In a heartbreaking letter, Petito begged Laundrie to stop verbal abuse as they traveled together.
Newly released FBI documents reveal a touching yet tragic letter from Gabby Petito to her then-fiancé, Brian Laundrie, in which she pleaded with him to stop verbally abusing her. The letter, included in over 350 pages of case files, shows Petito’s wish to mend their relationship, underscoring her commitment to “being a team” despite facing escalating issues with Laundrie.
Petito, who was 22 when she was killed in 2021, gained widespread attention for documenting her cross-country road trip with Laundrie on platforms like YouTube and Instagram. Her sudden disappearance and the discovery of her body in Wyoming brought intense public focus to her case, and eventually to the arrest warrant issued for Laundrie, who later took his own life.
In the handwritten letter, Petito expressed hope for a harmonious relationship, asking Laundrie to stop his verbal attacks. “Just please stop crying and stop calling me names because we’re a team, and I’m here with you,” she wrote. Her words capture her effort to reach out to Laundrie, even as he became increasingly hostile.
Laundrie killed Petito during their trip, and his later suicide brought further heartbreak to both families. The confession of her murder was discovered in Laundrie’s journal, found after his death, offering a chilling end to the couple’s tragic story.
Petito’s family has since worked to honor her legacy, advocating for domestic violence awareness and seeking justice for Gabby through the foundation they established. Meanwhile, FBI-released documents provide deeper insight into the troubled relationship that ended in her untimely death.
Public and media attention surrounding the case remains strong, with a significant focus on preventing similar tragedies and supporting domestic violence victims. Legal representatives for both families have yet to comment on the FBI’s latest release of case files, maintaining silence as the community continues to mourn.