The family of Gabby Petito has launched a lawsuit against the parents of Brian Laundrie, alleging that they intentionally hindered their daughter's murder investigation.
Gabby's disappearance in the summer of 2021 made international headlines after the 22-year-old blogger went missing while on road trip with her boyfriend, 23-year-old Brian Laundrie.
Brian's involvement in Gabby's disappearance was questioned after he returned to his parent's Florida home in early September without his long-term partner. Her remains were subsequently discovered in Grand Teton National Park on September 19, 2021.
A coroner ruled that her cause of death was "manual strangulation" - which had occurred at least three weeks prior.
After becoming a key suspect in the case, Brian disappeared from his parents' home - sparking a nationwide manhunt. His body was eventually found in Florida, one month after Gabby's remains had been discovered.
Officials revealed that he died due to a self-inflicted gunshot, and notes were found nearby in which he claimed responsibility for Gabby’s death,
As reported by NBC News, Gabby's parents - Joseph Petito and Nichole Schmidt - launched a civil action lawsuit on Thursday against Christopher and Roberta Laundrie.
The lawsuit accuses Brian's parents of knowing that "Gabrielle Petito had been murdered by their son", but still issuing a statement on September 14 sharing their support for the search of the travel blogger.
Attorney Patrick Reilly writes in the civil case: "Despite the fact that Joseph Petito and Nichole Schmidt implored Christopher Laundrie and Roberta Laundrie to tell them if their daughter was alive, and if she was not, where her remains were located, Christopher Laundrie and Roberta Laundrie refused to respond to either Joseph Petito and Nichole Schmidt, or law enforcement."
The lawsuit alleges that the defendants "knew of the mental suffering and anguish" the Petito family was experiencing at the time, and still refused to disclose information about their daughter's whereabouts.
The lawsuit accuses Christopher and Roberta Laundrie of acting "with malice or great indifference".
"It is believed [...] that on or about August 28, 2021, Brian Laundrie advised his parents, Christopher Laundrie and Roberta Laundrie, that he had murdered Gabrielle Petito," the lawsuit states, and even goes as far as to accuse Christopher and Roberta Laundrie of making arrangements for their son to flee the country.
In response to the lawsuit, the attorney for the Laundrie family, Steve Bertolino, said on Friday: "As I have maintained over the last several months, the Laundries have not publicly commented at my direction which is their right under the law."
Bertolino added: "Assuming everything the Petitos allege in their lawsuit is true, which we deny, this lawsuit does not change the fact that the Laundries had no obligation to speak to law enforcement or any third-party including the Petito family.
"This fundamental legal principle renders the Petitos' claims to be baseless under the law."
The Petito family is seeking damages as part of the civil case, but NBC News states that no specific dollar amount was specified - only that it would exceed $30,000.
