Gabby Petito’s dad posts cryptic message about the ‘truth’ after major win in legal battle with Brian Laundrie’s parents
GABBY Petito's dad has posted a cryptic message about the "truth" after a major win in the legal battle with Brian Laundrie's parents.
Joseph Petito posted the tweet after a judge denied the Laundries' motion to dismiss the civil lawsuit that had been filed against them by Petito's family.
Petito shared a tweet from JB Biunno containing a document with the ruling from the Sarasota County, Florida judge.
"The truth will be revealed," Petito wrote as a hashtag in the tweet, along with "#justiceforGabby #GabbyPetito."
In addition to denying the Laundries' motion to dismiss the lawsuit, the document states, "Today's ruling does not determine what happened to Gabby Petito."
"It determines only whether Gabby Petito's parents (the Plaintiffs) stated a valid claim against Brian Laundrie's parents (the Defendants)."
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The court document further says that the Laundries' statement by their attorney is "objectively outrageous," resulting in the court ruling that the Petito family's "causes of action for intentional infliction of emotional distress against the Laundries" was valid.
The statement in question was made by Laundrie family attorney Steven Bertolino during the search for Gabby.
"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," Bertolino said at the time.
The Laundrie's silence and Bertolino's comment - while allegedly knowing Gabby was dead - provided false hope and invoked emotional distress, Petito's lawyer, Patrick Reilly, argued in court.
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"Because the Laundries' statement by their attorney in the context of the unique faces of this case is objectively outrageous, the Court concludes that Plaintiffs [Petitos] have stated causes of actions for intentional infliction of emotional distress against the Laundries," Judge Hunter wrote.
"If the facts of this case truly were about silence with no affirmative act by the Laundries, the Court would have resolved this case in the Laundries’ favor on the concept of legal duty.
"But they did not stay silent," the judge continued.
Following the ruling, the Petito family issued a statement, obtained by NewsNation's Brian Entin.
"Joe Petito and Nichole Schmidt, the parents of Gabby Petito, are appreciative of the thorough and well-reasoned decision of Judge Hunter W Carroll which denied the motion of Christopher Laundrie and Roberta Laundrie to dismiss the complaint filed against them," the statement begins.
"This gives them an opportunity to proceed with their claim for the emotional distress caused by the conduct of the Laundries.
"Joe and Nichole look forward to discovering the information the Laundries knew about Gabby's death and her whereabouts, and in particular getting a copy of any correspondence, emails and texts exchanged during the difficult period when Gabby's whereabouts were unknown.
"They look forward to going to trial and are confident that ultimately the Laundries will be held accountable.
"At this time, Joe and Nichole do not wish to discuss this matter publicly and ask that you respect their privacy."
BRIAN LAUNDRIE'S NOTEBOOK REVEALED
The ruling comes days after Brian's mysterious journal containing his supposed confession was made public by the Laundrie family attorney, Bertolino.
's notebook was recovered by the from the Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park on October 20, 2021, along with his skeletal remains.
In the notebook, he admitted to "ending" Gabby's life, calling it a "merciful murder".
Brian claimed Gabby was dealing with some sort of injury and would "wake in pain".
He wrote that he "ended her life, mercifully" because that was "what she wanted."
"She would wake in pain, start her whole painful cycle again, while furious that I was the one waking her," the 23-year-old wrote.
"She wouldn't let me try to cross the creek, thought like me that the fire would go out in her sleep, and she'd freeze.
"I don't know the extent of 's injuries, only that she was in extreme pain.
"I ended her life. I thought it was merciful, that it is what she wanted, but I see now all the mistakes I made. I panicked. I was in shock."
"From the moment I decided, took away her pain, I knew I couldn't go on without her," Brian concluded.
He also alluded to seeing his family after killing the young vlogger, and asked the public not to "make life harder for his family."
"I am sorry to my family. This is a shock to them as well as a terrible grief. They loved as much, if not more than me.
"A new daughter to my mother, an aunt to my nephews (sic).
Please do not make this harder for them. this occurred as an unexpected tragedy," Brian is believed to have written.
'CAN'T LIVE ANOTHER DAY WITHOUT HER'
He added: "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.
"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."
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Brian continued: "I have killed myself by this creek in the hopes that animal may tear me apart. That it may make some of her family happy.
"Please pick up all of my things. Gabby hated people who litter."