Gabby Petito’s mother said she’s forgiven her daughter’s killer Brian Laundrie but slammed his mother and insisted she “deserved to be forgotten.”
Nichole Schmidt, whose daughter went missing in the summer of 2021, made the admission while speaking to a crowd at CrimeCon 2024 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Investigators say that her boyfriend Brian Laundrie killed her before he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head with his body being found in a Florida nature reserve.
The couple had been on a cross-country road trip, stopping over at National Parks, when Petito vanished and Laundrie returned home without her.
“I speak for myself here when I say Brian, I forgive you,” Ms Schmidt told the audience. “I needed to release myself from the chains of anger and bitterness and I refuse to let your despicable act define the rest of my life.”
Petito’s mother, however, did not hold back when speaking about Laundrie’s mother Roberta, according to Fox News.
“As for you, Roberta, and I call you out individually because you are evidently the mastermind that shattered your family and mine with your evil ways, I see no empathy in your eyes,” she said. “No remorse in your heart and no willingness to take responsibility for your actions.”
She continued: “You do not deserve forgiveness. You deserve to be forgotten.”
Laundrie’s parents told authorities during deposition hearings that their son had called them in an erratic state leading them to be concerned for Petito’s safety. However, Petito’s parents allege that the Laundries never reached out to them and ignored their efforts to communicate with them.
Petito’s parents have alleged that the Laundries knew about her murder and tried to conceal that knowledge. Laundrie’s remains were found in a park near their home. He was the only suspect in the murder and Federal Bureau of Investigation agents found a handwritten confession that was in a waterproof bag.
Even though the man’s parents denied knowledge of the crime they had sent a $25,000 retainer to a defense attorney. The Petitos settled a lawsuit against the Laundrie family earlier this year.
Tara Petito, Gabby’s stepmother, also spoke at the event and criticized Laundrie.
The suspected murderer allegedly abandoned Petito’s remains in Wyoming and drove home to go camping with his parents, sister and her children.“Only someone with true evil in their heart would do such a thing,” the mother said, describing Ms Laundrie.
Ms Schmit called her daughter a “bright light”, describing her as a talented artist and free spirit.
“I implore you all, live by these simple words directly from Gabby: ‘Just be a nicer person,’”.
