The family of Gabby Petito filed a new civil lawsuit against Brian Laundrie's parents claiming that Laundrie called them to tell them that Petito was "gone" and that he needed a lawyer three weeks before her remains were discovered. If the information is true, it would confirm that the Laundries knew about Petito's death a long time before she was found and likewise did not inform authorities. The legal action was filed on Nov. 30 but was made known to the media this week.
"Joseph Petito and Nichole Schmidt are suing Laundrie's parents and their attorney, claiming they intentionally withheld information about 22-year-old Gabby Petito's death, causing them pain and emotional distress," explained CNN.
Christopher and Roberta Laundrie are believed to have spoken to attorney Steven Bertolino that same day, sharing with him the message their son told them, the complaint alleges.
The media outlet reported that as early as the spring of 2022, Petito's parents had alleged that Christopher and Roberta Laundrie knew that their son had killed Gabby Petito. However, in an amendment to that lawsuit that came shortly afterward, the Petitos "alleged that while authorities continued to search for the young woman, Laundrie's parents knew he had killed her and knew 'the whereabouts of her body.'"
The disappearance of Gabby Petito
The Petito family reported the disappearance of the young woman in September 2021 after she did not communicate with them for several days after a trip with her fiancé, Brian Laundrie. Her remains were found in Wyoming on Sept. 19, 2021, and it was determined that she died from strangulation.
Laundrie returned to his home in Florida and then disappeared for several weeks, until investigators discovered his body and a medical examiner concluded that he had committed suicide. "Authorities said they found writings near his remains in which he claimed responsibility for Petito's death," according to CNN.
