The parents of murdered 22-year-old travel blogger Gabby Petito have reached a settlement with the parents of Brian Laundrie, Gabby's fiance, who killed her during a cross-country road trip. The Petitos filed an emotional distress lawsuit, claiming that the Laundries knew their son had killed Gabby but intentionally withheld that information. This settlement allows them to avoid a civil trial that was scheduled to begin in May.
In 2021, the nation was gripped by the story of Gabby Petito, a travel blogger who went missing during a cross-country trip with her fiance. The Petitos filed a lawsuit in 2022, revealing that they had desperately tried to contact the Laundries for information about their daughter's whereabouts but were met with silence and blocked communication.
Under Florida law, the Petitos alleged intentional infliction of emotional distress, citing the Laundries' failure to respond to their inquiries. The case was set to go to trial in May, prompting a mediation conference that led to the confidential resolution of the civil lawsuit.
Depositions released prior to the mediation shed light on Brian Laundrie's communication with his parents following Gabby's disappearance. Brian's father recounted a frantic phone call in which Brian admitted that Gabby was gone and expressed a need for legal assistance. The Laundries claimed that their attorney advised them not to speak to anyone to protect Brian.
The tragic case took a further turn when Brian Laundrie committed suicide and confessed to Gabby's murder in a note found in his backpack. The resolution of the civil lawsuit brings a somber conclusion to a heartbreaking saga that captured the nation's attention in 2021.
