TRUE CRIMEGabby Petito Told an Ex She Wanted to Leave Brian Laundrie But Was Afraid of How He Would React Prior to Being Murdered by Him
'American Murder: Gabby Petito' is currently streaming on Netflix.
More details into the tragic story of Gabby Petito's death are shared in Netflix's just released documentary American Murder: Gabby Petito.
In the piece, which showcased text messages the late social media star sent before she was murdered by fiancé Brian Laundrie, her ex-boyfriend Jackson revealed for the first time that Petito had reached out to him about her relationship.
'American Murder: Gabby Petito' features unseen text messages between Gabby Petito and her murderer, fiancé Brian Laundrie.
Jackson said that after Petito and Laundrie took a break from their van trip to spend time at their respective homes, Petito texted him to admit she wanted to leave her abusive partner but feared how he would react.
"The fact that she reached out to me kind of told me like hey, she feels safe talking to you or maybe she felt like she was the only one who would understand, or that I was the only person who would even listen at all," Jackson shared.
In the documentary, Petito's ex Jackson revealed she wanted to end her relationship with Laundrie but was scared of how he might react.
When the couple hit the road again in late August, Petito sent Jackson a message noting she was in Jackson, Wyoming, and said the name reminded her of him.
At some point, Petito called Jackson, but since he was working, he didn't have the chance to pick up.
"I feel like the phone call was a cry for help. I think she wanted to get away but just didn’t know how to do it. I think she wasn’t sure what he would do, or what he could do," Jackson spilled. "I think back on the fact that maybe if I did answer that phone call, I could have helped or there could have been a different outcome."
Jackson admitted that prior to her death, he had a missed call from Petito.
- Brian Laundrie Texted Gabby Petito's Parents From Her Phone After He Murdered Her to Deceive Them Into Thinking She Was Alive
- READ SUICIDE NOTE IN FULL: Sicko Brian Laundrie Justified Strangling Gabby Petito As ‘Merciful’ Killing, Claimed ‘This is What She Wanted’
- Gabby Petito's Mother Shares Chilling Message On The 'Evil' Of Her Daughter’s Murder
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Not long after, Laundrie returned to his parents' home by himself but wouldn't reveal his fiancée's whereabouts, prompting her parents to file a missing persons report.
Gabby’s body was found on September 19, 2021, near Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. It was determined she was strangled to death.
Laundrie then went on the run, but his body was found in Florida a month later not far from where his journal was uncovered.
It was determined he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, and in his diary, he confessed to killing Petito.
Laundrie, who killed himself, confessed to murdering Petito in a journal entry.
Laundrie claimed Petito suffered an injury and "was in extreme pain" so "I ended her life. I thought it was merciful, that it is what she wanted, but I see now all the mistakes I made. I panicked."
"I have killed myself by this creek in the hopes that animals may tear me apart," he stated. "That it may make some of her family happy."
Filmmakers Julia Willoughby Nason and Michael Gasparro explained in a new interview that being able to look at Petito and Laundrie's texts made it clear they didn't have a healthy relationship.
"Looking at her text messages with Brian for the first time, knowing that he had murdered her was haunting because it was like the manipulation… was very subtle," Nason explained. "And I think that we're hoping that this series can show the subtlety of intimate partner abuse, especially among young people."
The Independent and Fox News reported on the documentary.
