'American Murder: Gabby Petito' Doc Ranks #2 In Netflix TV Shows

LONG ISLAND, NY — The tragic story of former Long Islander Gabby Petito, whose disappearance set off a news frenzy and whose death broke hearts —she was found slain at the hands of her fiancé on a cross-country Van Life trip in 2021, investigators say — has once again captivated the nation.

One of the latest docuseries to focus on the story, the three-episode "American Murder: Gabby Petito," debuted on Feb. 17 at #1 on English TV at 31.3 million views, according to Netflix.

Almost two weeks later, the show was ranked #2 in TV Shows on Netflix Tuesday.

The show's trailer on Youtube, which has garnered 6.3K viewers, starts off with footage of Petito, who grew up in Blue Point, and Brian Laundrie inside of her Ford Transit van, which they had converted for their trip, giving a tour for vlog followers.

The trailer then moves quickly into the police bodycam video from a now-infamous traffic stop following the domestic violence incident in Moab, Utah, as well as footage from a grocery story and what is believed to be the final time she was caught on camera before her death. Then, police footage of Laundrie's parents, who were asked of his whereabouts after her disappearance, follows.

An investigator can then be heard asking if the van in the driveway belonged to Gabby, who at that point in time had not had contact with her parents in weeks; later, the footage shows the van being towed away by police.

"Two people went on a trip, one person returned," a man can be heard saying in a voiceover.

Petito's mother then can be seen crying, telling an interviewer that she knew at that point that something bad had happened to her daughter.

The series features text messages, video footage, and excerpts from Petito’s journals, as well as new interviews with people connected to the case.

The show, which was produced by Cinemart and Stage 29, has credits including Julia Willoughby Nason and Michael Gasparro, who served as the executive producers and directors. Dr. Phillip McGraw and Sarah Carden served as executive producers.

Each episode runs about 40 minutes to an hour.

When Petito, 23, did not respond to her mother back in September 2021, she filed a missing person's report with Suffolk County police on Sept. 10, 2021, sparking a massive interstate search.

Laundrie, who by then had returned in Petito's van to his parents' house in Florida, refused to cooperate with investigators and ended up going into a nearby swamp, where investigators say he shot himself.

In a notebook later found near his remains, Laundrie claims to have carried out a mercy killing, by strangling Petito because she was in so much pain after falling into a ravine.

Petito's remains were found near Grand Teton National Park on Sept. 19, 2021.

Her death touched the hearts of many on Long Island, and it was marked with an outpouring of support from the community, as well as candlelight vigils, like "Light the Night For Gabby Petito."

In the three years since her death, her family has championed the cause of domestic violence and missing persons cases through their work with The Gabby Petito Foundation.

In recent news, attorneys for the family have filed an appeal in their wrongful death lawsuit that challenged how law enforcement in Utah handled the traffic stop. It seeks to overturn a previous ruling that provides governmental immunity act, barring wrongful death claims arising from domestic violence.

SEE PAST EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE OF GABBY PETITO'S STORY:

• LI Mom To Missing Daughter: ‘We Just Need To See You Again’
• A Heartbreaking Discovery: Body Found Consistent With The Description Of Gabby Petito
• 'Be Inspired': Gabby Petito's Dad At Long Island Memorial Service
• ‘Not Just Gabby Petito’ Case Deserves Media Attention: Dad
• Suffolk Detective Who Opened Gabby Petito’s Case An ‘Angel’: Mom