Brian Laundrie Allegedly Told His Parents “She’s Gone” Days Before Gabby Petito was Reported Missing

According to new court filings, almost 2 weeks before Gabby Petito was even reported missing, Brian Laundrie called his parents and informed them that his fiancé was “gone” and that he was going to need a lawyer.

According to court documents, in an amended complaint filed on Nov. 30 in the Petito family’s lawsuit against Christopher and Roberta Laundrie and lawyer Steven Bertolino, Gabby’s parents allege that Brian made a call to his parents on Aug. 29, 2021, declaring that Gabby was “gone” and that he “needed a lawyer.”

13 days later, on Sept. 11, 2021, Gabby’s mother reported her missing.

In a quote documented in the complaint:

“On August 29, 2021, Christopher Laundrie and Roberta Laundrie spoke with Steven Bertolino, advising him that Gabrielle Petito was ‘gone,’ that Brian Laundrie needed a lawyer, and sent him a retainer on September 2, 2021.”

If you are unfamiliar with the case, you can read about it here:

On September 2, 2021, Attorney Bertolino allegedly entered into a fee agreement with a criminal defense law firm, Fleener Peterson LLC, in Wyoming to represent Brian. In addition, Attorney Bertolino contacted a public defender’s office, and other lawyers, in the same county where Gabby’s body was discovered.

The complaint continues to say that on August 30, 2021, allegedly Brian sent a text to Gabby’s mother from her phone that said that there was no service in Yosemite Park. According to the complaint, this was an

“effort deceive Nichole Schmidt into believing that Gabrielle Petito was still alive.”

Details emerging from depositions conducted in October paint a damning picture. Pat Reilly, an attorney for the Petito family, revealed that Attorney Bertolino released a statement on Sept. 14 expressing hope for Gabby’s safe return, even though the Laundries allegedly knew she had been murdered by Brian.

In a statement posted by Attorney Bertolino,

“We have no comment to the filed allegations. We will be filing our answers in the next few days.”

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This timeline of events adds another layer of shock to an already surprising case!

Brain allegedly returned to his parents’ Florida home in Gabby’s van on Sept. 1, 2021, just days before the September 14th public expression of hope, sent through Attorney Bertolino, for Gabby’s safe return.

“For the Laundries and Steven Bertolino to express their ‘hope’ that Gabrielle Petito was located and reunited with her family, at a time when they knew she had been murdered by Brian Laundrie was beyond outrageous.”

The Petito family’s lawsuit contends that the statements made by Bertolino and the Laundries were either “intentional or reckless,” causing profound emotional distress. The complaint describes their conduct as 

“odious and utterly intolerable in a civilized community.”

Attorney Reilly said,

“It was an emotional, gut wrenching and eye opening day for Joe and Nichole. They learned exactly what the Laundries and Bertolino knew while Joe and Nichole and the rest of the family were searching for any information on Gabby, but failed to disclose. The level of insensitivity of Mr. Bertolino is shocking but not unexpected,”

As the legal proceedings unfold, the revelations surrounding Brian’s alleged admission brings a new level of heartbreak and betrayal to an already tragic story. 

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