Current:Home > FinanceBrian Laundrie's parents detail 'frantic' conversations with son: 'Gabby's gone, please call a lawyer'-LoTradeCoin
Brian Laundrie's parents detail 'frantic' conversations with son: 'Gabby's gone, please call a lawyer'
View Date:2024-12-23 16:02:03
The parents of Brian Laundrie described the day "everything hit the fan" after their son called them to say his fiancee was "gone" weeks before the remains of Gabby Petito were discovered, according to newly released court documents.
Depositions from Laundrie’s parents, Christopher and Roberta Laundrie, were made public earlier this week ahead of the May trial in an emotional distress lawsuit filed by Petito's family. Petito's parents, Joseph Petito and Nichole Schmidt, have accused the Laundries of knowing their 22-year-old daughter had been killed and are seeking at least $100,000 in damages.
The case of Gabby Petito gained national attention during the summer of 2021, sparking widespread speculation about her disappearance and whether Brian Laundrie had killed her. She went missing during a cross-country road trip with Laundrie, who returned from the trip without her.
After Petito's family reported her missing, her body was found in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming in Sept. 2021. Laundrie later was also reported missing and was found dead with a self-inflicted gunshot wound at a nature reserve in southern Sarasota County, Florida, in October 2021.
Authorities said Laundrie admitted to killing Petito in a note found with his body. Her death was ruled a homicide by strangulation.
Since 2022, Petito’s family has been involved in a legal battle against Laundrie’s parents and his estate. In November 2022, the families reached a $3 million settlement in a wrongful death lawsuit which claimed Laundrie was liable for damages because he caused Petito's death.
In November 2023, Petito's parents filed an amended civil complaint claiming pain and emotional distress due to Laundrie's parents withholding information regarding their daughter's death. The depositions released this week in the lawsuit detailed "frantic" phone calls between Laundrie and his parents as he told them he needed them to find a lawyer.
Gabby Petito was strangled:Experts say such an assault is a red flag for intimate partner homicides.
'Gabby's gone, please call a lawyer'
In Roberta Laundrie’s deposition, she recalled a conversation between her and her son on Aug. 29, 2021. The two were catching up and Brian appeared to sound "fine, normal," according to the deposition.
But as the conversation concluded, Roberta Laundrie said "he all of a sudden completely changed and he sounded very upset."
“I didn’t want to push him, so we just said goodbye,” Roberta Laundrie said in the deposition, adding: "When I got off the phone, I told Chris, you know, 'Brian sounded upset. Maybe you should give him a call.'"
When asked what she thought Brian meant when he said "Gabby's gone, please call a lawyer," Roberta Laundrie said several possibilities had crossed her mind, including that the couple may have got into a fight, Brian had hit Petito and she was going to press charges against him.
Initially, Roberta Laundrie told the Petito family's attorneys that she "didn't know what to think" when questioned if she thought Petito was dead.
"I don't remember if that crossed my mind or if I just was so nervous I just thought he was in some kind of trouble," she said, but later admitted that "it probably went through my mind."
Gabby Petito case:Brian Laundrie's mom wrote him letter saying she would help 'dispose of a body'
Brian Laundrie sounded 'frantic' on phone call
When Christopher Laundrie called his son later, he told the Petito family's attorneys that "everything hit the fan."
"(Brian) was not calm... and told me things," Christopher Laundrie said in the deposition. "'Gabby's gone' and he got very frantic. Everything was frantic and quick."
Brian had repeatedly told his father that Petito was "gone” but never said he killed her, according to the deposition. Christopher Laundrie said his son had asked him for help and to find him an attorney.
“I asked him why. He wouldn’t tell me," he added.
At the time, Christopher Laundrie said he didn't believe his son killed Petito or that Petito was dead. "I had no idea what to think," he told attorneys.
Laundrie's parents never contacted Petito's family
Following the Aug. 29 phone call, Laundrie’s parents said they didn't attempt to contact Petito or her family and Roberta Laundrie said she didn't return calls from Schmidt.
"My attorney told me not to talk to anybody, so I just didn’t talk to anybody,” Roberta Laundrie said in the deposition. She added that the family was advised to keep Brian "close, kept him home and safe, and didn’t talk to him about anything and hoped for the best."
Contributing: Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY; The Associated Press
veryGood! (657)
Related
- Amtrak service disrupted after fire near tracks in New York City
- A firefighting helicopter crashed in Southern California while fighting a blaze, officials say
- Possible explosion at Sherwin-Williams plant in Texas, police say
- Coco Gauff defeats Maria Sakkari in DC Open final for her fourth WTA singles title
- GM recalling big pickups and SUVs because the rear wheels can lock up, increasing risk of a crash
- Bachelor Nation Status Check: Which Couples Are Still Continuing Their Journey?
- Tired of Losing Things All the Time? Get 45% Off Tile Bluetooth Trackers
- Make sure to stop and smell the roses. It just might boost your memory.
- Nevada trial set for ‘Dances with Wolves’ actor in newly-revived sex abuse case
- Hank the Tank, Lake Tahoe bear linked to at least 21 home invasions, has been captured
Ranking
- 5-year-old boy who went missing while parent was napping is found dead near Oregon home, officials say
- Justin Thomas misses spot in FedEx Cup playoffs after amazing shot at Wyndham Championship
- NASCAR suspends race at Michigan due to rain and aims to resume Monday
- Heat rash treatment: What to know about the condition and how to get rid of it quick
- Teachers in 3 Massachusetts communities continue strike over pay, paid parental leave
- Tired of Losing Things All the Time? Get 45% Off Tile Bluetooth Trackers
- 'Down goes Anderson!' Jose Ramirez explains what happened during Guardians-White Sox fight
- NASCAR suspends race at Michigan due to rain and aims to resume Monday
Recommendation
-
Olivia Munn Randomly Drug Tests John Mulaney After Mini-Intervention
-
Philippines summons Chinese ambassador over water cannon incident in disputed sea, official says
-
Attacks at US medical centers show why health care is one of the nation’s most violent fields
-
Fiery mid-air collision of firefighting helicopters over Southern California kills 3, authorities say
-
'America's flagship' SS United States has departure from Philadelphia to Florida delayed
-
Paying too much for auto insurance? 4 reasons to go over your budget now.
-
Full transcript of Face the Nation, Aug. 6, 2023
-
What caused an Alaskan glacier to cause major flooding near Juneau