Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie appear in Aug. 12, 2021 Moab, Utah police body camera videos.
The family of the murdered Gabby Petito, 22, announced Thursday that they reached a settlement with the parents of her killer, Brian Laundrie. The terms are confidential.
Gabby’s parents, Joseph Petito and Nichole Schmidt, had been split at the time of her murder, but worked together after their loss. They ended up suing Laundrie’s parents, Christopher Laundrie and Roberta Laundrie, and that couple’s attorney, Steven Bertolino. The plaintiff family said that during the search for the missing Gabby, the Laundries and the lawyer knew that Brian had killed her and that they knew the whereabouts of her body.
For example, they said Bertolino knew this when releasing a statement on behalf of the Laundrie family expressing hope that Gabby Petito would be “reunited” with her family.
The third amended complaint maintains previous allegations that the Laundries knew that their son had killed Gabby Petito while the killer and victim were on a cross-country trip. The Laundries were accused of withholding that information and Gabby’s whereabouts, even going on vacation.
The Laundries denied knowing of the murder or of Petito’s whereabouts before her body was found in Wyoming’s Bridger-Teton National Forest. A civil trial was set for May 13 in Sarasota County, Florida, but the newly announced settlement puts a stop to that.
Joseph Petito, Nichole Schmidt, and their respective spouses, Tara Petito and James Schmidt, released a statement on Thursday to Law&Crime announcing the development:
After a long day of mediation, a confidential resolution has been reached between the parents of Gabby Petitio, the parents of Brian Laundrie and Attorney Steven Bertolino to which all parties reluctantly agreed in order to avoid further legal expenses and prolonged personal conflict. Our hope is to close this chapter of our lives to allow us to move on and continue to honor the legacy of our beautiful daughter, Gabby.
More Law&Crime coverage: Couple who hosted Parkland defendant apologizes as part of lawsuit settlement
