Found Deceased WY - Gabby Petito, Grand Teton National Park #88

[Skigirl]

Does anyone have a link to Steven Bertolino's deposition? TIA!

 

[Jade]

RSBM

Unfortunately, it is always in some attorney's personal interest to urge their clients to file a claim, because of the benefit to themselves in terms of fees. These things are make-work projects for lawyers.

They also consume enormous resouces of the taxpayer-funded court system. Not just the costs of staff, but also their time. There aren't an infinite number of judges to sit over prolonged trials that involve the details of whether someone should or should not have made a phone call. There are massive numbers of cases involving awards for death and medical insurance payouts demanding attention, too.

Theoretically, the loser of a case will have to pay court costs, but when innumerable appeals are available, those can go unpaid for years, and perhaps never be paid, if the loser is driven into bankruptcy.

Florida has reformed their tort law to try to streamline the system. As a result, just before the law came into effect last year, vast numbers of filings were made, resulting in an overwhelming load of cases to now be worked through. As Lawyers Warned, Florida Courts Flooded with Suits Before Tort-Reform Bill Signed

IMO, there is 'public interest', in terms of entertainment value, but there is also 'public interest' in terms of the larger issues of how can the system keep functioning.

JMO

That’s just Florida using state powers to provide Safe Harbors for Insurers. Too bad for the citizens.

As always with lawyers there mutual benefits. They get their money; the client gets their case.

Those are personal complaints not why someone should not be ashamed pursue Tort as there are many successful settlements.
If someone wants to go bankrupt pursuing an outcome that’s their choice.


all imo

 

[Smelly Squirrel]

I think BL did have an anger problem, but he may have behaved in front of his family. This video may be telling, the way slams the door at the beginning,

 

[DFWNF]

https://www.scribd.com/document/706192319/Clerk-Document

 

[DFWNF]

Does anyone have a link to Steven Bertolino's deposition? TIA!

https://www.scribd.com/document/706192319/Clerk-Document

sorry you will have to scroll back up to the start

 

[Skigirl]

https://www.scribd.com/document/706192319/Clerk-Document

TY!

 

[Jade]

Finding "asap." Who “Robbed?” GP’s Parents of Cradling/Kissing Goodbye? CL, RL, Atty?

@DFWNF
Did CL, RL, or Atty's silence or stmts (or non-disclosures, or allegedly misleading stmts, however characterized, even if actually big fat lies) preclude JP & NS from a cradling/kissing goodbye w GP? No, imo, it was BL & only BL, whose action of killing Gabby precluded that (or “robbed” JP & NS of that chance).

Once LE is aware of remains found in in a circumstance like this, the site is treated a CRIME SCENE with a SUSPICIOUS DEATH & remains are transported for an AUTOPSY. Not a bedside scene w loving family gathered round in home or hospital like in a Hallmark movie.

@NCWatcher noted yesterday, if BL told his parents about GP’s death & location of remains, & if his parents relayed info to GP’s parents; & if they immed'ly rushed to WY, GP’s parents would not have had an opportunity for a cradling/kissing goodbye, not w condition of remains after PASSAGE OF TWO OR THREE DAYS post death. <----My paraphrasing of post by @NCWatcher, hoping I did not bungle up intended meaning.

But it’s not just days passing that precluded the cradling/kissing goodbye. Here’s a waaay far out HYPOTHETICAL to illustrate that finding remains “asap” would not have allowed G0’s parents a cradling/kissing goodbye, even, say an hour after discovery of remains.

HYPO. A Teton County deputy sheriff, a St. of WY. AG - Division of Criminal Investigation employee, a Spec.Ag. of FBI's local field office, and an area physician are friends having a picnic on day off.
After the get together ends, one of them walking the 100 ft. from table to his car, sees a body on ground & draws closer. It’s still a bit warm but has no respiration and bears strangulation marks on neck & signs of blunt force trauma on head. He summons the others, "calls it in;" and the doctor verifies death; They take preliminary steps to preserve the scene.
10 min. or one hour (or pick a time) after discovery of remains, GP's parents also in park/forest are driving along (maybe they were magically teleported? IDK), and their car as well as other traffic is blocked by the cordon of emergency vehicles. They learn that Gabby's remains are there & ask LEOs for permission to say goodbye.

Would LEOs already on scene or others assigned to case allow JP & NS a cradling/kissing "goodbye" then & there? It's a CRIME SCENE w. a SUSPICIOUS DEATH; remains are transported for an AUTOPSY. No CONTAMINATING the remains, not even on SAME DAY, not even parents to say goodbye. Imo. End Hypothetical.

Return to Real Life.
After killing GP, NO calls that BL could have made to anyone, and no calls that CL, RL, or Bertolino could have made to JP, NS, Bertolino, or to LE anywhere could prevented GP's parents from being "robbed" of that kind of goodbye. CL, RL, & Bertolino's silence or stmts had no effect. ALL BL's fault. Imo.

Really?
Nit picking on a missing girl’s own thread about a sentiment that the P’s might want to have a body in decent condition to bury?

It’s a saying.
It’s trying to explain to those who don’t understand how grievous it was having the killer leave your child’s body to lay alone far from home and loved ones while he drove away in her vehicle using her credit card.

Defending the killer and his cruel parents because it was too late anyway?

If Brian had not received shelter and protection at this parents’ house then I might agree its all on him but it turned into a family scam.

Most families have a way of saying someone has died:
They say they have passed
Have transitioned
Are gone
The Laundries knew by their family semantics and because his Mother was so enmeshed with him.

Otherwise why not answer the phone and say the truth; she’s gone and he’s got her van and credit card?


all imo

 

[Smelly Squirrel]

Does anyone have a link to Steven Bertolino's deposition? TIA!

You can get any of the filed documents at the court site Sarasota Clerk

Case number is 2022 CA 1128 SC

 

[Cedars]

Really?
Nit picking on a missing girl’s own thread about a sentiment that the P’s might want to have a body in decent condition to bury?

It’s a saying.
It’s trying to explain to those who don’t understand how grievous it was having the killer leave your child’s body to lay alone far from home and loved ones while he drove away in her vehicle using her credit card.

Defending the killer and his cruel parents because it was too late anyway?

If Brian had not received shelter and protection at this parents’ house then I might agree its all on him but it turned into a family scam.

Most families have a way of saying someone has died:
They say they have passed
Have transitioned
Are gone
The Laundries knew by their family semantics and because his Mother was so enmeshed with him.

Otherwise why not answer the phone and say the truth; she’s gone and he’s got her van and credit card?


all imo

IMO, it's not that people 'don't understand'. It's that, for myself, there is the reality "it is what it is". There's no point in my stirring up feelings of outrage. If I wanted to, I could spend my life reading all the headlines in the world, and imagining myself into deep feelings of outrage over every single thing in our world that causes strangers to suffer. And then I could turn to my family and friends, and stir up deep feelings of outrage about how horrible x,y and z must have felt to them. And then, of course, there's my own life - how outrageous so and so did this, did that, to me.

But I don't do that - life sucks sometimes, but we have to live it, not reduce ourselves to helpless puddles of misery because of those bad moments, which are in the past, and can't be changed.

My understanding is, even GP's parents have decided it's time to let go of this and move on. I'm sure that's what Gabby would have wanted. Get into your van and go hit the road. There's no happily ever after, but make the most of the time you have.

JMO

 

[DFWNF]

Can we now expect charges against the Laundries for impeding the search by withholding info?
They consumed enormous resouces of taxpayer-funded law enforcement. Not just the costs of staff, but also the time searching.
I'm quoting some of CL's depo here:

I sure hope so.

 

[al66pine]

SENTIMENT? LE PROCEDURE?

Really?
Nit picking on a missing girl’s own thread about a sentiment that the P’s might want to have a body in decent condition to bury?

It’s a saying.
It’s trying to explain to those who don’t understand how grievous it was having the killer leave your child’s body to lay alone far from home and loved ones while he drove away in her vehicle using her credit card.

Defending the killer and his cruel parents because it was too late anyway?

If Brian had not received shelter and protection at this parents’ house then I might agree its all on him but it turned into a family scam.

Most families have a way of saying someone has died:
They say they have passed
Have transitioned
Are gone
The Laundries knew by their family semantics and because his Mother was so enmeshed with him.

Otherwise why not answer the phone and say the truth; she’s gone and he’s got her van and credit card?
all imo

@Jade
Post above says:
"Nit picking on a missing girl’s own thread about a sentiment that the P’s might want to have a body in decent condition to bury?"
Another poster raised the idea of a SENTIMENT, a desire to cradle & kiss Gabby goodbye, that GP's parents and virtually any parent in their shoes may have felt. I responded.

Respectfully, my post did not "nit pick" that sentiment but pointed out the REALITY of LE PROCEDURE after discovering remains in a circumstance like this, and why that a sentiment like that could not be accommodated. On a true crime website/forum, noting routine LE procedure does not seem out of line imo.

Losing a child? I can only begin to imagine the heartbreak, and yes, it would be even worse if the killer left child’s body to lay alone far from home, etc.

The rest of OP is not germane to my post, but my post did not defend BL or his parents, nor did it comment on L. family's usage of the word "gone" nor did it address relationship or "enmeshment" w BL and RL.
imo

 

[MyBelle]

Never heard about a public defender or this email chain before. What is the source for this information?

iirc, it was in Bertolino's depo. He said the state of Wyoming is so sparsely populated, he first called a Wyoming Public Defender who then recommended several names of attorneys who may not live in the same county but who cover the entire state. He spoke to several attorneys before he selected a firm.

JMO

 

[GRT]

My understanding is, even GP's parents have decided it's time to let go of this and move on. I'm sure that's what Gabby would have wanted. Get into your van and go hit the road. There's no happily ever after, but make the most of the time you have.

JMO

RSBM

I think you really hit the nail on the head. The Petitos wanted the Laundries to answer for their behavior--they wanted an explanation--and they got it via the depositions. It was only after they got those that they pursued mediation. And, when they went for mediation, I had a feeling it was probably over because that's what mediation is designed to do.

As you said, there is no happily ever after, but there is life after losing a loved one, and it seems as though GP's parents are ready to move forward.

I think everyone involved in this tragedy looks back and wished they could do something differently--something that might have changed the outcome.

I'm hopeful that both families can breathe a bit easier now and focus on living. This was such a sad state of affairs all the way around.

 

[Jade]

SENTIMENT? LE PROCEDURE?

@Jade
Post above says:
"Nit picking on a missing girl’s own thread about a sentiment that the P’s might want to have a body in decent condition to bury?"
Another poster raised the idea of a SENTIMENT, a desire to cradle & kiss Gabby goodbye, that GP's parents and virtually any parent in their shoes may have felt. I responded.

Respectfully, my post did not "nit pick" that sentiment but pointed out the REALITY of LE PROCEDURE after discovering remains in a circumstance like this, and why that a sentiment like that could not be accommodated. On a true crime website/forum, noting routine LE procedure does not seem out of line imo.

Losing a child? I can only begin to imagine the heartbreak, and yes, it would be even worse if the killer left child’s body to lay alone far from home, etc.

The rest of OP is not germane to my post, but my post did not defend BL or his parents, nor did it comment on L. family's usage of the word "gone" nor did it address relationship or "enmeshment" w BL and RL.
imo

I’m sorry.
You’re right the topic is routinely and interestingly applied to cases.

You are a long time member who contributes posts exhibiting thought and time the very reason this forum exists.

My post was made in haste and I shouldn’t have tacked on the last thought or posted at all!

All imo

 

[al66pine]

I’m sorry.
You’re right the topic is routinely and interestingly applied to cases.
You are a long time member who contributes posts exhibiting thought and time the very reason this forum exists.
My post was made in haste and I shouldn’t have tacked on the last thought or posted at all!
All imo

@Jade
Posting in haste? Lots of us have done it, including me.
Difficult at times to strike a balance btwn sentiment & legal procedure.

I appreciate your apology. All is well.

 

[housewife]

I think everyone involved in this tragedy looks back and wished they could do something differently--something that might have changed the outcome.

RSBM

The Laundrie depositions highlighted the opposite for me. RL and CL defended their actions vehemently with every question.

 

[housewife]

IMO, it's not that people 'don't understand'. It's that, for myself, there is the reality "it is what it is". There's no point in my stirring up feelings of outrage. If I wanted to, I could spend my life reading all the headlines in the world, and imagining myself into deep feelings of outrage over every single thing in our world that causes strangers to suffer. And then I could turn to my family and friends, and stir up deep feelings of outrage about how horrible x,y and z must have felt to them. And then, of course, there's my own life - how outrageous so and so did this, did that, to me.

But I don't do that - life sucks sometimes, but we have to live it, not reduce ourselves to helpless puddles of misery because of those bad moments, which are in the past, and can't be changed.

My understanding is, even GP's parents have decided it's time to let go of this and move on. I'm sure that's what Gabby would have wanted. Get into your van and go hit the road. There's no happily ever after, but make the most of the time you have.

JMO

My daughter was murdered and her body left to rot outside in an unknown place, but, hey, life sucks sometimes?

IMHO I think it's insulting to insinuate a murder victim's family should "let go and move on".

Especially when the Gabby Petito Foundation will save lives by educating about domestic violence. Gabby's family is honoring her memory and I don't think they should stop.

 

[housewife]

I'm hopeful that both families can breathe a bit easier now and focus on living. This was such a sad state of affairs all the way around.

JMO The Laundries are the only ones feeling relief because of the mediation. They wanted to be left alone and not be held accountable for their actions, and they received it. They might breathe easier, now.

IMO Gabby's family has been focused on living--without Gabby. Relief will never come for them because she was murdered.

 

[Sundog]

My daughter was murdered and her body left to rot outside in an unknown place, but, hey, life sucks sometimes?

IMHO I think it's insulting to insinuate a murder victim's family should "let go and move on".

Especially when the Gabby Petito Foundation will save lives by educating about domestic violence. Gabby's family is honoring her memory and I don't think they should stop.

So very sorry to hear that.

I applaud the Petito's for establishing the Foundation and focusing on saving lives and educating people about domestic violence. I don't think anyone here thinks they should move on from the important work that they are doing as they honor Gabby. Only that the litigation between the Petitos and the Laundries is now over and that the two families can now move on from the legal matters and focus on what is most important for them as a consequence of this great tragedy.

 

[LinasK]

Why is there an almost universal assumption that it was the Petitos who only agreed to settle because they didn't want to go on? More likely, it's that the Laundries didn't want to take it to trial because of what would come out. A settlement legally is equal to an admission of guilt, much like accepting a pardon, or taking an Alford plea. I see the settlement as a win for the Petito family who hopefully got an apology from the Laundrie famiy for their awful conduct in covering up for their son's crime. No reasonable person assumes "gone" means walked away. "Gone" implies permanency, death. Especially not, when immediately followed up with "I need a lawyer".