Netflix’s American Murder – Gabby Petito: True Crime or Exploitation?

Netflix’s true crime doc on Gabby Petito raises ethical concerns about storytelling, media bias, and domestic violence awareness.

American Murder – Gabby Petito: Netflix’s True Crime Documentary Under Scrutiny

The true crime genre has exploded in popularity, drawing audiences into real-life mysteries that are often as heartbreaking as they are gripping. However, Netflix’s latest installment in its American Murder series, focusing on the tragic case of Gabby Petito, raises crucial ethical questions about storytelling and exploitation. While the documentary seeks to shed light on the dangers of toxic relationships and the media’s bias in covering missing persons cases, it also risks sensationalizing tragedy for entertainment value.

The Case That Shocked the Nation

In 2021, 22-year-old travel vlogger Gabby Petito embarked on a cross-country road trip with her fiancé, Brian Laundrie. Through social media, she documented their journey, portraying a seemingly idyllic van-life experience. However, the story took a dark turn when Brian returned home alone, refusing to speak about Gabby’s whereabouts. As public speculation grew, law enforcement launched a nationwide search, eventually discovering Gabby’s remains in Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park. Brian later took his own life, leaving behind a notebook in which he confessed to the murder.

A Documentary Wrapped in Controversy

Netflix’s American Murder: Gabby Petito aims to recount this tragic sequence of events while exploring themes of domestic violence, media coverage biases, and law enforcement failures. Unlike its predecessor, The Family Next Door, which relied entirely on found footage and raw police evidence, this new installment adopts a more dramatic approach. It incorporates staged re-enactments, direct-to-camera interviews, and an overarching narrative that, at times, feels more like a thriller than a documentary.

While the documentary attempts to emphasize the importance of recognizing signs of abuse, it inadvertently falls into the same sensationalist patterns it critiques. Rather than offering new insights or investigative depth, it often recycles information already widely covered in news reports and social media discussions. The addition of dramatic reenactments raises ethical concerns—do such stylistic choices serve the story, or do they exploit real-life suffering?

The Exploitation of True Crime

The modern true crime genre walks a fine line between education and exploitation. When Netflix released Making a Murderer in 2015, it set a precedent for a new wave of investigative storytelling. Since then, the platform has become synonymous with a brand of true crime that often prioritizes gripping narratives over journalistic rigor.

The Gabby Petito case, already dissected extensively by online sleuths and mainstream media, raises the question: does this documentary add anything new? By framing the story within Netflix’s signature style—tense music, dramatic edits, and cliffhanger episodes—it risks commodifying a real-life tragedy.

Furthermore, the involvement of Gabby’s parents in the series, while offering valuable perspectives, does not entirely mitigate the ethical concerns. Their presence brings authenticity, but it also adds an emotional weight that can sometimes feel manipulated for dramatic effect.

Media Bias and the ‘Missing White Woman Syndrome’

One of the documentary’s most significant themes is the critique of ‘Missing White Woman Syndrome’—a term used to describe the disproportionate media attention given to missing white women compared to people of color who disappear under similar circumstances. Gabby’s case dominated headlines, sparking widespread public interest, while cases involving Indigenous, Black, and Latina women often go underreported.

The series attempts to address this issue, yet it paradoxically benefits from the very phenomenon it highlights. By focusing solely on Gabby’s story without giving comparable attention to other missing persons cases, it unintentionally reinforces the same media biases it seeks to expose.

What the Documentary Gets Right

Despite its flaws, the documentary does provide important takeaways. It highlights the importance of recognizing early warning signs of domestic violence and sheds light on the bureaucratic obstacles that can delay urgent investigations. The inclusion of police bodycam footage from an encounter between Gabby and Brian, just days before her disappearance, serves as a haunting reminder of how easily signs of abuse can be overlooked.

Additionally, the documentary gives a platform to Gabby’s family, who have since turned their grief into advocacy. They’ve established the Gabby Petito Foundation, which works to support victims of domestic abuse and missing persons cases. This aspect adds depth to the film, showing that beyond the media frenzy, real lives were shattered by this tragedy.

The Verdict: A Story Worth Telling, But How?

American Murder: Gabby Petito succeeds in drawing attention to crucial societal issues but struggles with its execution. While it provides an accessible overview of the case, it ultimately feels more like a polished product designed for binge-watching rather than a meaningful exploration of the issues at hand.

For viewers already familiar with the case, the documentary may not offer much new information. However, for those who haven’t followed the details, it serves as a cautionary tale about the darker side of social media, the failures of law enforcement, and the urgent need to address domestic violence more effectively.

The documentary underscores the complex ethics of true crime storytelling. It is possible to inform and advocate without sensationalizing tragedy, but finding that balance remains a challenge. As true crime content continues to flood streaming platforms, it’s crucial to ask: are we learning from these stories, or merely consuming them for entertainment?

By critically engaging with American Murder: Gabby Petito, audiences can reflect not just on the case itself, but on the broader implications of how we consume and interpret true crime narratives.

(Disclaimer:  This article is based on publicly available information and industry reports. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, details are subject to change. Readers are encouraged to refer to official sources for the latest updates.)