In compliance with HB 729 Florida law enforcement officers must administer a lethality assessment when responding to incidents of domestic violence.
Gabby Petito
Gabby Petito, an American content creator, was killed in an act of femicide by her fiancé Brian Laundrie in August 2021.
On August 12, 2021, witnesses contacted law enforcement to report an incident at the Moonflower Community Cooperative in Moab, Utah. According to the report Laundrie slapped Gabby twice then the couple drove off. Another witness reported that Gabby “was punching him in the arm”. They said Laundrie attempted to leave with Gabby’s phone. Before the couple drove off, the witness claimed that they heard Gabby ask Brian, “Why do you have to be so mean?”
Neither wished to press charges. Law enforcement reported the incident as a mental breakdown instead of domestic violence.
Gabby Petito was last seen alive on August 27, 2021 in Jackson, Wyoming. Her remains were discovered in Wyoming’s Bridger–Teton National Forest on September 19, 2021. The autopsy revealed that the cause of death was blunt-force injuries to her head and neck, as well as manual strangulation.
On July 1, 2024 the Gabby Petito Act became law in Florida, offering enhanced protections for domestic violence victim-survivors.