Days before her murder in the Wyoming wilderness, Gabby Petito told her ex-boyfriend she was planning to leave Brian Laundrie but was afraid of how he might react, the ex revealed in a new docuseries, which is the first project on the case involving her friends and family.

“American Murder: Gabby Petito,” on Netflix unveils previously unseen text messages from Petito, Laundrie and other figures central to the case, including the killer’s mother, Roberta. It also includes new interviews with her parents and stepparents, as well as revelations from her former boyfriend, Jackson, and other close friends.

Filmmakers Julia Willoughby Nason and Michael Gasparro, who are both directors and executive producers on the project, said they felt a heavy responsibility to handle her story with care, in an interview with Fox News Digital shortly before its release.

Nikki McCain vanished in Redding, California, on May 17, 2024. Gabby Petito’s family is urging anyone with information on her whereabouts to come forward. (Redding Police Department)

Her husband had been accused of felony domestic abuse, false imprisonment and criminal threats months earlier, court records show. That case was dismissed in July because the missing victim was unable to testify.

“A lot of the time, you can’t charge a guy if there’s no body,” Petito’s father, Joe Petito, told Fox News Digital. “That’s what we went through with Brian. They couldn’t charge him because Gabby wasn’t found.”

By the time she was, he had slipped away and killed himself, leaving behind a confession and suicide note in a waterproof bag, as first reported by Fox News Digital.

“This is something that should be shouted from the rooftop: Help that family find her safe and sound, or bring whoever’s responsible to justice, one of the two,” Petito said. “The fact that there’s prior domestic violence does raise some red flags, but we don’t want to jump to conclusions.”

The Shasta County Sheriff’s Office has announced a $30,000 reward for information that helps them locate McCain.

Anyone with information is asked to call 530-245-6135 or email the major crimes unit at MCU@shastacounty.gov.

A press conference is held by Gabby Petito’s family in Salt Lake City, Utah, Nov. 3, 2022. (Fox News Digital)

“We’ve gotta let the authorities do their due diligence and see where it leads them, but any information anyone has, please come forward,” Petito said.

Fox News’ Stephanie Nolasco contributed to this report.

If you or someone you know is suffering from domestic violence, please contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233 (SAFE).