The parents of Gabby Petito, whose disappearance and death in 2021 garnered national attention, are visiting Stark County in February to raise awareness of domestic violence.
Authorities say Petito, a 22-year-old travel content creator, was strangled to death by her fiance, Brian Laundrie, while they were traveling together. Her story sparked national conversations about domestic abuse and dating violence.
Her parents, Nichole and Jim Schmidt, will share their daughter’s story and discuss warning signs of domestic violence, in partnership with the Stark County Prosecuting Attorney's Office, on Feb. 12.
“Unfortunately, those red flags and warning signs were there in Gabby’s relationship with her fiancé, but it wasn’t something that the parents were able to recognize,” said Kim Stanley, victim witness director at the prosecutor's office. “I think without being educated on what those warning signs and red flags are, many parents, or concerned individuals in a person’s life, wouldn’t be able to recognize [them] at face value.”
Laundrie later died by suicide. A note confessing to Petito's murder was found near his body, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The Feb. 12 event, Turning Tragedy Into Purpose: The Gabby Petito Story, comes at a “critical time,” as the county is seeing high numbers of domestic violence, officials said in a Facebook post announcing the event.
“Stark County continues to experience record-high numbers of domestic violence incidents and homicides, underscoring the urgent need for education, collaboration, and community-wide action,” officials wrote.
In 2024, domestic-related incidents and homicides increased by 550%, Stanley said. The numbers decreased slightly last year, while strangulations rose sharply, according to a report from the prosecutor's office.
That’s a particularly concerning statistic, she said, because it indicates an escalation of violence.
“If they do that once, the risk of it happening again, or using some other type of fatal means, is so much higher,” Stanley said.
The Schmidts will also host a training for local first responders, as well as Stark County organizations and individuals who work directly with survivors. That event, Unseen Advocates: The Vital Role of First Responders in Domestic Violence Advocacy, will take place Feb. 13. Both events will be held at First Christian Church in Canton.
Jim Schmidt is a retired emergency medical technician. One of his focuses will be training first responders to better respond to non-fatal strangulations, Stanley said.
“Someone can die after being strangled up to 72 hours after that strangulation incident, so it’s so critical to receive medical care to make sure that there is not internal damage,” Stanley said.
The presentation will encourage people who survive a strangulation attempt to promptly seek medical care, Stanley added.
The county is also working on a new center for survivors, the Willow Kaye Justice Center, Stanley added.
Stanley will be the center's director.
The facility will be a one-stop shop for survivors to access resources and community partners, she said.
“Someone could walk through the door and tell their story one time and choose from an entire selection of services that will be available at that moment,” Stanley said.
It’s likely that many domestic violence incidents in the county are not reported, she added.
“Seeking help is something else, in our county, that at times can be challenging,” Stanley said. “That’s the reason that we are working to improve the way that we serve our survivors of domestic violence by working to bring a family justice center to our county.”
Cash donations at the Feb. 12 event will go toward the Willow Kaye Justice Center, she added.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, the National Domestic Violence Hotline offers free, confidential support: Call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Text “START” to 88788.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, you can reach the national suicide and crisis lifeline by calling or texting 988.
