Gabby Petito’s parents settle lawsuit with parents of Brian Laundrie
The parents of Gabby Petito have reached a settlement in a lawsuit alleging the parents of her fiancé and killer, Brian Laundrie, neglected to come forward amid the intense search for their daughter despite knowing that she was already dead.
In a statement to CBS News, Petito’s parents, Nichole Schmidt and Joseph Petito, confirmed “all parties reluctantly agreed” to the confidential terms “to avoid further legal expenses and prolonged personal conflict.”
“Our hope is to close this chapter of our lives to allow us to move on and continue to honor the legacy of our beautiful daughter, Gabby,” they added.
The coupled filed their lawsuit against Laundrie’s parents, Christopher and Roberta Laundrie, and their attorney, Steven Bertolino, for intentional infliction of emotional distress in March 2022. It came nearly a year after 22-year-old Petito, a Long Island native and aspiring travel influencer, embarked on a cross-country road trip with Laundrie on July 2, 2021. She documented much of the expedition on social media, but only her fiancé returned home.
Petito’s disappearance kicked off a months-long search spanning several states and law enforcement agencies. Her remains were eventually discovered on Sept. 19 at a campground near Grand Teton National Park in northwestern Wyoming, and her cause of death was ruled homicide by strangulation.
Laundrie meanwhile reunited with his parents upon arriving home, and they quickly left together for a camping trip on the beach at Fort De Soto Park, south of St. Petersburg.
But Brian did not return from the trip and he was later discovered dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound at the Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park on Oct. 20.
He confessed to killing Petito in personal notebooks found near his body.
According to the civil lawsuit filed by Petito’s parents, the Laundries helped Brian conceal their daughter’s murder and were arranging for him to leave the country when he disappeared. Petito’s parents further alleged that Christopher and Roberta ignored their pleas for help, going as far as to block their numbers and Facebook profiles.
The suit also took aim at attorney Bertolino. It alleged he too knew Petito was dead, but instead issued a news release expressing hope for her safe return.
“Christopher and Roberta Laundrie and I participated in mediation with the Petito family and the civil lawsuit has now been resolved,” Bertolino said in a statement. “The terms of the resolution are confidential, and we look forward to putting this matter behind us.”
The Petitos and Laundries had previously settled a separate wrongful death lawsuit for $3 million.
