Laundrie Family Received Death Threats, Attorney Says In Lawsuit

SARASOTA, FL — The former attorney for Brian Laundrie's parents says the Florida couple have received death threats and claims the "severe emotional distress" Gabby Petito's family has cited in their lawsuit against them was "pre-existing" in new court documents.

The response is part of a recently amended complaint attached to the ongoing lawsuit against the Laundries, whose son Brian admitted killing Gabby, Fox News reported.

Petito's family is suing Christopher and Roberta Laundrie, as well as their former attorney, Steven Bertolino, for emotional distress, alleging the Laundries knew Gabby was dead and gave false hope of her being alive when they released a statement during the investigation into her disappearance.

In his response, Bertolino claims Petito's mother, Nichole Schmidt, had only briefly met the Laundries once and denies the families had a "cordial relationship," Fox reported.

Gabby Petito, a vanlife blogger from Long Island, New York, was reported missing by her mother on Sept. 11, 2021, after contact was lost with her family during a cross-country trip that ended near Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming.

Brian Laundrie, her fiancé, strangled her to death and left her body at a Wyoming campsite in August 2021 while they were on a cross-country trip.

Petito's parents, Joseph Petito and Nichole Schmidt, have sued Laundrie's parents, Christopher and Roberta Laundrie, and attorney Steven Bertolino, claiming they intentionally inflicted emotional distress on Petito's family because they knew about her slaying before her body was found and tried to help their son run from the law.

Last week, the lawyer representing the Petito family told a news outlet they would settle the Florida lawsuit if the terms were right.

Patrick Reilly, an attorney for the Petito family, said they will consider a settlement in their lawsuit against the Laundrie family and their attorney, NewsNation reported.

"We would consider a settlement, but it would have to be under the right terms, and no one has proposed proper terms or right terms for the family at this particular point in time. But a settlement is always a possibility," Reilly told NewsNation.

Reilly talked to the network in response to recent court filings in which he claims Laundrie made a phone call to his parents, telling them that "Gabby's gone" and he needed a lawyer.

The lawsuit charges the Petito family was made to believe their daughter was alive because the Laundries, through Bertolino, released a statement saying they hoped they would be reunited.

"It's really the only cause of action we could bring against Christopher and Roberta Laundrie," Reilly told the network.

The Laundries' statement hoping that Gabby would be reunited with her family was viewed to mean she's alive and it's going to be a happy reunion, Reilly added.

"At the time they made that particular statement they knew that she was deceased. And they had known that for about two weeks and kept quiet for that two week period, despite the place from the family to help find her," he said.

• Related: Before Gabby Petito Listed As Missing Laundrie Hired Lawyer: Report

Bertolino has previously expressed interest in a settlement, though Reilly declined to discuss any details, according to reports.

Petito was reported missing on Sept. 11, 2021, after contact was lost with her family during a cross-country trip that ended near Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. Investigators have concluded Petito died around Aug. 28, 2021. Her remains were found on Sept. 19, 2021, eight days after she was reported missing by Schmidt in her hometown of Suffolk County, New York.

Laundrie drove home alone to his parents' house in Florida. Amid the massive search for Petito involving multiple law enforcement agencies, Brian Laundrie refused to speak with investigators.

As the investigation into her disappearance was unfolding, footage surfaced from police bodycams showing Petito sobbing after a physical fight she had with Laundrie outside a restaurant in Utah.

Laundrie later took his own life, shooting himself in the head in a Sarasota County park in September of 2021. A notebook found near his remains a month later contained his confession, admitting to strangling Petito after she fell into a ravine and was severely injured, according to the FBI.

In the two years since Petito died, her family started a foundation in her name that advocates for both domestic violence victims and the families of missing persons.

Related Stories:

• Witness List Updated For Petito, Laundrie Trial In Florida
• Gabby Petito's Parents Add Laundrie Attorney To Lawsuit
• $50M Petito Lawsuit Against UT Cops A 'Stunt,' Lawyer Says
• Laundrie's Mom Offered To Bake Cake With Shiv For Son
• Petito Parents Win $3M Wrongful Death Case Vs. Laundrie Estate: Report

Story includes reporting by Patch Editor Peggy Spellman Hoey on Long Island.