True Crime

Gabby Petito’s disappearance and death in 2021 generated more public interest than perhaps any other missing-persons case in recent memory. So much so that, scarcely a year after Gabby's killing, Lifetime is releasing The Gabby Petito Story, a TV movie based on the crime.RELATED: The Wife Swap Murders: The Tragedy at Stockdale Farm, ExplainedWhat is it about Gabby Petito's case that captured so much attention? Thousands of people go missing every year in the United States. So, why did the disappearance and death of this 22-year-old woman cause generate headlines around the globe?Gabby Petito’s Death and Final DaysBrian Laundrie and Gabby PetitoGabby Petito and her fiancé, Brian Laundrie, set off from Blue Point, New York, on July 2, 2021, for what was intended as a four-month cross-country trip. Their white van was pulled over by police on Aug. 21, 2021, just north of Moab, Utah, in response to a 9-1-1 call regarding a domestic disturbance in a parking lot. Body-camera footage captured Brian and a crying Gabby downplaying the incident described by witnesses. Neither of them wanted to press charges.RELATED: Committing the Perfect Crime in Yellowstone’s Zone of DeathOn Aug. 27, 2021, Gabby's mother, Nichole Schmidt, received a text, purportedly sent by her daughter. However, because of its "odd" nature, Nichole later assumed the message wasn't actually from Gabby. According to police, the text read, "Can you help Stan, I just keep getting his voicemails and missed calls." Stan is a reference to Gabby's grandfather, but she didn't typically refer to him by his first name.On that date, Gabby's social-media posts stopped, which was out of character for a young woman who documented so much of her life on Instagram and YouTube. Her family had last spoken to her on Aug. 25, 2021, in a call from outside of Grand Teton National Park in Jackson, Wyoming.Gabby was reported missing on Sept. 11, 2021, officially declared a missing person. Brian quietly returned to Florida 10 days earlier. By Sept. 13, 2021, he was missing, too.We now know is, by that date, Gabby had been dead for more than two weeks. Her body was found on Sept. 21, 2021, near Grand Teton National Park, already in a state of decay. The autopsy determined Gabby Petito's cause of death to be strangulation.Petito Family Reacts to Gabby Petito's AutopsyGabby Petito, from Moab Police Department video footage, from Aug. 21, 2021The release of Gabby Petito's autopsy report on Sept. 21, 2021, not only confirmed the body's identity but ruled the manner of death as homicide. That was followed by a brief statement from the Petito family, issued through an attorney: "We will be making a statement when Gabby is home. I will contact you to arrange a time and location."RELATED: How 17-Year-Old Lisa McVey Saved Her Own Life by Outsmarting the Serial Killer Who Abducted HerIndeed, a week later, mother Nichole Schmidt, father Joe Petito, and step-father Jim Schmidt held a news conference at which they thanked social-media users, and the media, for boosting the case. "We need positive stuff to come from the tragedy that happened," Joe said. "We can't let her name be taken in vain."Looming over the conference was one question: Where was Brian Laundrie? Gabby's fiancé, and a person of interest in her disappearance, hadn't been seen in more than two weeks.Who Strangled Gabby Petito?Brian Laundrie (Photo: Instagram)We may never know for absolute certainty who was responsible for Gabby Petito's demise. That's because the most likely suspect, Brian Laundrie, couldn't offer a sworn confession or stand trial. But given the circumstances that led up to Gabby's death, and everything that happened subsequently, it's almost certain she was killed by her own fiancé. Brian even left a written confession in a notebook found near his body.Brian Laundrie’s DisappearanceAs noted, Brian disappeared from his parents’ home on Sept. 13, 2021, never to be seen alive again. For days afterward, his family pleaded publicly for him to resurface, while also disavowing any knowledge of his whereabouts.RELATED: 8-Year-Old Abducted from Her Bed Recalls Vital Details That Helped Solve Her CaseIt turns out he had gone deep into the Florida wilderness to commit suicide. Brian's remains were found on Oct. 21, 2021, in the Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park. Medical examiners later determined he shot himself in the head. What Brian Laundrie Wrote in His NotebookIn early January, 2022, authorities revealed they had found a notebook near Brian's body that included an admission of Gabby’s killing. The writing seemed disingenuous, and intended to excuse his actions. Brian wrote, in part, “I ended her life … I thought it was merciful, that it is what she wanted, but I see now all the mistakes I made. I panicked, I was in shock."He claimed a "freezing cold" Gabby had a "bump on her forehead," and was "begging for an end to her pain." Gabby Petito MemorialPhoto: InstagramThe Petito family held a memorial service on Sept. 26, 2021, in Blue Point, New York, using an empty urn to represent Gabby. The FBI had yet to release her body."I don’t want you guys to be sad," Gabby's father, Joe, said at the beginning of the service. "Gabby didn’t live that way…I’m asking you guys be inspired the way she treated people. She didn’t care she genuinely loved people. I couldn’t be more proud as a father."RELATED: Why the Gruesome Hello Kitty Murder Shocked Hong Kong - and Still Horrifies the WorldA memorial bench, surrounded by metal butterflies, was dedicated in November 2021, in North Port, Florida, where Gabby lived. A makeshift memorial was also created, from rocks bearing hand-written messages, near the Wyoming site where Gabby's body was found.However, the memorial that will have the greatest impact is the Gabby Petito Foundation. It was established by Gabby Petito's family in October 2021 to support the search for missing persons, and to provide aid to groups that assist victims of domestic violence. Why the Gabby Petito Case Drew So Much AttentionBecause of Gabby Petito's formidable social media presence, her disappearance was a magnet for citizen crime solvers, who could follow the case, almost real time. That's a large part of why there was so much public interest. It was relatively easy to assemble facts of the case, and to establish a probable timeline, based on Gabby's online posts from the road. She seemed a much more real, and accessible, person than many other crime victims, who are often viewed only through family photos or snippets of video.KEEP READING: Who Is Ted Bundy's Daughter, Rose - and What Is Her Strange (But True) Story?

America was transfixed in the early 1990s by the horrific discovery of a string of grisly murders committed by Jeffrey Dahmer. Also known in the press as the Milwaukee Cannibal and the Milwaukee Monster, he was one of the most prolific serial killers in U.S. history. Now, with the release of Netflix's Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, the murderer, and his victims, have returned to the forefront of the American consciousness. RELATED: Zodiac Killer: What We Know (So Far) About True Crime's Most Enduring MysteryMonster rocketed to No. 1 on Netflix following its premiere on Nov. 21, 2022, reinforcing how obsessed people are with true crime. However, the miniseries, created by Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan, has drawn more than viewers. It has also attracted its share of criticism from people who feel that Monster is attempting to romanticize Jeffrey Dahmer, played by Evan Peters.Who Was Jeffrey Dahmer, and How Many People Did He Kill?Jeffrey Dahmer in 1991 booking photosJeffrey Dahmer was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1960, and committed his first murder and dismemberment at age 18, a few weeks after graduating from high school. By the time of his arrest in 1991, Dahmer had killed 17 people, all of them men and boys.RELATED: Committing the Perfect Crime in Yellowstone's Zone of DeathTo be more accurate, however, we should say by the time of his last arrest. Dahmer was arrested multiple times, primarily for disorderly conduct, including indecent exposure and public drunkenness. Alcohol abuse was also one of the primary factors of his life, leading him to flunk out of college and to be discharged from the Army. Alcohol factored into virtually every one of his murders, most of which were followed by sexual acts performed on the corpse, before it was dismembered. The body parts were then disposed of using acid, and pulverization.Dahmer preyed predominantly on Black men in Milwaukee's gay community, whom he lured to his apartment with the promise of money in exchange for sex or nude photo sessions. He then drugged his victims using drinks laced with sleeping pills, and bludgeoned or strangled them to death. His later murders incorporated necrophilia and cannibalism. Dahmer also preserved body parts, from heads and skulls to entire skeletons.How Was Jeffrey Dahmer Caught?Evan Peters in Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer StoryDahmer was arrested on July 22, 1991, after his intended victim, 32-year-old Tracy Edwards, escaped his apartment. Edwards then returned with police, who discovered Dahmer's cache of Polaroid pictures, many of which depicted dismembered bodies. Dahmer was apprehended following a brief struggle. However, it was only when an officer found a human head in the refrigerator that the realization of the true horrors took began to take hold.RELATED: Who Is Ted Bundy’s Daughter, Rose Bundy?Milwaukee police subsequently found three more severed heads in the kitchen, and seven skulls in the bedroom. But that was only the beginning. Dahmer's apartment also contained two human hearts, a frozen torso and organs, two complete skeletons, and two severed hands and penises. The gruesome list goes on. And that was only at Dahmer's Milwaukee home. The investigation soon expanded to Bath Township, Ohio, where Dahmer spent his formative years. It's also where, in 1978, he murdered and dismembered his first victim. In 1991, investigators found more than 50 bone fragments scattered around the property of the former Dahmer family home.In the weeks following his arrest, Dahmer admitted to every murder, and provided police with the gruesome details. He was sentenced in February 1992 to 15 life terms in prison. A 16th term was added in May 1992, following Dahmer's admission to the 1978 murder of his first victim, Steven Hicks, in Ohio. That's a total of 941 years. However, Dahmer ultimately served less than two before his own life ended.How Did Jeffrey Dahmer Die?Furly Mac as Christopher Scarver in Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer StoryDahmer served his first year in prison in solitary confinement. He was then moved into the general population of inmates at Columbia Correctional Institution in Portage, Wisconsin.A professed born-again Christian, Dahmer was attacked and injured in the prison chapel in July 1994. Then, on Nov. 28, Dahmer and convicted murderer Jesse Anderson were bludgeoned by fellow inmate Christopher Scarver while the three were on work detail, cleaning the prison gym. Dahmer was declared dead one hour later, at a nearby hospital. Anderson died two days later. How Accurate Is Netflix's Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story?Niecy Nash as Glenda Cleveland in Netflix's Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer StoryEvan Peters' performance in Monster as Jeffrey Dahmer is certainly spot-on. When it comes to an accurate retelling of the events of Dahmer’s life and of his many crimes, the series is also quite close to reality. RELATED: Netflix's Devil in Ohio Is Inspired by a True Story - But Which One?Yes, there are details altered, or omitted, for cinematic effect. For instance, Glenda Cleveland, played on the series by Niecy Nash, didn't live in Oxford Apartments. She actually lived in the building next door. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel suggests the dramatization combined aspects of Cleveland with Dahmer neighbor Pamela Bass. And, while Dahmer did work at the Milwaukee Plasma Center, he didn't bring home a bag of blood to drink, as the series depicts. Instead, he told police he tasted blood from a vial on the roof of the center, but then spit it out.Why Netflix's Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story Is ControversialScott Paophavihanh as Anouke Sinthasomphone, and Khetphet "KP" Phagnasay as Sounthone Sinthasomphone.It’s one thing to take guilty pleasure in each time fictional serial killer Dexter Morgan commits a bloody act. However, it's another to, in any way, diminish the real-life horrors of Jeffrey Dahmer by making him appear sympathetic. Yet, that's what some are accusing Monster of doing.RELATED: Are True Crime Podcasts Unhealthy, or Can They Solve Real Problems?That judgment extends beyond viewers and TV critics, though, to the families of Dahmer's victims. Rita Isbell, the sister of Errol Lindsey, has spoken out about the adaptation. Her cousin, Eric Perry, meanwhile, questioned the purpose of the series: "It’s retraumatizing over and over again, and for what? How many movies/shows/documentaries do we need?"Monster is hardly the first TV or film project to delve into Dahmer’s life and crimes, either as drama or as documentary. However, the Netflix series doesn't whitewash his horrendous acts or attempt to rehabilitate his image. Actor Evan Peters does a tremendous job of bringing the serial killer to life. The actor portrays Dahmer as a complex, and profoundly troubled, man. As a result, the "monster" of the title comes across as a real person, and not merely a newspaper sensation. That’s not romanticizing a murderer. Instead, it’s merely telling a story -- one that was all too true.KEEP READING: The Wife Swap Murders: The Tragedy of at Stockdale Farm, Explained

Despite society understandably viewing them with scorn, the worst criminals are also an object of fascination. Serial killers, in particular, have captured our imaginations so much that they compose a significant bulk of true-crime analysis. However, few have captivated us like the Zodiac Killer, active in Northern California between December 1968 and October 1969.RELATED: The Waco Siege: 5 Deadly Facts You Never KnewAlthough his identity remains unknown, numerous Zodiac suspects have been proposed over the past five decades, including (jokingly) U.S. Senator Ted Cruz. And then there are the four ciphers the actual serial killer included with some of his taunting letters to newspapers. To date, only two of the cryptograms have been cracked.The multiple theories, and opinions, surrounding the Zodiac only make him more mysterious. However, there is evidence to support credible suspects, and information to create a general profile of the Zodiac Killer.Murders and Correspondence: Letters from the ZodiacPart of the Aug. 4, 1969, letter to the San Francisco ExaminerThe Zodiac Killer originated his own pseudonym through provocative letters mailed to San Francisco Area newspapers. He threatened killing sprees and bombings to coerce the publications into printing his letters, which continued until about 1974. The missives were intentionally cryptic in nature, with some containing cryptograms. Through decoding the letters, it was revealed the Zodiac was directly taunting the media. The deciphered letters also exposed an implied the motive. The Zodiac claimed that, by killing his victims, he would have “slaves to serve him in paradise." People are still trying to decipher all of the Zodiacs messages, including one that begins with “My name is ____.”The Zodiac claimed to enjoy murdering people because, “It is more fun than killing wild game in the forest." “Man is the most dangerous animal of all," he wrote.The Role of the San Francisco Chronicle and the MediaThe Zodiac’s murders occurred in the San Francisco Bay Area. And, while the killer mailed letters to other newspapers, the San Francisco Chronicle became inextricably linked to the case. Originally, the killer’s involvement with media outlets was fairly balanced. In fact, he coined his own pseudonym in an Aug. 4, 1969, letter to The San Francisco Examiner, in which he wrote, "This is the Zodiac speaking." That letter also provided details about the murders of David Arthur Faraday, Betty Lou Jensen and Darlene Elizabeth Ferrin that had not been released to the public.RELATED: Who Is Ted Bundy’s Daughter, Rose Bundy?The Chronicle’s larger involvement began with its publication of part of the cryptogram sent by the Zodiac. Most notably, the newspaper received evidence for his last confirmed murder, a torn section of a victim’s bloody shirt. In the past four years, the Chronicle began to publish more articles about the history of the case. The newspaper notes that the two sketches of the suspect remain the best clues we have.However, the case took a step forward in 2021, when one of the ciphers was cracked, two decades after the last successful attempt. How Many People Did the Zodiac Kill?Betty Lou Jensen and David Arthur Faraday The Zodiac claimed in his letters to have killed 37 people, but authorities have ever only substantiated seven victims, two of whom survived their attacks. While the Zodiac has been linked to other crimes -- among them, the murder Cheri Jo Bates, the disappearance of Donna Lass, and the alleged abduction of Kathleen Johns -- those were never confirmed.RELATED: The Psychology Behind True Crime AddictionThe Lake Herman Road murders, which occurred on Dec. 20, 1968, in Benicia, California, were the first crimes attributed to the Zodiac. He shot and killed Betty Lou Jensen and David Arthur Faraday, teenagers on their first date. That was followed, on July, 4, 1969, by the shootings of Michael Renault Mageau and Darlene Elizabeth Ferrin in Blue Rock Springs Park in Vallejo. Ferrin died, but Mageau survived.The next targets were 20-year-old Bryan Hartnell and 22-year-old Cecelia Shepard, attacked on Sept. 27, 1969, at Lake Berryessa, near Napa. Shepard was still conscious when police arrived, despite being stabbed 10 times by the Zodiac, and provided a description of their attacker. She died two days later. Hartnell was stabbed eight times in the back, but survived.Paul Stine, a cab driver shot in the head on Oct. 11, 1969, in Presidio Heights, was the final victim. Aside from Jensen and Faraday, who died in 1968, all of the Zodiac’s confirmed murders occurred in 1969. The Most Prominent Zodiac Killer SuspectsArthur Leigh AllenThe Zodiac’s true identity never been determined. But, while there have more than a few suspects, Arthur Leigh Allen was the only one ever named by police. A former school teacher fired amid sexual-misconduct allegations, Allen was interviewed by Vallejo police in October 1969. Seen near the site of the Lake Berryessa attacks, he explained that he had been scuba diving. Allen's home was searched in September 1972 by the San Francisco Police Department. Additional searches followed over the next two decades, the final one taking place mere days after his death in 1992. However, Allen was never charged in any of the Zodiac crimes.In 2021, a team of former investigators, military-intelligence officers and journalists called the Case Breakers identified the late Gary Francis Poste as the Zodiac Killer. Forensic evidence, photos from Poste’s darkroom, and scars on his forehead were used to support the claim. Although that sparked newfound interest in the case, the FBI and the Case Breakers have been criticized for also relying on circumstantial evidence.The Zodiac Killer remains one of the most infamous serial killers in history, due to the cryptic messages and the unsolved nature of the case. Even if the Zodiac Killer is properly identified, the murders will, no doubt, continue to fascinate people.Movies Inspired by the Zodiac KillerJake Gyllenhaal and Robert Downey Jr. in Zodiac (2007)Given how Zodiac captured the popular imagination, it's little surprise the mysterious serial killer has been the repeated subject of, and inspiration for, at least a dozen movies. In fact, the first were released in 1971, when the Zodiac was still considered active.The first, The Zodiac Killer, was a highly fictionalized slasher film that's likely only remembered by devotees of the genre. However, most recall Dirty Harry, at least by name or reputation. The first of the series of five crime thrillers starring Clint Eastwood, it borrowed heavily from the Zodiac case, but changed the killer's pseudonym to Scorpio.Most of the other movies are mere footnotes, from Exorcist III and its Gemini Killer, to the direct-to-DVD horror flop Curse of the Zodiac. But then there's David Fincher acclaimed 2007 thriller Zodiac, based on true-crime books by author Robert Graysmith. He was a political cartoonist for the San Francisco Chronicle at the time of the murders, and attempted to crack the Zodiac's code.The killer's cinematic influence extends to today, with the depiction of The Riddler in Matt Reeves' 2022 film The Batman.KEEP READING: Why the Gruesome Hello Kitty Murder Shocked Hong Kong - and Still Horrifies the World