Young couple goes on van tour of US, boy comes back with van - no girl

The fiance and killer of the domestic violence murder victim Gabby Petito desperately called his parents and told them that she was “gone” weeks before she was discovered dead – yet they later shared messages expressing hope that search efforts for her would end in success, her family has alleged.

Petito’s parents, Joseph Petito and Nichole Schmidt, made the claim in a lawsuit that they are pursuing against Brian Laundrie’s family and their attorney in the latest chapter to a case that has generated international news headlines.

The Petitos, who amended the lawsuit with the new allegations on 30 November, have accused Laundrie’s parents as well as their lawyer of intentionally withholding information about their daughter’s murder, inflicting on them pain and emotional distress.

The Petitos allege that Christopher and Roberta Laundrie received “a frantic telephone call” from their son on 29 August 2021 in which he said his betrothed Gabby was “gone” and that he “needed a lawyer”.

That same day, the Petitos allege, Christopher and Roberta Laundrie spoke with a lawyer, Steven Bertolino. The Laundries, from Florida, are accused of telling Bertolino that Petito was “gone” and their son needed an attorney.

Four days later, on 2 September 2021, the Laundries had paid Bertolino to retain his services, and he in turn entered into a fee agreement with a criminal defense law firm in Wyoming, the state where Petito would later be found dead.

Petito’s mother reported her missing on 11 September 2021, setting off a search effort around Wyoming’s Grand Teton national park, where she had planned to travel with Laundrie. Three days after she was reported missing, Bertolino issued a statement on behalf of the Laundries reading: “It is our hope that the search for Miss Petito is successful and that Miss Petito is reunited with her family.”

Meanwhile, the day after his call to his parents, Laundrie sent a text message from Petito’s phone to her mother saying there was no cell service where they were, the amended lawsuit notes. Nichole Schmidt now interprets that text as an attempt to “deceive [her] into believing that Gabrielle Petito was still alive”.……

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news...undrie-parents-lawsuit?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other