Crime & Safety
Gabby Petito's Mom Forgives Brian Laundrie, Calls His Mother Evil
Nichole Schmidt, who spoke at CrimeCon 2024, says she cannot forgive Brian Laundrie's mom for her "evil ways," per a media report.
![The mother of Gabby Petito, Nichole Schmidt, forgives her daughter's accused killer, Brian Laundrie, but says she cannot forgive his mother for her "evil ways."](https://patch.com/img/cdn20/users/26200734/20240603/110924/styles/patch_image/public/laundrie-petito-1___03104037606.jpg)
NASHVILLE, TN — Nicole Schmidt forgives the man accused of strangling to death her daughter, Gabby Petito, but says his mother is not deserving of forgiveness for her "evil ways," per a media report.
Schmidt spoke Friday at CrimeCon 2024 in Nashville, Tennessee, People magazine reported. In an attempt to free herself from anger and bitterness, Schmidt said she forgives accused killer Brian Laundrie.
Fiancées Petito and Laundrie, aspiring vloggers originally from Long Island, New York, lived with Laundrie’s parents in North Port, Florida, before embarking on their “van life” journey during the summer of 2021.
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After strangling her, Laundrie left her body at a campsite in Wyoming’s Bridger-Teton National Forest, where she was found nearly a month later on Sept. 19, 2021. He later confessed to the killing in a handwritten note before taking his own life.
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While Schmidt said she forgives Brian Laundrie, People reported his mother was not extended the same grace.
“As for you, Roberta (Laundrie) — and I call you out individually because you are evidently the mastermind that shattered your family and mind with your evil ways — I see no empathy in your eyes, no remorse in your heart and no willingness to take responsibility for your actions,” Schmidt said while speaking at CrimeCon, the magazine reported.
"You are the dark. You are the sociopath that everyone fears. The one who appears so innocent and kind, but harbors darkness within your soul. You do not deserve forgiveness. You deserve to be forgotten and dehumanized. You epitomize pure evil,” Schmidt said.
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A frantic Laundrie called his parents up to 20 times two days after Petito's death. During the calls, the 23-year-old told his parents that Petito was “gone” and he needed a lawyer, Patch previously reported.
After Brian's calls, his parents asked another attorney, Steve Bertolino, to send their son $25,000 so he could retain a Wyoming-based law firm, but the Laundries maintained in court that they did not know what had happened to Petito at the time.
RELATED: Laundrie's Parents Admit Concern For Gabby Petito After Calls: Report
Laundrie took his own life in September 2021, shooting himself in the head in a Sarasota County park.
His remains and a handwritten confession to killing Petito were found in October 2021. He left his confession in his notebook, claiming he strangled her out of mercy after she fell into a ravine and was injured.
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