DAMNING EVIDENCE?
ROBERTA Laundrie's infamous "burn after reading" letter to her son will be released to Gabby Petito's parents before their civil trial, a judge has ruled.
The Petitos earned another victory in their civil suit against the parents of their daughter, Gabby's confessed killer, Brian Laundrie, allowing them access to the scandalous note.
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On Wednesday, Florida Judge Danielle Brewer denied the defense's motion for a protective order on the letter, which means the Petito family may be granted permission to view its contents.
Following the ruling, the Laundrie family attorney, Matt Luka, said they're "concerned about how the letter might be used, it can be embarrassing."
Luka said the letter may be taken out of context and "feel inflammatory," saying the topics appear in a series of "fanciful descriptions of how much somebody will love somebody else."
Meanwhile, the Petitos and their attorney, Patrick Reilly, celebrated the ruling outside the courtroom, telling the media: "'Its a victory, we're happy to have it, we've fought hard to get it, we've been fighting for over a year to get that letter."
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"The whole intent of this is to get answers," Reilly added.
"There are still many questions that the Petito family has about what the Laundrie family knew, what they did with the knowledge that they knew, and really why they didn't come forward and say anything.
"I don't know if that question will ever get answered, but there's a lot of questions that the family would like answered if you can get closure at all in a situation like this."
The letter was written by Roberta to her son around the time of Gabby's disappearance. In it, she referenced a shovel and burying a body, according to court docs.
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It was found in the Laundrie family home after it was taken out of their son’s van.
The words “burn after reading” were reportedly written on the envelope.
It is undated, and both legal teams dispute when it was written.
The Petito family’s legal team has previously claimed it was “written after Gabby was killed and before Brian took his life.”
Laundrie attorney Matt Luka said that “the letter was written before Brian and Gabby even took their trip," WFLA reported in March.
Luka also previously claimed that the letter “has no relevance to the cause of action” behind the Petitos' civil suit.
GABBY GOES MISSING
Gabby was 22 when she was reported missing on September 11, 2021, while on a road trip with her fiancé Brian, 23.
Her remains were later found near Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming on September 19, 2021.
She had been strangled to death.
Gabby's parents, Joe and Nicole, are suing Brian's parents for “intentional infliction of emotional distress” after Brian confessed to murdering Gabby before dying of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
His remains were found near a notebook and backpack belonging to him in Florida's Carlton Reserve on October 20, 2021.
The lawsuit that Gabby's parents filed in March 2022 claims that Chris and Roberta Laundrie were aware their son had murdered his fiancée and chose not to act.
On September 14, 2021, a lawyer representing the Laundries released the following 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."
Before Gabby's remains were discovered on September 19, 2021, the Petitos' lawyer read a letter at a news briefing three days prior, begging for help in the case.
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“Please, if you or your family have any decency left, please, tell us where Gabby is located,” Richard Stafford said on September 16, 2021.
“Tell us if we are even looking in the right place. All we want is for Gabby to come home. Please help us make that happen.”