An expert has revealed how the audio of a 911 call released during the Gabby Petito inquiry 'ignited' the investigation.
Gabby was killed by her boyfriend, Brian Laundrie, while the couple were travelling around the US in a van in 2021.
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The couple had begun their nationwide road trip back in July.
But when Gabby's parents failed to hear from her at the end of August, they became increasingly concerned - especially when Laundrie returned home to Florida at the beginning of September without Gabby.
The case gained international attention, with social media users and internet sleuths desperately searching for answers that could help them find the missing YouTuber.
Sadly, on 19 September, Gabby's body was found in Wyoming.
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At the time the Teton County Coroner, Dr. Brent Blue, confirmed that Gabby had died as a result of a homicide, which was later reported to be strangulation.
In the weeks following, Laundrie fled his home in Florida, before his body was later found in a nature preserve not far from his parents' house. It appeared he had taken his own life.
In a suicide note found with his body, Laundrie took responsibility for Gabby's death.
A new ITV documentary, The Disappearance of Gabby Petito, aired on Thursday, 9 May, taking a deeper look into the investigation.
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During the first episode, experts discuss how a 911 call ignited police interest in the case.
Described as a 'bombshell' in the search for Gabby, on 12 August, police received a phone call from a member of the public who had witnessed Laundrie 'slapping Gabby'.
In the audio, a man calls 911 and tells authorities he had seen the couple on the sidewalk, before they eventually drove off.
He said: "They just drove off... the gentleman was slapping the girl.
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"We stopped, they ran up and down the sidewalk, he proceeded to hit her, hopped in the car and they drove off."
Speaking about the call, former FBI agent, Jennifer Coffindaffer said: "That 911 call was what ignited law enforcement to get involved and to pull over Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie in their van."
After the incident, police pulled over the couple. In a bodycam clip, the 22-year-old can be seen crying after telling officers her and Laundrie had been arguing.
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"I’m sorry, we’ve just been fighting this morning. Some personal issues," Gabby can be heard explaining to the officer.
"It was a long day. We were camping yesterday," says Laundrie.
The 23-year-old then apologises for a 'bump' in the road, with Gabby adding: "I was distracting him, I’m sorry."
Speaking about the footage, internet sleuth Justin Shepherd called Laundrie's behaviour 'textbook narcissistic abuse'.
Justin said: "Once that footage came out, the internet exploded. Everything you see in that bodycam footage is textbook narcissistic abuse."
In a TikTok video Justin shared at the time, he explained: "I myself am a narcissistic abuse survivor so I can recognise narcissistic abuse behaviour from a mile away and I can tell you that everything you see in that bodycam footage is narcissistic abuse."
The couple were separated for a night after the incident, but no further charges were filed. After the incident, Moab Police were investigated over their handling of the altercation.
The Disappearance of Gabby Petito is now available to stream on ITVX.
Topics: Real Life, TV And Film, US News, True Crime, Domestic Abuse, ITV
Lucy Devine