Self-proclaimed “psychics” on TikTok are taking heat for disseminating conspiracy theories regarding the killing of Gabby Petito — which critics claim is a sick ploy to cash in on the nationwide fascination with the case.
A search of “medium gabby petito” yields dozens of these so-called social media mediums — one who claims they can communicate with the dead — giving their two cents on the 22-year-old Long Island native’s death, which has now been ruled a homicide. Authorities are currently on the hunt for Petito’s boyfriend Brian Laundrie, 23, who was on a cross-country trip with her when she disappeared in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming.
In one clip with over 850,000 views, TikTok oracle Kelly Ferro — known as @kellythemagicalmedium on the platform — purported to be “channeling” Gabby Petito (spelled “Patito”) psychically during the search. The now-private video was recorded on Sept. 13, when Petito was still reported to be missing.
“His energy does not feel like a killer,” Ferro intoned during the somewhat discombobulated rant. “I do feel like he was working on himself, I do feel like he had a hot temper, but I don’t think he purposefully killed her.”
She then appears to contradict herself, stating, “That being said, I do feel like he took her life. And it’s very interesting, because I feel like he almost had to take her life because in his logical mind, that was the right thing to do. Because it would’ve possibly prevented him from getting into more trouble.”
The medium added, “I know this is vivid and sad. I really hope they find her.”
Another video with nearly 1 million views, posted around the same time, shows fellow spirit whisperer Kelsi Davies using her “gifts” to consult her doll Lola about the then-missing persons case.
“Lola, do you think that Gabby is OK?” the “psychic” asks, to which a recorded voice responds with a static-y utterance that Davies interprets as a “no.”
“I’m sending so much positivity to her family and friends, and I really hope that they can have closure soon,” the misfortune-teller tells her 3.6 million followers.
Two days later, authorities discovered Petito’s remains near Wyoming’s Bridger-Teton National Forest, where FBI, National Parks and local law enforcement officials had been searching for the missing young woman since last week.
The psychics have been blasted by online critics, who’ve accused them of baselessly claiming insight into yet-to-be-uncovered details of the case, so they can rack up millions of views.
“This is disgusting,” Dustin Dean, a mentalist who criticizes TikTok mediums, fumed in a TikTok video with 750,000 views. “Using false claims to gain clout off something so tragic, all the psychics and mediums on this app should be ashamed of themselves.”
Meanwhile, YouTube news personality Philip DeFranco released a video, in which he labelled Ferro a “horrible person” who should be ashamed of herself.
“I hope that when you sit alone, you really feel that,” he added. Ferro has since turned off comments on the aforementioned TikTok video.
Along with oodles of clicks, mediums can reportedly make hundreds of dollars an hour by purporting to act as a liaison between people and their deceased loved ones, Insider reported.
Cops have entered the seventh day of their search for Laundrie, while the public continues to speculate on his whereabouts.
