Gabby Petito’s parents have ‘strong case’ after ‘burn-after-reading letter claim about Brian’s mom,’ expert claims
GABBY Petito's parents could have a strong legal case amid a new claim that Brian Laundrie's mom wrote him a letter with the warning "burn after reading," one expert has claimed.
Brian Laundrie made shocking admissions in his notebook, which was revealed for the first time last week, months after he was recovered by the , along with his skeletal remains.
Laundrie insisted in the journal that he took girlfriend Gabby Petito's life because she had an injury and refused to let him get help, which has been questioned by those following the case.
Travel influencer Gabby's remains were discovered in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming on September 21, 2021, after going on a doomed cross-country trip with her boyfriend.
Brian Laundrie
Pat Reilly, the attorney who represents Gabby's parents, Joe and Nichole, issued a statement condemning the release of the notebook by the Laundrie's lawyer, Steven Bertolino.
And he alleged they have omitted to release further information about Gabby's tragic murder amid a lawsuit against them.
Reilly told : "I find it ironic that Mr Bertolino says he was, in full transparency, releasing this.
"Well, someone should ask him why he doesn't release the entire notebook – but more importantly, ask him why he doesn't release Roberta Laundrie's letter to her son."
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In his statement, Reilly claims there is a copy of a letter that features some "extreme details" of Petito's death.
Neama Rahmani, a former assistant U.S. Attorney and the current president of West Coast Trial Lawyers, told The Sun: "The ‘burn after reading’ letter is important because it shows the Laundrie family’s [alleged] knowledge.
"They haven't said anything publicly, all statements they’ve made have gone through their lawyer.
"This letter helps the Petito's show what the Laundrie's knew and when they knew it, and as they were putting statements out about looking for Gabby when they allegedly knew she was already dead.
"If the letter helps show that Brian's parents knew he murdered Gabby that's a very strong case."
Reilly claimed the letter, found in the Laundrie family's home after being taken out of their son's van, is undated and was "written after Gabby was killed and before Brian took his life."
SHOCK LAWSUIT
Rahmani added: "I suspect more will come out about the Laundries' actions as discovery is conducted, documents subpoenaed, and people deposed.
"We'll get a lot of more information about when they knew Gabby was dead and what their son Brian told them."
Gabby's parents, Joseph Petito and Nichole Schmidt, are seeking more than $30,000 in damages in a lawsuit claiming the Laundries knew their son had murdered the 22-year-old.
They are not being investigated by police and insist they fully cooperated with authorities.
The March filing alleges that Christopher and Roberta helped Brian hide Gabby's murder and were going to help him flee the country, which they vehemently deny.
The complaint claims the response to their son's actions was "shocking, atrocious, and utterly intolerable."
It also alleges that instead of helping search for Gabby, they ignored her family and went on a camping trip with Brian.
Roberta also supposedly avoided contact with Nichole by blocking her Facebook profile and cell number, as she desperately tried to find her daughter.
BRIAN'S CONFESSION
"Christopher Laundrie and Roberta Laundrie exhibited extreme and outrageous conduct which constitutes behavior, under the circumstances, which goes beyond all possible bounds of decency and is regarded as shocking, atrocious, and utterly intolerable in a civilized community," the filing reads. .
On October 12, 2021, Teton County Coroner Dr Brent Blue confirmed Gabby died by strangulation.
Laundrie wrote in his journal: "From the moment I decided to take away her pain, I knew I couldn't go on without her.
"I've lost our whole future together, every moment we could have cherished.
"I am ending my life, not because of a fear of punishment but rather because I can't stand to live another day without her."
The 23-year-old, who fatally shot himself amid a manhunt, also alluded to seeing his family after killing the young vlogger.
"I rushed home to spend any time I had with my family. I wanted to drive north and let James or TJ kill me but I wouldn't want them to spend time in jail over my mistake, even though I'm sure they would have liked to," Laundrie is believed to have written.
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Brian Laundrie
"I am ending my life, not because of a fear of punishment but rather because I can't stand to live another day without her.
"I've lost out whole future together, every moment we could have cherished. I'm sorry for everyone's loss. Please do not make life harder for my family, they lost a son and a daughter. The most wonderful girl in the world. Gabby I'm sorry."