passing away, allowing them to use his voice for Darth Vader under certain circumstances. Meanwhile, ElevenLabs has inked deals with the estates of James Dean, Burt Reynolds, Judy Garland, and Sir Laurence Olivier to let it add AI versions of their voices to its Reader app. As deepfake technology and voice cloning become more sophisticated, filmmakers and media companies will have to reckon with how (and if) these tools should be used to tell real-life stories. Robert Downey Jr. vows there will never be a digital AI replica of him on-screen How you can get (AI versions of) Judy Garland or Burt Reynolds to read to you Why the passing of James Earl Jones doesn't mean you won't hear Darth Vader's voice again
