August 12, 2021. It was a Thursday. The sun was beating down on the red rocks of Moab, Utah, a place where people usually go to find themselves in the vastness of Arches National Park. But for a 22-year-old traveler named Gabby Petito, it was the beginning of a tragedy that would eventually captivate and break the hearts of millions.
You’ve probably seen the footage. That grainy, shaky bodycam video of a young woman sitting in the back of a police cruiser, sobbing, wiping her nose with her sleeve, and trying to explain why she was so upset. Honestly, watching it now—knowing how her story ended in Wyoming just weeks later—is nothing short of haunting. The Gabby Petito Moab police encounter has become a flashpoint for discussions on domestic violence, police training, and the "what-ifs" that keep a family awake at night.
The Stop Near Arches National Park
It all started with a 911 call. A witness saw a white Ford Transit van speed past the Moonflower Community Cooperative. The caller didn’t just report erratic driving; they reported seeing a man slapping a girl. They saw them running up and down the sidewalk.
When Moab officers Eric Pratt and Daniel Robbins finally pulled the van over near the entrance to Arches, they didn’t find a scene of obvious, "textbook" violence. They found a mess of emotions. Brian Laundrie had scratches on his face. Gabby was hyperventilating.
The officers spent over an hour talking to them. They separated them. They joked with Brian. They talked to Gabby about her anxiety. But they didn't talk to the person who actually called 911.
What the Moab Police Got Wrong
Basically, the officers on the scene misread the room. They looked at Gabby’s tears and Brian’s calm demeanor and decided she was the "primary aggressor." Because she admitted to hitting him during their argument, they focused on her as the one who needed to be controlled or cited.
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An independent investigation later confirmed what many experts suspected: the officers made "several unintentional mistakes."
- Failure to follow the law: Utah law is pretty specific. If there’s an injury in a domestic incident, an arrest or citation is usually required. The officers didn't do either.
- Missing the witness: They never got a statement from the original 911 caller who saw Brian hitting Gabby.
- Mislabeling the crisis: They treated the situation as a "mental health break" rather than a domestic violence incident.
It’s easy to judge with 20/20 hindsight. But the investigation by Price Police Captain Brandon Ratcliffe pointed out that the officers didn't even investigate the scratch on Gabby's cheek that Brian likely caused. Instead, they steered the conversation toward her anxiety.
The Lawsuit and the "Governmental Immunity" Wall
For years, Joseph Petito and Nichole Schmidt, Gabby’s parents, fought for accountability. They filed a $50 million wrongful death lawsuit against the Moab Police Department. They argued that if the police had followed the law that day—if they had separated the couple properly or recognized Gabby as a victim—she might still be alive.
In late 2024, a Utah judge dismissed that lawsuit. Judge Don Torgerson didn't say the police did everything right. In fact, he noted that the parents made a "prima facie case" that the officers' conduct could have been a cause of death.
However, there’s a thing called the Utah Governmental Immunity Act. It’s a law from 1965 that basically protects government agencies and their employees from being sued while they’re doing their jobs, even if they make mistakes. Because of this, the judge ruled that Moab couldn't be held legally liable for a murder that happened weeks later in another state.
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Why This Case Changed the Laws
Gabby’s story didn't just end in a courtroom dismissal. It actually changed how police work in Utah and beyond.
Because of the failures in the Gabby Petito Moab police interaction, Utah passed a law requiring all officers to use a "Lethality Assessment Protocol" during domestic calls. It’s a series of questions designed to figure out if a victim is in immediate danger of being killed by their partner. If that protocol had been in place in 2021, the officers would have seen the red flags. Brian’s controlling behavior, the physical marks, and the public nature of the fight would have triggered a much more serious response.
Florida also signed "Gabby's Law" in 2024, which mandates similar training and better reporting for domestic violence incidents.
Lessons Learned and Actionable Steps
We can't change what happened on that hot August day in Moab. But the fallout from the investigation and the subsequent legal battles provides some hard-earned clarity on how to handle similar situations.
Understand the "Primary Aggressor" Trap
In many domestic situations, the person who is most emotional or "hysterical" is actually the victim reacting to long-term trauma. The "calm" person is often the one in control. If you are ever a witness to an incident, be as specific as possible with dispatch about who initiated the physical contact.
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The Importance of Independent Advocacy
If you find yourself in a situation where you feel a police interaction isn't going the right way—whether for yourself or someone else—you can ask for a domestic violence advocate. Many departments now have them on call. They are trained to see what patrol officers might miss.
Advocate for Transparency
The release of the bodycam footage was what allowed the public (and experts) to see exactly where things went sideways. Supporting policies that require bodycam usage and public access to those records is a major step toward police accountability.
The Moab police officers might have thought they were being "kind" by not arresting Gabby that day. They thought they were giving a young couple a break. But kindness without following the law and proper training can be a fatal mistake.
To support the ongoing work of curbing domestic violence, you can visit the Gabby Petito Foundation, which focuses on providing resources for families of missing people and victims of domestic abuse. Their goal is to ensure that the "unintentional mistakes" made in Moab aren't repeated for the next person who needs help.