Van-dwelling or vanlife is an unconventional lifestyle of living in a car, van or other motor vehicle . A person who lives in such a manner, either on a full or part-time basis, is known as a vanlifer , van dweller , car dweller or vehicle dweller . People who live this way by choice are typically seeking a more self-sufficient lifestyle characterized by freedom and mobility. They may perceive it as being a less regulated form of housing, or one that offers a lower cost advantage over standard housing, especially in regions susceptible to housing shortages. Other vehicle dwellers may be one step away from living on the street or in a shelter .
56-545: In August 2021, 22-year-old American woman Gabrielle Venora Petito was killed by her fiancé Brian Christopher Laundrie while they were traveling together on a vanlife journey across the United States. The trip was planned to last for four months and began on July 2, 2021, but Petito disappeared on August 27. After Petito's disappearance, Laundrie raised suspicion when he drove the van from Wyoming back to his parents' Florida home and refused to discuss her whereabouts. He
112-721: A Publix in North Port, where she was a pharmacy technician and he was in the grocery department. They quit their jobs at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic . In late 2019 and early 2020, the couple embarked on a cross-country drive from New York to California . Along the way, they visited Las Vegas , Yosemite National Park , Pismo Beach , and other points of interest. In March 2020, Petito celebrated her 21st birthday in Nokomis, Florida . She and Laundrie visited Sope Creek, Georgia , in June 2020, and
168-463: A forensic anthropologist for further examination. On November 23, it was announced that the anthropologist had concluded that Laundrie died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. On January 21, 2022, the FBI revealed that Laundrie's notebook, which was found near his remains, contained an entry in which he admitted to killing Petito and deceiving people that she was still alive via text messages. He
224-417: A house battery system, a two-burner stove, a permanent bed, and other conveniences that make the vehicle fit for full-time living. School bus modifications (" skoolies ") are also common among vandwellers. Since many vandwellers lack a permanent address, they sometimes use mail forwarding services, instead of a simple post office box , in order to receive packages and other mail. This is beneficial because
280-469: A lawyer and, based on his advice, remained silent and refused to talk to anyone about the case. Police surveilled the Laundrie home and saw him leave on September 13. Two days later, they saw his car return; police believed the person who exited the car and entered the home was Laundrie. The following day, North Port police chief Todd Garrison told reporters, "All I'm going to say is we know where Brian Laundrie
336-529: A lawyer. On September 1, Laundrie returned alone to his parents' North Port home in the Ford Transit Connect. On September 6 and 7, he and his parents went camping at Fort De Soto Park in Pinellas County . On September 11, after not hearing from Petito since late August, Petito's mother filed a missing person report. Four days later, Laundrie was named a person of interest . His parents hired
392-562: A lower cost of living than having a mortgage or lease as in a more traditional living arrangement. Assuming they have the means, vandwellers are free to travel as much or little as they would like. Some vandwellers choose to remain in one general area, and work full-time or attend school while living in their vehicles. Others travel full-time while working remotely via the Internet or finding seasonal or short-term employment opportunities in various locations. Since vandwelling consists of living in
448-457: A man slap a woman, after which the man and woman ran up and down the sidewalk, then the man hit the woman again before they drove off together. Another witness described the incident to police as looking like Petito and Laundrie were talking "aggressively" and that Petito "was punching him in the arm". The witness said it looked like Laundrie was trying to leave Petito behind and take her phone with him. Before they drove off together, she climbed into
504-518: A month of speculation around Laundrie's whereabouts, and an extended search of the area around his home, his skeletal remains were discovered in Florida's Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park on October 20. It was confirmed by an autopsy on November 23 that Laundrie had died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, and the FBI later announced that he had admitted to killing Petito in his notebook, which
560-885: A music video to raise awareness about American gun violence in response to the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting . In 2017, she graduated from Bayport-Blue Point High School in Bayport, New York , where she met Brian Christopher Laundrie. From September 2017 to January 2019, she lived in Carolina Beach, North Carolina , working as a hostess and in the kitchen of a restaurant in nearby Wilmington . She applied to Cape Fear Community College , but did not attend. Petito began dating Laundrie in March 2019, and moved in with him and his parents in North Port, Florida . The couple worked at
616-681: A temporary basis. A person who engages in van dwelling is known as a van dweller, car dweller or vehicle dweller. Sometimes, a car dweller is known as a car sleeper. If the residence is temporary, it may be referred to as car camping . Cars (including SUVs and cargo vans but typically not pickup trucks) with the seats folded flat/down and a mattress placed inside is referred to as "床车" in China, literally translates to "bed car". The history of vandwelling goes back to horse-drawn vehicles, such as Roma vardo wagons in Europe and covered Conestoga wagons in
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#1732876374671672-728: A van down by the river" in Saturday Night Live sketches. Monument Rocks (Kansas) Monument Rocks (also Chalk Pyramids ) are a series of large chalk formations in Gove County, Kansas , rich in fossils. The formations were the first landmark in Kansas chosen by the U.S. Department of the Interior as a National Natural Landmark . The chalk formations reach a height of up to 70 ft (21 m) and include formations such as buttes and arches. The carbonate deposits were laid down during
728-464: A vehicle with a footprint no larger than a parking space, there is usually little to no space for bathing or doing laundry. Some vandwellers in the US use gym memberships to access showers. Various depictions of the van dwelling lifestyle are presented on YouTube and Instagram, using the hashtag #vanlife — ranging from starkly realistic appraisals to heavily idealistic depictions. The hashtag #vanlife
784-461: Is at." On September 17, Laundrie was reported missing by his parents, who claimed not to have seen him since September 13. It was at this time that police realized that they had mistaken Laundrie's mother for Laundrie himself on September 15. After obtaining search warrants , police seized the Ford Transit Connect, an external hard drive , and the Laundrie family's Ford Mustang from the North Port residence. On September 19, human remains matching
840-524: The COVID-19 pandemic , and the general increased interest in true crime -related entertainment in the decade leading up to Petito's murder. There was speculation that the case is linked to the murders of Kylen Schulte and Crystal Turner , which occurred in Moab around the same time Laundrie and Petito were there. Public involvement in the case included witnesses and others posting their observations and theories on social media, protestors demanding answers outside
896-504: The John Jay College of Criminal Justice believed Laundrie was "someone who doesn't want to own up to what he did" and was "trying to find justification for the actions he did". The case sparked more public interest and coverage on news and social media than other missing persons and murder cases. This heightened interest was attributed to several factors, such as the refusal by Laundrie and his parents to comment on Petito's whereabouts,
952-630: The T. Mabry Carlton Reserve in Sarasota County, Florida , focusing on areas he used to frequent in the reserve and the adjacent Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park . On October 20, Laundrie's skeletal remains (identified by forensic dentistry ) and some of his belongings were found in the Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park, in an area that had recently been underwater due to flooding. His cause of death could not be determined by an autopsy, and his remains were given to
1008-589: The United States District Court for the District of Wyoming issued an arrest warrant for Laundrie due to his unauthorized use of Petito's debit card to obtain $ 1,000 or more between August 30 and September 1. The FBI took material to match Laundrie's DNA from his home. On October 5, in an interview with ABC News , Laundrie's sister encouraged him to surrender to authorities. Two days later, Laundrie's father joined investigators in searching for him at
1064-674: The Western United States , the Bureau of Land Management allows vandwellers and other campers to remain in many areas of their vast administration for up to 14 days at a time. Van-dwellers should research local regulations and use resources like the detailed Vanlifezone map to check for Natura 2000 zones and avoid these protected areas. The map is regularly updated to provide more global resources and inspiration for better and more sustainable vanlife and overlanding experiences. The vandwelling lifestyle can allow for significant autonomy and
1120-719: The 60,000 homeless people in Los Angeles , approximately 25% were living in a vehicle. Many municipalities have laws prohibiting overnight parking and/or sleeping in vehicles. In Los Angeles, living in a vehicle is prohibited on most streets. The city has municipal codes regarding times and places where someone is authorized to live in a vehicle. Non-profit organizations in a number of California cities sponsor "safe parking" intitiatives, which offer limited facilities and some security in designated Safe Parking lots . Some vandwellers have parked in Walmart and Cracker Barrel parking lots. In
1176-586: The Ford Transit Connect van for their trip. Later that month, they visited Monument Rocks , Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve , Zion National Park , Bryce Canyon National Park , Mystic Hot Springs , and Canyonlands National Park . On August 12, 2021, a witness called 9-1-1 to report that a couple (later identified as Laundrie and Petito) were fighting in front of the Moonflower Community Cooperative in Moab, Utah . The caller said they saw
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#17328763746711232-609: The Iranian Revolution and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in the late 1970s. Its spirit of adventure and low-cost travel influenced the modern vanlife movement, which embraces similar ideals of freedom and alternative tourism. Today, many adventurers attempt to re-live these journeys along the ancient Silk Road and the old hippie trail. In the US, individuals who lack a permanent address and stable living situation, including vandwellers, are technically considered "homeless" . Of
1288-663: The Laundrie home, a candlelight vigil for Petito in her hometown, and donations to the Gabby Petito Foundation established by her parents to support searches for other missing persons . The increased interest in the search for Laundrie and Petito led to the discovery of five bodies of other missing persons. While some posts on social media regarding the case were helpful in the investigation, many of them have been characterized as insensitive, unhelpful, motivated by potentially increased exposure or financial reward, or outright misinformation . The high volume of media coverage of
1344-488: The United States. One of the first uses of the term "vandwellers" was in the United Kingdom Showman and Van Dwellers' Protection Association , a guild for travelling show performers formed in 1889. Shortly afterwards in 1901, Albert Bigalow Paine wrote The Van Dwellers , about people living on the verge of poverty having to live a nomadic life in horse-drawn moving vans. After the introduction of motorised vehicles,
1400-618: The Western US as well as coastal or mountainous regions of Europe , New Zealand , or Australia . Other notable contributors to the #vanlife movement include the Vanlife Diaries and Vanlifezone blogs and Instagram accounts. In 2019, the founders of Vanlife Diaries published a book called vanlife diaries: finding freedom on the open road which pulled content from its blog and Instagram. Vanlifezone released its first digital magazine in 2020 and has since regularly shared adventure stories from
1456-507: The amount of content on social media documenting the couple's lifestyle, the video footage of the Utah traffic stop, the audio recording of the 9-1-1 call, the video posts by witnesses which provided a lot of publicly available evidence, the idea that those involved were a young and attractive couple in a romantic getaway gone wrong, the domestic violence incidents in their relationship, an increased interest in cross-country van-dwelling trips due to
1512-402: The case was cited among some commentators as an example of missing white woman syndrome , which is defined as the news media's over-emphasis on missing person cases involving young, attractive, white, upper-middle-class women or girls compared to the relative lack of attention towards people who go missing and do not fit that description. In comparing Petito's case to others, several outlets noted
1568-523: The country and I'm trying to start a blog. I have a blog. So I've been building my website. I've been really stressed and he doesn't really believe that I could do any of it, so, we've just been fighting all morning and he wouldn't let me in the car before. Petito first downplayed the physical altercation; after the officer pointed out marks on her arm and face and told her to "just be honest", she said that Laundrie "kept telling [her] to shut up" and "grabbed [her] face" which had caused an injury. Laundrie told
1624-534: The description of Petito were found at the Spread Creek Dispersed Camping area in Wyoming, not far from where the Ford Transit Connect was previously observed. Her identity was confirmed and an autopsy determined that the manner of death was homicide by " blunt-force injuries to the head and neck, with manual strangulation ", which occurred three to four weeks before the body was found. On September 23,
1680-553: The driver's seat, moved over into the passenger's seat so he could drive, and asked him, "Why do you have to be so mean?" Officers from the Moab City Police Department (MCPD) identified the van driving erratically near the entrance to Arches National Park and conducted a traffic stop . They found Petito crying heavily in the passenger's seat, with police body camera footage showing that she then told officers: Yeah, I don't know if some days, I have really bad OCD . I
1736-498: The final post was made on Petito's Instagram account, which consisted of photos of herself taken in front of a butterfly mural outside a restaurant in Ogden, Utah . On August 27, Petito and Laundrie were filmed by a CCTV at a Whole Foods store in Jackson, Wyoming . They arrived at the parking lot at 2:11 p.m. and entered the store at 2:14 p.m. before exiting at 2:30 p.m. and heading back into
Killing of Gabby Petito - Misplaced Pages Continue
1792-401: The forwarder can then send packages to an address which the vandweller can access. Vandwellers often pay their bills and conduct business online through the use of public Wi-Fi , which they can access at libraries or in eateries such as Starbucks . Vandwellers will usually work seasonal jobs, ranging from national parks to warehouse jobs. Some vandwellers work only part of the year then use
1848-526: The full notebook entry, in which Laundrie claims that he killed Petito after she had fallen and injured herself: "I ended her life. I thought it was merciful, that it is what she wanted, but now I see all the mistake [ sic ] I made." The note ends with his plans for suicide: "I am ending my life not because of a fear of punishment but rather because I can't stand to live another day without her." Experts, however, contend that Laundrie's account does not match investigators' findings. Michael Alcazar from
1904-405: The initial promoters of the lifestyle. A less idealized, more stark depiction was presented in the 2021 film Nomadland . Van conversions consist of a wide range of possibilities. A conversion can be as simple as a few personal items thrown in the back, such as a sleeping bag or folding bed along with a few pieces of clothing, while using only the engine battery for power. It escalates all
1960-417: The late 2010s, an idealized version has been popularized through social media with the hashtag #vanlife which gained significant momentum during the COVID-19 pandemic. Van-dwelling is a compound word that denotes the fact that motor vehicle living takes place typically, but not exclusively, in a van . Many different types of motor vehicles have been used for vandwelling, either permanently or only on
2016-502: The male and began slapping him. He grabbed her face and pushed her back as she pressed upon him and the van." Neither Petito nor Laundrie wanted to press charges as a result of the incident, which was characterized by police as a mental breakdown rather than domestic violence , which would have required an arrest. The police separated the couple, arranging for Laundrie to spend a night at the Bowen Motel in Moab, and for Petito to stay in
2072-511: The modern form of vandwelling began. Mobile wheeled homes became popular in the US following the Great Depression in the mid-1930s as house trailers first entered mass production. This expanded availability beyond the domain of hobbyists and small-batch builders. A New York Times article in 1936 described "hundreds of thousands of families [who] have packed their possessions into traveling houses, said goodbye to their friends, and taken to
2128-515: The money earned to travel. Vandwellers have been known to be digital nomads who work remotely from workplace or have a job that does not require working at location. Alternatively, some vandwellers have permanent employment at Silicon Valley tech companies and choose to live in a van to both save on high rents and take advantage of generous company perks that include free food, on-site showers, and laundry service. Actor Chris Farley 's character Matt Foley would often describe himself "living in
2184-436: The officer that she hit Laundrie first, and asked the officers to not separate them. In his report, one of the officers wrote, "At no point in my investigation did Gabrielle stop crying, breathing heavily, or compose a sentence without needing to wipe away tears, wipe her nose, or rub her knees with her hands. The male tried to create distance by telling Gabby to take a walk to calm down. [...] She did not want to be separated from
2240-401: The officer, "I said, 'Let's just take a breather and let's not go anywhere, and just calm down for a minute.' She was getting worked up. And then she had her phone and was trying to get the keys from me. I was just trying to [...] I know I shouldn't push her. I was just trying to push her away to go, 'Let's take a minute and step back and breathe and see.' She got me with her phone." Petito told
2296-526: The open road." Through 1960, approximately 1.5-2 million Americans acquired house trailers. In the 1960s this trend ended with the development of mobile homes, less expensive but less mobile alternatives to the earlier traveling houses. The Hippie trail was an overland journey popular among hippies and adventurers from the mid-1950s to the late 1970s, spanning from Western Europe to West and South Asia , with travelers seeking to explore these regions cheaply while interacting with locals. It largely ended due to
Killing of Gabby Petito - Misplaced Pages Continue
2352-438: The relative lack of media attention towards the approximately 710 indigenous people who were reported missing in or near the same location from 2011 to 2020. Petito's parents sued Laundrie's parents and their attorney, with their November 30, 2023, amended complaint claiming pain and emotional distress due to Laundrie's parents and their attorney withholding information regarding Petito's death. A Florida judge previously allowed
2408-498: The road. The platform is designed to encourage visitors to 'get out there!' while promoting sustainability and offering insights and reports from vanlifers around the globe for a more informed vanlife experience. During the COVID-19 pandemic, some social media users promoted the #vanlife lifestyle as a way to stay safe and avoid illness. The movement attracted many newcomers to the lifestyle including younger and more diverse people than
2464-407: The suit to proceed. On November 17, 2022, in a lawsuit for wrongful death brought against Laundrie's estate by Petito's estate, her estate was awarded $ 3 million, the recovery of which was doubtful. In November 2022, Petito's parents filed a $ 50 million lawsuit against the Moab police department, the complaint of which was amended in 2023 to include allegations that officer Eric Pratt admitted that he
2520-664: The two were engaged the following month. In December 2020, Petito purchased a 2012 Ford Transit Connect van converted into a camper , in which the couple would take their next cross-country trip. To save money for the trip, she began working 50-hour weeks at Taco Bell and as a nutritionist while Laundrie took a job at an organic juice bar . Petito documented her life and travels on social media sites such as YouTube and Instagram , where she described her interests as "art, yoga, and veggies". On June 17, 2021, Petito and Laundrie visited her native Blue Point for her brother's graduation ceremony. On July 2, 2021, they left Blue Point in
2576-474: The van. The MCPD later investigated whether or not its officers handled the case in accordance with the department's policies, and its chief of police took a leave of absence during the investigation. On August 17, Laundrie took a flight from Salt Lake City to Tampa, Florida , leaving Petito behind. Petito spent several days at a Fairfield Inn and Suites hotel near Salt Lake City International Airport , according to staff, and checked out on August 24. It
2632-509: The van. After about 20 minutes of sitting in the van, they eventually drove away and got on Highway 89 , the road north to Bridger–Teton National Forest campsite at 2:56 p.m. This was the last time Petito was seen alive. Eyewitness accounts of the couple thereafter were as follows: On August 27, a text from Petito's phone was sent to her mother which read, "Can you help Stan, I just keep getting his voicemails and missed calls." The message raised concerns for Petito's mother, who said that Stan
2688-471: The way up to vans that function like micro-apartments on wheels with complex power setups, a kitchenette, and even simple plumbing. Vehicles like the Volkswagen Westfalia , a regular passenger van, or a cargo van, can be modified for day-to-day living by a professional conversion company. Upscale van conversion can provide most of the amenities of a conventional home including heating, air conditioning,
2744-507: Was Petito's grandfather and that she never referred to him by his first name. The last message, sent on August 30, simply said "no service in Yosemite". Her mother expressed uncertainty about who sent these messages. On August 29, Laundrie called his mother, and as their conversation was brought to the end, his tone "completely changed". After that, Laundrie's father contacted him back, and Laundrie told him that "Gabby's gone", and that he may need
2800-486: Was aware Laundrie was a threat, but decided to ignore the law, and that the department did not abide by its own Lethality Assessment Protocol. On October 1, 2022, Lifetime released a TV movie called The Gabby Petito Story as part of its Ripped from the Headlines series. Directed by Thora Birch , the film stars Skyler Samuels as Petito, Evan Hall as Laundrie, and Birch as Petito's mother. Van-dwelling In
2856-427: Was deemed a person of interest in the case and an arrest warrant was issued on charges of him making withdrawals using her debit card . He left his home on September 13 and was reported missing four days later. On September 19, Petito's remains were found in Wyoming's Bridger–Teton National Forest . An autopsy found that she was killed by blunt-force injuries to her head and neck and manual strangulation . After
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#17328763746712912-475: Was first used and popularized by a photoblogger named Foster Huntington in 2011. Many depictions illustrate idyllic natural scenery, sometimes framed by the open back doors of the van, or with the van prominently visible in the landscape. Others depictions feature spotless, stylized interior views of the living space. The people pictured in the images might be young, attractive and outdoorsy millennials . The depictions are often set in natural areas, particularly in
2968-577: Was found near his remains. The case gained widespread attention due to the couple's documenting of their travels on social media , leaked police body camera video footage, 9-1-1 emergency dispatch call recordings, eyewitness accounts, the actions of Laundrie's parents, and the extensive media coverage. Gabrielle Venora Petito (March 19, 1999 – c. late August 2021) was born and raised in Blue Point, New York . She had six younger siblings and half-siblings. In 2013, Petito and her step-brothers appeared in
3024-442: Was just cleaning and straightening up, back in the... I was apologizing to him and saying, "I'm sorry that I'm so mean," because sometimes I have OCD and sometimes I can get really frustrated. Not like mean towards him. I just like, I just, my vibe is, I'm in a bad mood. And, I was just saying I'm sorry if I'm in a bad mood. I just... I had so much work I was doing on my computer this morning. And, I just now quit my job to travel across
3080-511: Was later explained by the Laundrie family attorney that he made the trip to "obtain some items and empty and close the storage unit to save money as they contemplated extending the road trip". Laundrie returned on August 23 to rejoin Petito and continue the trip. Petito's mother said that she last spoke to her daughter on August 25 and had been told that the couple were traveling from Utah to Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks. On August 25,
3136-410: Was officially blamed for Petito's death by authorities. The FBI Denver Division closed the investigation and stated, "The investigation did not identify any other individuals other than Brian Laundrie directly involved in the tragic death of Gabby Petito. The FBI's primary focus throughout the investigation was to bring justice to Gabby and her family." In June 2022, the Laundrie family's lawyer released
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