No matter where you are, it has become increasingly difficult to escape the fascination with True Crime. From books to podcasts, to even dedicated TikTok accounts, I, like many others, have become obsessed with trying to find answers to otherwise inexplainable situations. Because of the accessibility to social media, there have been many instances where open cases have garnered thousands of eyes. As more people join social media networks, the potential for content to go viral increases. When does the potential of virality play a significant role in solving criminal cases that may otherwise go unsolved, much like the recent viral disappearance of Gabby Petito? In conjunction with that, why is the internet so dang obsessed with True Crime?
The buildup began when Gabby Petitio, who is an influencer and known for her YouTube channel, went missing. Unfortunately, women go missing every day. However, the case surrounding Petito's disappearance garnered the interest of millions around the world because of her willingness to document her life online, and also because of one person - her fiancé, Brian Laundrie.
On July 4, 2021, Gabby and Brian embarked on a cross-country exploration that consisted of visiting various National Parks. However, the concern began when Laundrie arrived back to his home in North Port, Florida on September 1, 2021, more than a month sooner than anticipated. However, Gabby was not with him. It was ten days after that, on September 11, 2021, when Petito's family realized that Gabby was officially missing. When the police arrived to the house of the Laundrie family, they were greeted with a piece of paper that had the phone number of their family lawyer. They immediately were uncooperative, Brian included.
Theories of this case soon went viral, notably on platforms like TikTok. Users all around the world were providing their opinions and findings, ranging anywhere from discrepancies in the timeline of Gabby Petito's Instagram photos, to even comparing water bottles that were found to ones that were featured in her YouTube videos. I have even found myself beginning to believe some theories, such as Brian Laundrie hiding under his parent's garden, and many more. Something interesting that I have noticed was the overwhelming use of photos and videos to support theories. It added a sense of credibility to everything that I saw.
As thousands of videos began to surface, Law Enforcement welcomed theories and findings of the "Internet Detectives." In many cases, the findings ended up being helpful in piecing together a broken puzzle, and even recovering the body of Gabby Petito.
Kyle and Jenn Bethune were camping with their children around Grand Teton National Park in late August. This was nothing new to them - they enjoyed traveling and documented it on their YouTube channel and other social media outlets. Jenn was looking through her footage, when she noticed a white van that looked suspiciously similar to the van that Petito and Laundrie had been traveling in, before the van (and Gabby) went missing.
Understanding the weight of what she could be finding, Jenn contacted the FBI immediately with her realization. This prompted a search, and later discovery, of the van. It was only hundreds of feet away from the found van that Gabby Petito’s body was eventually located. This is just one example, along with many calls providing tips, of how the "Internet Detectives" came together to support Law Enforcement in this case.
Some credit the worldwide coverage that the case received to the"Missing White Woman Syndrome."Growing up, many Americans were exposed to the "Damsel In Distress" ideology. From Cinderella to Sleeping Beauty, the effort made to "save the white woman" was far beyond any other. This exposure plays a role in not only who, but what cases I, and the media, deem as "worthy" to be covered.
When women of color typically go missing, there are a lot of "Well, what didshedo?" questions. The Gabby Petito case had millions of eyes on it, but what about the thousands of other women of color who are murdered by their significant other in equally-brutal ways? According to research done by lawyer and criminologist Zach Sommers, only thirty-percent of missing women are white.
Why are the other seventy-percent not afforded the same amount of time and effort from the masses? Just because Gabby Petito was a young, white woman does not, and should not, give her an advantage over the other seventy-percent of women of color who are also missing. Luckily, some families were able to use the media surrounding Petito's case to further investigations for their own family members, many disappearing under similar, unexplainable circumstances.
When it comes to the internet, why is there such an obsession with True Crime? I think it's simple - it makes a great story.
It's hard to believe that what we typically see depicted as fiction could be so real. The thought of someone having the capability to do such evil creates a fascination, keeping many coming back, myself included. The desire for a conclusion plays another role in why so many of us attempt to insert ourselves into the investigation, creating videos and posts about our own theories.
Following True Crime cases satisfies an inner part of us, a dark part that most do not ever let surface. Not only that, but each person has an innate desire for justice. We become emotionally invested and empathetic towards the victims, so we continue to follow the case to either find the resolution, or see justice be served.
This is why there has been an uprising in True Crime related media. Podcasts such as "Crime Junkies," "Unsolved Murders" and more rake in millions of listeners every week. Streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu often release True Crime related documentaries, notably including "American Murder: The Family Next Door" and "Amanda Knox." I believe that the "Hollywood Take" on these otherwise bothersome stories plays a large role in the fascination and desensitization of True Crime as a whole. I now willingly find myself Googling cases that I hear about to learn more, as well as becoming victim to aimlessly-scrolling through True Crime TikTok.
As the internet and social media continues to evolve, and new cases continue to arise, we will not be seeing "Internet Detectives" go away any time soon. In fact, those who have involved themselves in the Gabby Petito case have vowed to continue to shed light on other cold cases, hoping to bring closure to families who are experiencing the inexplainable.
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