Since her disappearance last month, the case of Gabby Petito has attracted much attention from officials and social media. Petito went on a cross-country road trip with her fiance Brian Laundrie. Laundrie returned in their van to his parent’s home in North Port, Florida, without Petito on Sept. 1. Ten days later, Petito’s parents officially reported her missing. On Sept. 14, Laundrie was also reported missing by his own parents. Since then, the case has gained a wild following from authorities and curious citizens alike. With all the attention coming to the case, some considerable achievements have been made thanks to the internet, such as Petito and Laundrie’s van being discovered. Still, it has sparked a debate whether the public’s involvement has benefited or harmed the case.
It should be noted that the couple’s lives were very public even before the case began. Petito started a Youtube account called “Nomadic Statik” to vlog her and her fiance’s journey across the country. She also was very active on Instagram, posting pictures at each destination they reached. Due to her prominent social media presence, it’s only natural that her followers would start to wonder when her posts didn’t seem like her normal self or when they ceased altogether.
To clarify, this does not mean that Gabby Petito’s case should not be treated without care. Her Case is not like a game of CLUE or a make-believe murder mystery party; she was a real person, with real family members who are devastated and grieving. While some avid followers on Tiktok are reporting their potential leads to officials involved in the case, others choose to post their findings straight to the internet and treat it like a true-crime episode. Although so many people are invested in how this case closes, the fact that her family is trying to recover from a devastating turn of events. Protecting the family’s privacy should always be considered when delving into a real developing story like this one.
Many of the people investigating the Gabby Petito case did not know her personally. Still, there are so many more now who are working hard to discover what happened to her. Until the case is closed, it is not harmful to have multiple forces working together to uncover the truth.