‘Not Just Gabby Petito’ Case Deserves Media Attention: Dad

BOHEMIA, NY — Known for her signature artistic flair, Gabrielle “Gabby” Petito had several tattoos, but there was one with a single phrase that her family chose to remember her by.

Her four parents held out their arms at a news conference on Long Island on Tuesday, displaying matching tattoos on their forearms with her favorite phrase, “Let it be,” as they announced the launch of a foundation in the slain Long Island native’s name.

The mission of the Gabby Petito Foundation is to help the families of people who are missing, just like she once was.

“Gabby Petito loved life, loved people, and loved experiences,” said the family’s attorney, Rick Stafford, adding, “She was the bright light in everyone's life — they knew her. Gabby's family does not want that light to dim. And they want to make some good from this awful tragedy.”

Petito was reported missing after she did not return home from a road trip with her fiancé, Brian Laundrie, who is currently a person of interest and is wanted on a warrant for illegally accessing an unnamed bank account.

Petito, a 22-year-old former Blue Point resident who had been living in North Port, FL, the past two years with Laundrie and his family, was found dead on Sept. 19, in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming, and while her family has celebrated her life during a public memorial service on Sunday, they have not recovered her remains due to the ongoing investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Petito’s father, Joseph Petito, stepmother, Tara Petito, as well as her mother, Nichole Schmidt, and stepfather, Jim Schmidt, had “Let it be” inscribed forever on their skin as a way to remember her.

Still raw, the wounds were taped to protect their skin from infection.

Nichole Schmidt also had a drawing her daughter drew that was also chiseled onto the inside of her left arm with a tattoo gun needle.

“I wanted to have her with me all the time,” she told reporters.

Her husband, Jim Schmidt, said the combined family is hoping through its “tragedy with losing Gabby, that in the future, some good can come out of it.”

Petito’s family hopes they can help other people that may be in a similar situation, Schmidt said, adding, that the foundation can “reach out to other organizations that do similar things and find out what's missing,” to see how the “void” can be filled.

He questioned what they can do to help people from The AWARE Foundation, Inc. whose volunteers reached two million people in 48 hours when a missing notification was sent out as an action alert. Because of Petito’s case, law enforcement agencies are now starting to look back at other missing person cases, and they are starting to re-investigate them, he said.

“We're just hopeful that we're able to help people in the future,” he added.

Joseph Petito thanked the press for their coverage of Petito’s case, and added that “social media has been amazing.”

“That was very helpful in bringing our daughter home,” he said.

He went on to say that the family needs “positive stuff to come from the tragedy that happened,” adding. “We can't let her name be taken in vain.”

He continued by asking for help for other missing people and their loved ones.

“And, like I said before, it's on all you — everyone that's in this room to do that,” he said, addressing dozens of press.

“And if you don't do that, for other people that are missing, that's a shame,” he said, adding, “it's not just Gabby who deserves the attention. “So look to yourself — on why not that's not being done.”

The family is grateful for the work that law enforcement has undertaken in Petito’s case, Stafford said.

In recent days, there has been speculation that the parents of Laundrie, who has not been named a suspect in the homicide case, somehow aided him to evade law enforcement. Their attorney denied that on Sunday night, saying they do not know where he is and are concerned about him, according to published reports.

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• 'Be Inspired': Gabby Petito's Dad At Long Island Memorial Service
• Memorial Butterfly Release Planned In North Port For Gabby Petito

Through Stafford, the family declined to answer any questions about Laundrie or his family.

He said the FBI has requested that they do not speak out specifically about the investigation.

“Again, for the Laundrie silence,” said Stafford, adding, “The Laundries did not help us find Gabby. They are sure not going to help us find Brian. For Brian: We're asking you to turn yourself into the FBI or the nearest law enforcement agency.”

He said that in the days after it was announced that Petito’s body was found there was an “outpouring of love and affection and sympathy from not just their family and friends, but from the law enforcement community, the press, and from people around the world.”

“And for that they thank you,” he said. “They've been given the time and the space to grieve this awful loss. And we ask that you continue to respect their privacy and give them the space and time to go through this difficult process.”

He urged anyone who might have a tip about the whereabouts of Laundrie to contact 1-800-CALL-FBI.