Gabby Petito’s missing-person-turned-murder case captivated the world in 2021. She went missing in August while on a road trip with her boyfriend Brian Laundrie. Her body was eventually found in the Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. It was later determined that Brian Laundrie killed her. He would go on to take his own life and authorities found his body in Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park in North Port, Florida, in October.
Gabby Petito’s parents, Joseph Petito and Nicole Schmidt, believe Brian Laundrie’s parents had insider knowledge of her murder before her body was discovered. They are suing Christopher and Roberta Laundrie for emotional distress. All four parents are attempting to go through mediation before the case is brought to court. Proceedings have been heated. On Monday, February 12, 2024, a transcript was made public that showed Joseph Petito calling the Laundries profane names.
According to Fox News, Joseph Petito called Brian Laundrie a "piece of [expletive]." He even doubled down. He said that Brain Laundrie was "raised by pieces of [expletive].”
Gabby Petito's parents' case is based on a statement that Christopher and Roberta Laundrie made during the search for Gabby Petito while it was still believed she was alive. The Laundries made the statement through their lawyer on September 14, 2021. They expressed their wishes that Gabby be found and reunited with her family. They may have known more than they let on at the time.
More from LittleThings: Inside The 'Extreme' Letter Brian Laundrie's Mother Wrote Her Son Before He Took His Life
Christopher and Roberta Laundrie claim they did not know Gabby Petito was dead. Brian Laundrie called them two days after Gabby Petito went missing on August 29, 2021. He was distraught and said his girlfriend was gone. He asked for money for a lawyer.
Christopher and Roberta Laundrie were investigated in 2021 because of this call. No criminal charges were ever brought against them. They did give their lawyer, Steve Bertolino, a $25,000 check to help secure an attorney for their son.
Both Christopher and Roberta Laundrie remained firm on the fact that they did not know Gabby Petito was dead even after their son told them she was gone. Pat Reilly, Gabby Petito’s parents' lawyer, grilled them hard.
"If she just left and walked away, do you think he would have needed an attorney for that?" Reilly asked. "Let's connect the dots. He told you Gabby was gone. He's frantic, and he's upset. He's like a kid that came home, and he was in trouble. Did that lead you to believe he murdered Gabby?"
Chris Laundrie answered: "No.”
Reilly did get Chris Laundrie to eventually admit murder was something he pondered. “After the conversation of how frantic he was and, you know, it was something I thought we had to consider,” he stated. Chris Laundrie also stated his lawyers told him it was not his job to tell the police and advised him not to press Brian Laundrie for more information.
Roberta Laundrie was in the hot seat the following day. She didn’t believe her son was frantic on the phone, preferring instead the words “very upset.” "I knew something was wrong,” she stated. “A lot of things ran through my head. Possibly they got in a fight, and you know, maybe she’s going to press charges against him or something? I didn’t know.”
Roberta Laundrie ignored text messages from Gabby Petito’s parents on the advice of her lawyer, who is also a codefendant in the suit.
The Laundries' lawyer filed for a summary judgment. This means a judge would decide the case and it would not receive a full trial. On February 21, 2024, mediation between the families will begin. If this fails, the trial is scheduled to begin on May 13.
If you or someone you know has been the victim of domestic abuse, you can find help and support at DVIS.org, the National Domestic Abuse Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or by contacting your local women's shelter domesticshelters.org.
