Where are Tara and Joe Petito now? Details about Gabby Petito's parents explored as Netflix drops American Murder

Netflix's American Murder: Gabby Petito, a three-part documentary, was released on February 17. It chronicles the tragic events that led to the disappearance of Gabby Petito. The events unfolded in the late summer of 2021 and it all started when witnesses reported a domestic violence incident between a couple, Gabby Petito and her fiancé, Brian Laundrie.

Over the following weeks, Petito disappeared and soon after investigations started into her death, Laundrie too disappeared. Petito’s parents and stepparents began a desperate search for their daughter and her body eventually turned up at the Spread Creek camping area in Wyoming and her death was ruled as homicide.

Following Gabby's death, Petito’s parents have emerged as advocates committed to speaking against domestic abuse and death in similar circumstances. They have decided to channel their grief into victim advocacy and legal reform to address issues of domestic violence.

---

Who are Tara and Joe Petito and where are they now?

Gabby Petito is the daughter of Joe and Nichole. She was born in 1999 in New York and her parents split when she was young. Nichole later married her husband Jim in April 2005, while Joe married Tara soon after in July.

Tara Petito is the stepmother of Gabby and Jim Schmidt is Gabby's stepfather. When Gabby Petito went missing in September 2021, her parents and stepparents began a nationwide search for her.

All four of them were deeply shocked and heartbroken by the news of the murder of their beloved daughter. They have remembered her vibrant spirit and kind nature in the Netflix docuseries which chronicles the case of her disappearance and murder, and the role of her fiance Brian in it, who was found dead days after Gabby's body was recovered.

In an interview with People in June 2024, Joe Petito, Gabby's father, shared:

“You’re never going to get closure over the loss of a child. There will always be a hole in your heart that’s never going away.”

Gabby's mother also shared:

"It’s been three years now since the last time I heard her voice or seen her, and that’s really hard."

Gabby Petito's parents have not only been contending with the grief of losing their daughter but are also fighting for justice for her. They have filed several lawsuits, one of which was against the Moab police. They accused them of failing to protect Gabby during a traffic stop in August 2021. In a body camera footage from the stop, Gabby could be seen visibly upset but the officers ignored potential signs of domestic violence.

Gabby’s family filed a $50 million wrongful death lawsuit in November 2022, claiming police actions may have contributed to her death. The case was dismissed in November 2024, but her parents remain hopeful for future legal action.

They also sued Brian Laundrie’s parents, alleging they knew about Gabby’s death and location but stayed silent. The families reached a settlement in February 2024 to help Gabby’s parents find peace.

Despite their pain, Gabby’s parents and stepparents continue to fight for her justice and they have come together and found ways to support each other and continue to honor Gabby’s memory.

---

The Gabby Petito Foundation

To keep Gabby's memory alive and honor her legacy, as well as spread awareness about domestic violence, Gabby's parents created The Gabby Petito Foundation. It is a nonprofit focused on raising awareness about domestic violence and lobbying for stricter laws and policies to deal with the issue of intimate partner abuse.

All four of Gabby's parents and stepparents have a role in the foundation. Nichole is a full-time volunteer and president of the organization she created in her daughter's memory while Joe specializes in the policy and legislation efforts of the foundation. Jim handles the part of domestic violence awareness training for first responders and Tara is the foundation's administrator.

Gabby's parents have also donated $100,000 to the National Domestic Violence Hotline to support the work they do.

---

Catch American Murder: Gabby Petito on Netflix to know more about what happened to Gabby Petito.