DAD'S FURY
Gabby Petito’s dad lashes out at ‘killer’ Brian Laundrie’s parents in profane outburst during wrongful death deposition
Gabby's parents are fed up with Brian's parents' claims
GABBY Petito's father has slammed the parents of their daughter's killer, Brian Laundrie, during a fiery legal battle between the two families.
Joseph Petito’s comments came in depositions made public on Monday, which included new information about what Brian told his parents after Gabby died.
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Gabby, 22, disappeared in August 2021 during a cross-country road trip with her boyfriend, Brian.
Their last stop together was in Wyoming, and her remains were eventually found at Grand Teton National Park in the state.
Cops later determined that Brian, 23, murdered her then died by suicide during the investigation into her disappearance and death.
His body was found in a nature preserve called Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park in North Port, Florida, in October 2021.
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He was the only suspect in Gabby's death and it is believed that he killed her around August 28, 2021, but her remains were not found until September 19 of that year.
Gabby’s parents are suing Brian's parents, Chris and Roberta Laundrie, for intentional infliction of emotional distress stemming from her death.
The civil case centers on a statement the Laundries made through their attorney on September 14, 2021, when Gabby was missing.
The Laundries said they were hopeful that Gabby would be found and reunited with her family.
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Chris and Roberta argue that they were unaware that Gabby was dead at the time.
However, during the civil case, it was revealed that Brian called them on August 29, 2021, two days after Gabby was last seen, and told them that Gabby was “gone” and he needed a lawyer.
Gabby Petito's dad shares heartbreaking footage of daughter as two-year anniversary of murder approaches
PARENTS GRILLED
Brian’s parents were under criminal investigation in fall 2021 in connection with the case but they were never charged, according to depositions in the case.
The whole situation has led Gabby’s father to express how he really feels in a direct hit at the Laundries.
Joseph called Brian a "piece of s**t," during his deposition in the ongoing legal case, Fox News reported.
He added that Brian was "raised by pieces of s**t.”
In their remarks to attorneys, Brian's parents spoke of their son's character and described him as an outgoing person with a lot of friends.
But they couldn't think of any other girlfriends he had besides Gabby.
In the depositions, the Laundries were pressed on whether they knew their son had murdered Gabby.
Brian returned from the road trip in Gabby's van without her and went straight to his parents' house.
Chris recalled the moment and referred to it as, "Like a kid who came home, you know, in trouble."
Earlier in Wyoming, after Brian called his parents asking for help, they sent a $25,000 check to their attorney, Steve Bertolino, to get their son a lawyer.
Despite admitting that Brian told them Gabby was “gone,” they stood their ground, saying that they did not know she was dead.
'CONNECT THE DOTS'
"If she just left and walked away, do you think he would have needed an attorney for that?" Petito family lawyer, Pat Reilly, asked Chris Laundrie at one point during the deposition.
He went on to say, "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?"
"No," Chris responded.
Chris said his lawyer told him not to press Brian about Gabby being gone.
He was instructed that it was not "his place" to send an anonymous tip to police.
Chris admitted Brian sounded frantic when previously asked what they spoke about during the phone call in questioning.
“And what did he say to you?” Chris said, NBC affiliate WFLA in Tampa reported.
“I asked him, you know, how is he doing, and he—you know, he was not calm and he got very excited and told me things had—you know, ‘Gabby’s gone’ and he got very frantic,” Chris said.
"Everything was frantic and quick. So, you know, 'Gabby’s gone.'”
The attorney asked, “Meaning what?”
“Well, I have no idea what he meant,” Chris said.
However, Chris told Reilly that murder was something that crossed his mind, according to the deposition.
“After the conversation of how frantic he was and, you know, it was something I thought we had to consider,” Chris said.
'SOMETHING WAS WRONG'
Brian’s mother was questioned a day after her husband.
She was asked what she thought Brian meant when he said Gabby was "gone."
Roberta pushed back on the term frantic and denied having any understanding that Gabby was murdered.
However, she noted she could tell something was wrong.
“I wasn’t sure. I didn’t even - I don’t even remember what I thought,” Roberta said, CBS affiliate WCAX reported.
“I would just say upset. I don’t think he was frantic.
"He didn’t - he was very upset. He didn’t sound like himself.
"I knew something was wrong,” she said.
The lawyer questioned her about why this didn’t trigger alarm bells.
“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 said.
Roberta admitted to ignoring text messages from Gabby's mom, Nicole Schmidt, who was desperately seeking information about her daughter after she vanished.
She said that she ignored the messages at the advice of her attorney, Bertolino, who is a co-defendant in the civil suit.
The depositions came after Bertolino filed a motion for a summary judgment, which could see a judge make a ruling in the lawsuit without a full trial.
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Mediation between the two families is set to begin on February 21.
If they can't resolve the case in mediation, it is scheduled to go to trial on May 13.
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