In the hopes of closing “this chapter of [their] lives,” the parents of Gabby Petito reached a settlement with the parents of Brian Laundrie in an emotional distress lawsuit, thus avoiding a civil trial.
Nichole Schmidt and Joseph Petito, parents of the 22-year-old travel blogger who was tragically murdered by her fiancé, sued Brian’s parents and their lawyer, Steven Bertolino, for intentional infliction of emotional distress in March 2022.
Gabby’s parents claimed that Christopher and Roberta Laundrie knew that their son murdered her while the young couple was on a cross-country road trip in 2021. Nichole and Joseph accused the Laundries of intentionally withholding that information and also expressing hope about finding Gabby in a statement issued by their attorney back in 2021, according to CNN.
Gabby Petito was on a cross-country road trip with her fiancé Brian Laundrie before she went missing
Image credits: Grand Teton National Park
As proceedings for the lawsuit took place, Laundrie’s parents had revealed in their depositions that Brian made a frantic phone call to them on August 29, 2021, and said Gabby was “gone.” He also told the parents that he would need a lawyer.
Roberta said the thought “probably went through my mind,” but she and Christopher both denied being told by their son that he murdered his fiancée.
Three weeks after Brian’s frantic phone call to his parents, Gabby’s strangled body was found in Grand Teton National Park on Sept. 19, 2021.
Her death was ruled a homicide, and Brian became a person of interest in the case but refused to cooperate with investigators.
Gabby’s family accused Brian’s parents of knowing their son murdered her
Image credits: Suffolk County Police Department
Brian’s remains were found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound in Florida’s Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park on Oct. 20, 2021.
Attorney Steve revealed in a statement that he and the Laundries “participated in mediation with the Petito family, and the civil lawsuit has now been resolved.”
“The terms of the resolution are confidential, and we look forward to putting this matter behind us,” he added.
Petito’s family also released a statement through their family attorney.
“After a long day of mediation, a confidential resolution has been reached between the parents of Gabby Petito, the parents of Brian Laundrie, and attorney Steven Bertolino, to which all parties reluctantly agreed in order to avoid further legal expenses and prolonged personal conflict,” the statement said. “Our hope is to close this chapter of our lives to allow us to move on and continue to honor the legacy of our beautiful daughter, Gabby.”
“Our hope is to close this chapter of our lives,” Gabby’s parents said in a statement
Image credits: Liza Summer
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