Gabby Petito’s dad shares heartbreaking Christmas message & new photo as he faces second year without her
GABBY Petito's dad has shared a heartbreaking Christmas message and a new photo as he faces another holiday without his daughter.
Joseph Petito shared a photo of Gabby early on Christmas morning.
"MerryChristmas from our family to yours. #TogetherWeCan #JustBeANicerPerson," he captioned the photo.
The photo was commented on dozens of times with well-wishers.
"Been thinking of you all, all day. Merriest Christmas to you all & to your very own guardian angel in the skies above," one person wrote.
"Wishing your family a Merry Christmas, my thoughts and prayers are with you all as another holiday passes without your beautiful daughter Gabby!," another wrote.
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NEW MOTION FILED
Meanwhile, Gabby's parents have filed a motion to add the Laundrie's family lawyer to their ongoing lawsuit after slamming a "cold-hearted" statement he released last year.
Gabby's family has already been awarded $3million from Brian Laundrie's estate for a wrongful death lawsuit - however, his parents Chris and Roberta are still facing legal trouble as the mourning family claims the pair refused to release crucial information that would have implicated their son.
Patrick Reilly, an attorney for Gabby's parents, provided The U.S. Sun with a statement explaining why Joe Petito and Nichole Schmidt wish to add attorney Steven Bertolino as a defendant ahead of the emotional distress case set to go on trial in August 2023.
Speaking on behalf of the parents, Reilly said they are alleging that Brian's family knew the location of Gabby's body and refused to provide information after her disappearance.
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"When they did choose to speak, it was through statements issued by Steven Bertolino, including a statement on September 14, 2021, that it was the 'hope of the Laundrie family 'that the search for Miss Petito is successful and that Miss Petito is reunited with her family," Reilly said.
The attorney wrote that they believe the Laundries knew that Gabby was deceased at this time, making the statement: "insensitive, cold-hearted and outrageous.
"Thus, after much consideration, the parents of Gabby Petito filed a Motion for Leave of Court this afternoon asking the court for permission to file a Second Amended Complaint to add Steven Bertolino as a defendant in the action.
"Motions of this type are liberally granted by the court.
"Joseph Petito and Nichole Schmidt are seeking justice and accountability for the loss of their daughter and the attendant harm caused them."
FAILED SEARCH
The post also comes as Dog the Bounty Hunter has been hit with over $1.6 million in federal and state tax liens after his failed search for late fugitive Brian Laundrie.
The U.S. Sun has exclusively confirmed that the reality star and bounty hunter, whose real name is Duane Chapman, owes millions in unpaid taxes with debts stretching from Colorado to Hawaii.
Dog's state liens in Hawaii pertain to his "individual income" from 2019 and 2014, according to documents filed with the Department of Taxation.
His lien in the Aloha state is for a total of $72,229.
Meanwhile, Dog's open federal liens in Colorado span the years 2014 through 2020 and are spread across two counties.
In Douglas county, Dog, 69, owes federal taxes for 2014 through 2019, with one lien totaling $799,975, according to records with the Clerk and Recorder's office.
A second lien was also filed in Douglas for the year 2020 for the amount of $20,147.
In Jefferson County, Colorado, the Clerk and Recorder's office confirmed that the former TV star has another open federal tax lien for tax years from 2014 to 2019 totaling $800,087.
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Dog gave The U.S. Sun an exclusive statement regarding his tax situation.
“I’ve been working diligently to satisfy these outstanding debts and look forward to putting this behind us," the famed bounty hunter said.