In mid-September, soon after Laundrie returned home and after the FBI and police named him a person of interest in Petito’s disappearance, his parents reported him missing. In October, his remains were discovered in an area previously underwater in Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park in Florida. Authorities determined he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
In a statement attached to the notebook scans, Steven P. Bertolino, the lawyer for Laundries’ parents, wrote, “Today the Petito family attorney, Patrick Reilly, and myself met with the FBI in Tampa to sort through and take possession of the personal items that belonged to Gabby and Brian. This was a previously agreed upon exchange to enable both the Petitos and the Laundries to receive what belonged to their respective children. As part of this return of property in FBI custody I was given Brian’s notebook.”
Bertolino continued, “Although I have chosen to release the letter as a matter of transparency I will not be commenting further as there are still proceedings pending in Court. These are Brian’s words.”
In March, Petito’s parents Joseph Petito and Nichole Schmidt filed a civil lawsuit against Laundrie’s dad Christopher Laundrie and mom Roberta Laundrie, alleging that they knew their son killed Petito before her body was discovered, kept his whereabouts “secret” after reporting him missing and were “making arrangements for him to leave the country.”
At the time, the Laundries’ attorney told E! News that the family had “no obligation to speak to Law Enforcement.” They have filed a motion to dismiss the civil lawsuit, while a judge is expected to issue an order on next steps within the next couple of weeks.
In May, Petito’s mom filed a separate wrongful death lawsuit against the curator of Laundrie’s estate. No trial date has been set.
The Laundries’ attorney previously told E! News that the wrongful death lawsuit was “fully expected,” adding that it “will most likely not be defended and the Petitos will have gained nothing more than a piece of paper that tells them what everyone already knows—which is that Brian was responsible for Gabby’s death as indicated by the FBI.”
Be the first to comment