Ashleigh Banfield's interview w/Mr. Bertolino has posted to YouTube:
Thanks for posting this full video link. Imo, much confusion has come from viewing isolated segments. In viewing this interview in its entirety, SB actually explains alot. There is much speculation based on the timing of when BL left, when FBI & SB discussed BL’s failure to return, when NPPD became aware they’d “lost” BL & when/why the missing persons report was filed days after the fact. If you listen to the entire interview, the timeline is very clear & the reasons people have become confused become clear too.
For the record, while I think SB should stop doing interviews, I think he really is just a long-time friend of the L’s, practicing in the wrong branch of law, but trying to counsel his friends in an impossibly traumatic circumstance. Perhaps the L’s couldn’t afford the pricier tag of a criminal attorney. Idk. But what I see is much twisting of SB’s words. I think EVERYTHING about this case has proven to be MUCH simpler than the places the imagination goes.
Two young adults who really did love each other developed a very unhealthy, immature, toxic & at times abusive manner of interacting with each other. BL killed GP in an escalated fit of rage, then killed himself. GP’s dad never liked BL & called him a feminine version of his name. GP’s mom thought BL would keep her safe on the trip. The L’s did not want to interact with GP’s parents- maybe to legally protect their son, maybe because they didn’t like them ever. It’s not clear.
Imo, the only thing that can matter at this point is how can we ALL recognize these signs & help all couples- but especially young adults- navigate through life in a healthy, mature way? There’s got to be a way to help people learn & avoid this scenario.
All moo, imo, jmo etc.