Gabby Petito’s family has been granted the right to sue Brian Laundrie’s parents for their attorney’s comments during the search.
Continue reading to find out more.
Gabby Petito’s parents held a press conference in September 2021, asking for help in finding their missing daughter…
Soon after, Brian’s family stated their lawyer, saying, “This is an extremely difficult time for both the Petito and Laundrie families.” I understand that a search for Miss Petito has been organized in or near Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park.”
It even gave Gabby’s family false hope, saying, “We hope that the search for Miss Petito is successful,” although their son murdered his fiancée on a trip she had described as a “dream.”
However, the first hearing, held on June 22, revealed that Brian’s parents failed to appear, fueling rumors of an obvious conspiracy…
According to the lawsuit, Christopher and Roberta Laundrie knew where Gabby’s body was while authorities poured resources into a massive missing person investigation, according to PEOPLE.
If that wasn’t an obvious sign of the Laundries’ guilt and transparency, Gabby’s parents were awarded a large sum in damages…
Joseph Petito and Nichole Schmidt allegedly sought more than $30,000 in damages, primarily for “mental anguish” caused by the Laundries’ alleged deception.
In a shocking turn of events, the March filing claimed that Brian’s parents did indeed assist him in concealing Gabby’s murder.
According to the lawsuit, instead of assisting Joseph and Nichole in finding their daughter, Brian’s parents “went on vacation with Brian, ignoring all pleas for help from Gabby’s family.”
Not only that, but Roberta had blocked Nichole’s phone number and Facebook profile in September to avoid contact — and was even planning Brian’s departure from the country.
When Gabby’s body was discovered in September 2021, it was revealed that the 22-year-old had been killed by homicidal strangulation…
Even though Gabby’s lawyers have slammed Laundrie’s misleading statement, which gave the grieving parents false hope, the judge in court raised an especially interesting question amidst the ongoing trial.
But it turns out that the $30,000 in damages was not just for the “mental anguish” caused by the Laundries…
Gabby’s parents’ lawyer stated that they were “seeking damages for [the Laundries’] conduct,” and that Brian’s parents caused Gabby’s family pain and suffering by failing to disclose vital information.
“The Laundries should be held accountable for their actions and what they did after learning Gabby was dead and where her body was discovered,” said attorney Patrick Reilly.
In response, Laundries’ lawyers stated that “everyone has the right to their private enclave,” and that people “do not have to come and affirmatively state everything they know about everything.”
“They are not required to share it,” the attorney stated.
During the recent hearing, Gabby’s lawyer accused the Laundries of knowing where Gabby’s body was and said it was “beyond outrageous” to give the grieving parents false hope…
“They knew where her body was and dared to express hope that she would be reunited with her family,” Gabby’s lawyers said, according to Too Fab.
Gabby’s parents also clashed with Brian’s lawyers in court after his parents failed to appear…
The hearing was attended by both Joseph Petito and Nichole Schmidt.
Nichole was seen crying in court, and her mother was wearing a necklace containing her daughter’s ashes. Brian Laundrie’s parents, on the other hand, did not attend, but according to Too Fab, they were not legally required to do so because lawyers spoke on their behalf.
“Aren’t we responsible for what we say and when we say it?” enquired the judge
“Johnny Depp just got found civilly liable for defamation for what his attorney said, right?” the judge said, referring to the Amber Heard and Johnny Depp trials.
While the Laundries lawyer agreed with the judge, he also stated repeatedly that the attorney who issued the statement “isn’t being accused of anything,” adding that it’s unclear what “he knew at the time” it was given to the press.
The judge stated that he will decide on the lawsuit within two weeks. The Laundries, on the other hand, are attempting to have the case dismissed.
Brian Laundrie’s notebook was discovered beside his body, as we all know.
And now, excerpts from the notebook have been made public.
He admits to killing Gabby in the notebook.
“I ended her life,” Brian wrote. I thought it was merciful because it was what she desired, but now I see all of my errors. I became terrified. I was taken aback. But I knew I couldn’t go on without her from the moment I decided to relieve her pain.”
Brian claimed in a confession note that Gabby was injured after falling into a creek, writing:
“I discovered her breathing heavily and gasping for my name; she was cold.” I carried her as far as I could down the stream towards the car, stumbling exhausted, and in shock when my knees buckled and I realized I couldn’t carry her safely. I started a fire and spooned her as close to the heat as I could because she was so thin and had been freezing for too long. I didn’t realize at the time that I should have started a fire first, but I just wanted her out of the cold and back to the car.”
Brian claimed she was “gasping in pain, begging for her pain to end.“
That’s why Brian claims he decided to murder Gabby. It has since been revealed that Brian’s mother offered to assist him, sending him a letter instructing him to “burn after you read this.” According to Patrick Riley, the Petito family’s lawyer, Roberta Laundrie wrote a letter to her son after Gabby’s body was discovered and before he died.
In an interview with News Nation, he claimed, “Within that letter is an offer from Roberta Laundrie to assist her son.”
“In that letter, Roberta presents scenarios such as, ‘if you go to jail, I’ll bake a cake and put a knife or a saw in it.'”
He didn’t reveal any other details about the letter, but he described its contents as “odd.”
You can see a portion of his interview here.
Petito’s family has now won the right to sue Laundrie’s parents, just days after the news of her letter broke.
The decision was made by the judge because Laundrie’s attorney made “objectively outrageous” statements while they were looking for Gabby.
Petitos’ lawyer, Patrick Reilly, told The Sun that Steven Bertolino gave Gabby’s family false hope when he said he hoped she would be “reunited with her family,” knowing she was dead.
They plan to sue the Laundries for $30,000 in damages for the pain and suffering they have caused them.
“Because the Laundries’ statement by their attorney in the context of the unique faces of this case is objectively outrageous,” Judge Carroll wrote in his decision, “the Court concludes that Plaintiffs [Petitos] have stated causes of action for intentional infliction of emotional distress against the Laundries.”
He went on to say that they made no attempt to provide information to the Petito family during the investigation and remained silent about the location of her body.
“It’s about a pattern of behavior they’ve followed since learning on August 28, 2021, that their son had brutally murdered Gabby Petito,” he explained.
What are your thoughts on the change?
