Topline
Gabby Petito’s family filed a lawsuit Friday against the parents of Brian Laundrie, alleging he told his parents he murdered his 22-year-old girlfriend a day after doing so in a remote area of Wyoming last summer, and claiming that Laundrie’s parents were making arrangements for him to leave the country while authorities searched for Petito.
Key Facts
The lawsuit, filed in Sarasota County District court and first reported by local news station WFLA, alleges Laundrie’s parents, Christopher and Roberta, contacted a lawyer, Steven P. Bertolino, on the same day their son informed them of the murder and sent the law firm a retainer on September 2.
Laundrie, 23, used Petito’s phone to send messages to her parents and himself in late August “in an effort to hide the fact that she was deceased,” the lawsuit states.
The lawsuit alleges Laundrie’s parents refused to answer questions from Petito’s family and law enforcement once a search for Petito began, and that Roberta Laundrie blocked Petito’s mother’s phone and Facebook account on September 10.
The Teton County Coroner said in October that Petito died by strangulation – the lawsuit alleges Petito also sustained blunt force injuries to the head and neck.
Bertolino’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Forbes; he told WFLA he had no comment.
Crucial Quote
“While Joseph Petito and Nichole Schmidt were desperately searching for information concerning their daughter, Christopher Laundrie and Roberta Laundrie were keeping the whereabouts of Brian Laundrie secret, and it is believed [they]
Big Number
At least $100,000. That’s how much the Petitos are seeking in damages, according to court documents.
Key Background
Petito and Laundrie embarked on a cross-country road trip in a van to support Petito’s hopes of becoming a travel vlogger following their engagement in July 2021. Petito’s family reported her as a missing person in September, when they said they hadn’t been able to contact their daughter for several weeks. Laundrie returned home alone in the van owned by Petito on September 1, and was reported missing by his parents two weeks later. Petito’s body was discovered near Bridger-Teton National Forest in Wyoming on September 19, and her death was ruled a homicide. Laundrie’s remains were found in October in a park in North Port, Florida, and authorities found he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The FBI said in January Laundrie claimed responsibility for her death in a notebook found near his body, and that its investigation into her disappearance and death was coming to a close.
Further Reading
FBI Says Brian Laundrie Claimed Responsibility For Gabby Petito's Death (Forbes)
