Netflix has unveiled a chilling new docuseries, American Murder, Gabby Petito, revisiting the sad case that gripped the nation. The series examines the 2021 murder of Gabby Petito, a 22-year-old travel vlogger, and the investigation into her disappearance and murder.
Gabby Petito and her boyfriend Brian Laundrie got to know each other in high school at Bayport-Blue Point High School in Long Island, New York. During the summer of 2021, the couple traveled across the country to visit national parks in the U.S. Petito, a wannabe travel vlogger, intended to cover their adventure on her YouTube channel Nomadic Statik and Instagram.
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On September 11, 2021, Petito’s mother, Nichole Schmidt, reported her missing after she received a suspicious text and lost contact for several days. Police found that Brian returned to their North Port, Florida residence in Gabby’s van on September 1 without Gabby. His parents, Christopher and Roberta Laundrie, were tight-lipped, not speaking to the police and referring questions to their lawyer.
Two days later, on September 19, Gabby’s body was discovered in Wyoming’s Bridger-Teton National Forest. Brian went missing two days after that. Weeks later, his skeletal remains were found in Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park, along with a backpack and notebook. A forensic anthropologist concluded that he had been killed by a self-inflicted gunshot.
Who Are Brian Laundrie’s Parents?
Christopher and Roberta Laundrie had been residing in North Port, Florida before Brian and Gabby relocated to them. They were from various locations throughout New York, such as Long Island, Bayport, Bohemia, Maspeth, Forest Hills, and Sayville.
Rob and Gabby shared a venture in which they operated Juicer Services Inc. They sold and repaired commercial juicers. They now have it posted on Google as “permanently closed.”
Brian’s sister, Cassie Laundrie, likewise resided in Florida during the period when Gabby went missing. Petito’s friend, Rose Davis, stated in the Netflix docuseries that Gabby had a bad time getting along with Brian’s family, especially Roberta.
The Controversial “Burn After Reading” Letter
A letter written by Roberta Laundrie to Brian was discovered in his backpack when the authorities found his remains. Within an envelope with the words “burn after reading,” the letter contained phrases like;
- “If you’re in jail, I will bake a cake with a file in it.”
- “If you need to dispose of a body, I will bring show up with a shovel and garbage bags.”
- “If you tell me you despise my guts, I’ll replace my guts.”
Roberta later stated the letter was penned before Brian and Gabby’s road trip and had nothing to do with Petito’s murder. But this was refuted by Gabby’s family in their lawsuit against the Laundries.
Were Brian Laundrie’s Parents Sued?
In March 2022, Joseph Petito and Nichole Schmidt, Gabby Petito’s parents, sued Christopher and Roberta Laundrie. They blamed Brian’s parents for aiding him in hiding Gabby’s murder and for trying to help him escape to another country.
The suit, which initially asked for $100,000, was subsequently amended in May 2022 to demand $300,000. In the filing, Brian’s parents were accused of knowing about the murder of Gabby and her whereabouts during the missing person inquiry.
“Christopher Laundrie and Roberta Laundrie engaged in outrageous and extreme behavior that constitutes conduct, in light of the circumstances, which is beyond all bounds of decency and which is considered to be shocking, atrocious, and utterly intolerable in a civilized community,” the suit alleged.
The Civil Case and Recent Developments
In February of 2024, Christopher and Roberta Laundrie testified under oath for the first time regarding Gabby’s murder as part of depositions. Transcripts of court hearings showed Christopher verifying Brian’s desperate calls around late August of 2021, stating, “Gabby’s gone.”
Soon after depositions, the two families also agreed to a confidential settlement on the civil suit.
“Christopher and Roberta Laundrie and I went through mediation with the Petito family, and the civil lawsuit is now resolved. The settlement terms are private, and we hope to close the book on this,” their lawyer, Steve Bertolino, stated.
Where Are Christopher and Roberta Laundrie Now?
Since Gabby Petito’s death, Brian Laundrie’s parents have been mostly out of the limelight. After the settlement of the lawsuit, they have not made any public comments.
Brian’s sister, Cassie Laundrie, seems to have distanced herself from her parents. An Instagram account that is thought to be hers regularly posts about suicide prevention and grief. In a February 2024 post, she said that she had not spoken to her parents in almost two years.
On September 13, 2023, an Instagram post in her name read, “I miss and think about my brother each day. Today is one year I have lived without him, but it’s more than that [and] not for Facebook. I simply want to remind my friends here that they are loved always and no matter what you’re experiencing, life is beautiful even in the pain.”
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With the release of American Murder: Gabby Petito, Netflix aims to shed light on one of the most widely followed criminal cases in recent history, sparking renewed discussions on justice, accountability, and media coverage of high-profile crimes.
