Gabby Petito’s family ramp up tense legal battle against her killer Brian Laundrie’s parents with shocking new request
LAWYERS representing the family of Gabby Petito have requested additional information for their lawsuit against Brian Laundrie's parents.
Petito died in 2021 while on a road trip with her fiancé Brian, who fatally shot himself shortly after the case gained national attention.
In a note found near his body, Brian appeared to admit to killing Gabby.
Her parents Nichole Schmidt and Joseph Petito are suing Chris and Roberta Laundrie for alleged emotional distress in relation to their daughter's death.
The plaintiffs claim that the Laundries didn't return their texts while authorities were searching for Gabby.
Her parents also claim that the Laundries and their attorney Steven Bertolino already knew Gabby was dead when they released this statement: "On behalf of the Laundrie family it is our hope that the search for Miss Petito is successful and that Miss Petito is reunited with her family."
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Attorneys for Petito's family are now requesting access to all text messages between Brian and his parents from July 2, 2021 to September 30, 2021, WWSB reported.
They also want to see any other correspondence between the three during that date range.
Earlier this year, a "burn after reading" letter Brian's mother sent to him was summarized in court documents related to the suit.
The undated letter "references bringing a shovel to help bury a body, and baking a cake with a shiv in it should Brian Laundrie go to prison," according to court documents.
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The Petito family's attorney Patrick Reilly addressed the letter in a court filing earlier this month.
"A reasonable inference is that the letter was written at a time when Gabrielle Petito was as yet unburied and Brian Laundrie could go to jail for the crime of murder," he said.
But Brian's mother has denied this.
"While I used words that seem to have a connection with Brian's actions and his taking of Gabby's life... I never would have fathomed the events that unfolded months later," she wrote in a court motion.
"My words to Brian were meant to convey my love and support for my son through a light-hearted and quirky reminder."
Reilly and the Petitos are requesting that the letter be released in its entirety.
The next hearing in the case will be on May 24.
