The case of Gabby Petito’s death has witnessed a new twist. The family of Brian Laundrie, identified as the primary suspect in her murder and also her boyfriend, presented a settlement offer to Petito’s family in response to a civil suit.
The families previously reached a $3 million settlement in the wrongful death lawsuit relating to Petito’s murder. Petito’s family will donate any funds received to the Gabby Petito Foundation, which works to locate missing people and address domestic violence.
Joe Petito and Nichole Schmidt, parents of Gabby, initiated a civil lawsuit in Florida against Chris and Robert Laundrie, Brian’s parents. Central to this lawsuit is the accusation that the Laundrie family had prior information about Gabby’s death but deliberately refrained from revealing it. Due to this alleged concealment, Gabby’s parents faced profound emotional trauma and are now seeking redress. A settlement has been offered in this case. A jury trial has been slated for May 2024. Preparations for the trial have begun with depositions carried out from the preceding month.
The attorney for the Laundrie family, Steven Bertolino, is also identified as a co-defendant in this legal battle.
To provide some background, in 2021, 22-year-old Gabby Petito was traveling across the country with Brian Laundrie. However, in August, she vanished. When Laundrie, 23, returned to Florida, Gabby wasn’t with him, raising suspicions. Her remains were subsequently found in Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park a month later. Shortly thereafter, Brian Laundrie was found deceased in Florida’s Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park. Investigations revealed his death as suicide and found a confession letter pertaining to Petito’s murder.
Additionally, a lawsuit against the Moab City Police Department in Utah has been filed by the Petito family. This lawsuit claims the department’s negligence in safeguarding Gabby after they had intervened when the couple displayed signs of a physical dispute but took only limited measures.
Recently, marking the two-year anniversary of Gabby’s passing, Nichole Schmidt called on the public to commemorate victims and survivors of domestic violence.
