The tragic death of Gabi Petito was not to be. Yes, Brian Laundry murdered her through domestic violence. but he was not alone
The Petito family’s lawsuit against the Moab police has already shown how obvious Gabi’s injuries were in her final weeks of life.
These setbacks – and worse – didn’t stop after Gabe’s death. And it was not only the police that did not give priority to justice.
According to the Petito family’s legal team, Brian Laundry’s mother wrote him a “burn after reading” letter that gave him advice on how to avoid his murder.
One of the attorneys representing Gabby Petito’s parents has accused Brian Laundry’s mother of aiding and abetting her son after Gabby’s murder.
Specifically, advising him to get a shovel, bury a body, and burn the note.
This week, during a court hearing, attorney Patrick Reilly told the court about an alleged letter investigators recovered from a laundry bag.
Remember, laundry took a life of its own in hiding. His luggage provided many answers.
The letter, the attorney accused, discussed the idea of Roberta Laundry eventually “helping him get out of prison” if he ended up behind bars.
Vaguely, he said the letter pointed to “some other things”.
That was not all.
Additionally, the counsel told the court that the envelope in which the letter was contained had a message on it.
The envelope allegedly read, “Burn after reading.” Obviously, Laundry didn’t follow her mother’s stated wishes.
Since the story of Gabby Petito’s tragic disappearance first aired and became a viral, watchable saga, all eyes have been on Laundry.
Most people very sensibly concluded that the most likely suspect was her boyfriend. They were traveling together and living out of a van.
and a bystander had seen Laundry physically abusing her a few weeks before her murder.
The letter is genuine. Even the Laundry family’s own lawyer confirmed this.
However, Team Laundry is trying to argue that the letter is irrelevant – alleging that it “pre-dates Brian and Gabby’s visit.”
P. Matthew Luca elaborated, alleging that despite the phrase – about burying a body and burning the letter – it was all just an unfortunate coincidence.
“I know that some of the words used in the letter are unfortunate and may suggest that there is some connection, but it is not,” the lawyer alleged.
Meanwhile, Team Petito notes that the letter is not dated.
One has to wonder how many letters he had when the laundry went into hiding. Does anyone take old, accidentally accusatory letters when they’re on the lam?
The trial is expected to get underway in earnest at the end of this summer, in August.
The Petito family is not suing the laundries for Brian’s murder. Rather, they are suing for emotional distress caused during the investigation.
Simply put, you do not have a legal obligation to tell someone that their daughter is dead in most cases. But if you make a public statement that she may be alive, while you know privately that she isn’t… that’s different. A court will determine whether this cruel act has occurred.