“In darker corners of the internet, Brian Laundrie is a victim of domestic violence, a symbol of bias against men when it comes to abuse accusations from women, and a poster boy for how bald men are treated as second-class citizens. And to those in the QAnon set, the 23-year-old person of interest in the death of Gabby Petito is merely the fall guy in a vast conspiracy meant to distract from criticism over President Biden’s withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan.”
“A site in the Reddit underworld, r/FriendsofBrian, is attracting trolls, Petito supporters, and men’s rights adherents. ‘Is Brian not attractive enough for gabby cultist (observation),’ read one headline from an apparent edgelord. The post continued, ‘One has to wonder if there is body shaming at play here. Brian is being accused of killing Gabby (with no evidence of doing so) and brians name is being dragged through dirt. These same people will watch a Ted bundy documentary and fawn and swoon’” reports The Daily Beast.