Gabby Petito's father never watched confronting police footage

Joe Petito, the father of Gabby Petito, stated that he is unable to watch the video of his daughter being questioned by police before her death. Gabby Petito was an American woman who was murdered by her fiancé during a cross-country road trip, a case that garnered widespread attention.

The police bodycam footage documents the scene in August 2021 when Gabby Petito was questioned by police for allegedly having a dispute with her fiancé, Brian Laundrie. Joe Petito said in an interview with "Weekend Today," "I've never watched the video in its entirety." He added, "I've only seen snippets of it in interviews like this, and I've read the transcripts, but I can't watch the whole thing."

The video shows an officer pulling over a van on August 12, 2021, after it was reported speeding and hitting a curb near the entrance to Arches National Park. Inside were 23-year-old Brian Laundrie and his 22-year-old girlfriend, Gabrielle "Gabby" Petito. Petito was reported missing by her family a month later and became the subject of a nationwide search. The bodycam footage shows Petito visibly distraught as the officer approached them. The officer heard details of an argument between Petito and Laundrie. Police decided not to press charges against either party and instead separated the couple for the night. Petito was found dead several months later.

Petito's stepmother, Tara, said in an interview with "Weekend Today" that she has seen the video and found it very upsetting. She said, "I just wanted to reach out and help her." "We're telling the police now to use this video as a training tool to help train other police officers about strangulation, warning signs, and red flags." She added, "We're trying to turn our pain into something meaningful."

Petito's parents said they remember her as an "amazing person." Tara said, "She had goals, she had dreams. And unfortunately, those were taken away." She added, "She was a light—anytime she walked into a room, her smile lit up the room." Joe Petito said that the foundation named after Gabby is working to raise awareness of victims and survivors of domestic violence. If you need help, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732).