The initial missing person case of Gabby Petito quickly caught attention online, part in due to public suspicion of Laundrie, as well as the couple's frequent documentation on the social media sites Instagram and YouTube. Later revelations showed that police stopped the couple after an argument during their months-long road trip, which took place just before Petito's death.
Once the case developed into a murder investigation, thousands of armchair sleuths became increasingly interested.
Eventually labeled as the prime suspect, Laundrie went missing after 13 Sept., and a huge manhunt ensued.
After a wide search, Laundrie's remains were discovered and his family was told that he had died due to a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Subsequently, his death was officially ruled as a suicide.