By: Ellen Cans
The story of Gabby Petito is about to become a Lifetime film, with the wounds still fresh and her boyfriend’s confession notebook being released just last week.
Petito, a 22-year-old Long Island woman and aspiring social media star, went missing while on a cross-country road trip with boyfriend and fiancé Brian Laundrie. Three weeks later, on Sept. 19, her body was discovered in a camping area near the Grand Tetons in Wyoming, with an autopsy showing she was strangled to death. The FBI confirmed in January that Laundrie confessed to the killing. Last week, pages from his personal notebook, found by the site of his own body, were released.
As reported by the NY Post, on Thursday “The Gabby Petito Story” was spotted filming in the mountains near Salt Lake City, Utah. The film is being directed by Thora Birch, who will also play the role of Petito’s mother. Snaps from the filming show snaps of actors in a scene where the couple has a heavy argument before Laundrie storms off and jumps into the white van, which he would later drive home alone in after murdering his girlfriend. The full cast of the movie hasn’t been released yet.
The story gained national interest due to the couple’s social media activity. Critics have faulted Lifetime for the film, saying its too soon following Petito’s death, which occurred in August 2021. “I can’t believe this even needs to be said but we do NOT need a Gabby Petito murder movie. We don’t,” tweeted one critic. The network has defended its intentions explaining that the film is part of its Stop Violence Against Women public affairs initiative.
As per CNN, on Friday, Laundrie’s family lawyer released eight pages from his personal notebook, found in Florida near his own remains, where he took his own life on September 21, 2021 and where his body was found in mid-October. “I ended her life,” he wrote, claiming that she had fallen first and been badly injured and that he was trying to help her. “I don’t know the extent of Gabby’s ingerys (sic) only that she was in extreme pain.
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 was in shock. But from the moment I decided, took away her pain, I knew I couldn’t go on without her,” he wrote. On another page, Laundrie wrote, “I’m sorry to everyone this will affect. Gabby was the love of my life but I know adored by many. I’m so very sorry to her family, because I love them.” Attorney Steven Bertolino released the pages, saying, “I would like to share with the public the note that the FBI alluded to on January 21, 2022, that Brian claimed responsibility for the death of Gabby Petito,”
On the last page released of the notebook, Laundrie wrote, “I have killed myself by this creek in the hopes that animals (sic) may tear me apart. That it may make some of her family happy.” The last words on the page were, “Please pick up all of my things. Gabby hated people who litter.”
