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

[Sillybilly]

Hi!

I am interested in reading the "Bully" threads. Could you link me?

Thanks for your hard work SB!

Bullies and Stalkers

Using intimidation to get one's way, or to ruin another person's life with lies and deception.

www.websleuths.com

 

[GRT]

BBM

I don't think the issue is whether Gabby's family suffered. I think we all know they did and still are. No one doubts that. Many of us also think the Laundries suffered and are still suffering. (And it amazes me when people deny that or somehow claim they "deserve it.")

But the lawsuit isn't about whether GP's family suffered. The issue is whether the Laundries should have contacted GP's family. Would they have suffered significantly less had the Laundries called to say "We don't know what happened, we don't know what our son meant by "Gabby's gone" but have you considered your daughter could be dead?" I don't think that would have lessened their suffering myself.
MOO

This is how I see it.

And, although a jury can do anything (and often does), I don't see that the Laundries did anything different from what any other parents would do.

I think both families have suffered immensely, but I don't think the Laundries are liable for behaving in a way that might or might not have made the Petitos feel better. They had to do what was right for their family and their situation at the time.

Sharing their thoughts that Gabby *might* be dead would have been perceived as cruel to my way of thinking. Unless I knew for sure someone was dead, I would not suggest that to their loved ones.

The Laundries were probably trying to give their son the benefit of the doubt--he was likely very upset and they seemed to sense he might commit suicide, so why would they exacerbate his angst? I see Brian as being a person who was high-strung, and his parents were probably used to trying to calm him down. Just all MOO, of course, but the last thing a parent would do would be to suggest to the other set of parents that their child might be dead.

None of us can say for sure what we would have done in the Laundrie's position, but I think I would have held out hope that Gabby was alive, maybe she had run off and was mad, maybe they had a fight and he hit her, maybe many things. But the last thing I'd do is run to her parents and tell them I thought she might be dead when I didn't know for sure.

I don't think Brian confessed to them. I think he left them hanging and that's why he wrote the suicide note he did.

There would be no reason to write that note if he had confessed to his parents. They were the only ones left he cared about and he wanted to soften the blow. He made up an odd tale, but I think he did it to ease the pain his actions would cause for his parents.

All MOO.

 

[GRT]

<Snipped for focus>

The thing about mediation is, however, that mediation doesn't give either side everything they want. If that were the case, it wouldn't be mediation.

With regard to an apology, I don't know what the Laundries would be apologizing for. I guess they could say something like "We apologize if our efforts to follow our attorney's advice led to additional pain on your part. By no means was that our intention as we sought to deal with the situation that was unfolding before us. "

Not very well-written, but something like that might be possible, and perhaps would be an acceptable mediation statement.

But I rather think that a mediation settlement would be confidential, with neither the amount of the settlement (if any) or an apology (if made) disclosed to the public. Both would be confidential, IMO, and there would be an agreement not to disparage one another going forward. The usual legal language of mediated conflicts.

Again, hoping there is a settlement arrived at tomorrow through mediation and that it reflects fairness to both parties in the dispute.

I'm hoping so, too. It would be so nice to see both families get a break from all of this so they can move forward with life.

I can only think that a trial would hurt both of them <modsnip>.

Both sets of parents have already suffered the ultimate punishment.I hope peace prevails today.

Like you, I feel as though they might keep it confidential if they come to an agreement.

 

[GRT]

Parents of Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie set for mediation in emotional distress lawsuit

(CNN) — The families of Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie are set to attend a mediation conference Wednesday, court records show, in an effort to resolve a lawsuit in which

www.wlfi.com

 

[NCWatcher]

This is how I see it.

And, although a jury can do anything (and often does), I don't see that the Laundries did anything different from what any other parents would do.

I think both families have suffered immensely, but I don't think the Laundries are liable for behaving in a way that might or might not have made the Petitos feel better. They had to do what was right for their family and their situation at the time.

Sharing their thoughts that Gabby *might* be dead would have been perceived as cruel to my way of thinking. Unless I knew for sure someone was dead, I would not suggest that to their loved ones.

The Laundries were probably trying to give their son the benefit of the doubt--he was likely very upset and they seemed to sense he might commit suicide, so why would they exacerbate his angst? I see Brian as being a person who was high-strung, and his parents were probably used to trying to calm him down. Just all MOO, of course, but the last thing a parent would do would be to suggest to the other set of parents that their child might be dead.

None of us can say for sure what we would have done in the Laundrie's position, but I think I would have held out hope that Gabby was alive, maybe she had run off and was mad, maybe they had a fight and he hit her, maybe many things. But the last thing I'd do is run to her parents and tell them I thought she might be dead when I didn't know for sure.

I don't think Brian confessed to them. I think he left them hanging and that's why he wrote the suicide note he did.

There would be no reason to write that note if he had confessed to his parents. They were the only ones left he cared about and he wanted to soften the blow. He made up an odd tale, but I think he did it to ease the pain his actions would cause for his parents.

All MOO.

Absolutely. I would never had said she might be dead either if I didn't know. And, like you, I don't think the Laundries did know. So I don't see how mentioning that possibility would have helped anyone.
MOO

 

[imstilla.grandma]

If mediation is unsuccessful, the case is scheduled to go to trial in May.

Wednesday’s conference comes a week after court documents showed Laundrie’s parents acknowledged in depositions that their son told them Petito was “gone” and that he would need a lawyer in a frantic phone call on August 29, 2021, three weeks before Petito’s strangled remains were found in Wyoming’s Bridger-Teton National Forest.

For their parts, the defendants have filed for a summary judgment, asking the court to resolve the case now in their favor. Their statements were not intended to cause emotional distress but to “express” their “sincere wishes,” they argue. And because the case was a “public issue” that was receiving widespread news coverage, they argue their statements should be protected by the First Amendment.

https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/21/us/gabby-petito-brian-laundrie-parents/index.html

 

[DFWNF]

Emotional distress - suffering - is the basis of the lawsuit. The Laundries are accused of causing emotional distress ie.... Suffering. Thus, civil liability.

Caused them extra suffering because it took 3 weeks for the Petitos to get answers. Had the Laundries called the Petitos the day they learned Gabby was gone, the search for her would have been started and publicized sooner and her remains would have been found sooner.

The "not knowing" and "desperation" was torture for them at that time.

Finding what happened sooner would not have helped them in grief but it allowed them to grieve and this should have happened sooner. 3 weeks is an utter disgrace.

2 Cents

And robbed them of a goodbye, cradling their daughter, kissing her forehead etc. Instead she was a rotted decomposed corpse scavenged by animals. Just thinking of the Petito and Schmidt families is overwhelmingly heartbreaking. <modsnip> JMO

 

[al66pine]

Gabby's Parents. Not Able to Cradle Daughter?

And robbed them of a goodbye, cradling their daughter, kissing her forehead etc. Instead she was a rotted decomposed corpse scavenged by animals....

snipped for focus. @DFWNF
True that Gabby's parents were not able to cradle daughter, etc.
But respectfully, RL & CL did NOT cause that.
Nor did Bertolino.
Son BL did.

Hypothetically speaking, even if BL had phoned or texted JP & NS immediately, confessed to killing GP & revealed the site of her remains, could JP & NS have jumped on a plane, flown west to WY Teton-Bridger NF, located the remains, and cradled daughter, kissed her forehead? IDK, seems rather doubtful imo.

Speaking only to that one point of being "robbed of a goodbye."

ETA: Repeating part of a post by @RANCH TYVM :
"Yep, Brian Laundrie was a very bad guy. But he's not a party to this lawsuit."

 

[Sundog]

Hoping we hear some good news today, that the P's and L's are able to settle their differences out of court and spare additional suffering to both sides in a public hearing of their grievances.

But I am thinking that it may take more than one mediation session to cut through the strong sentiments in this case, so perhaps no news today.

 

[DFWNF]

Gabby's Parents. Not Able to Cradle Daughter?

snipped for focus. @DFWNF
True that Gabby's parents were not able to cradle daughter, etc.
But respectfully, RL & CL did NOT cause that.
Nor did Bertolino.
Son BL did.

Hypothetically speaking, even if BL had phoned or texted JP & NS immediately, confessed to killing GP & revealed the site of her remains, could JP & NS have jumped on a plane, flown west to WY Teton-Bridger NF, located the remains, and cradled daughter, kissed her forehead? IDK, seems rather doubtful imo.

Speaking only to that one point of being "robbed of a goodbye."

ETA: Repeating part of a post by @RANCH:
"Yep, Brian Laundrie was a very bad guy. But he's not a party to this lawsuit."

Bbm, they all did. If they had called LE, called the Petito and Schmidts, etc etc LE may have found her asap. Jmo I highly doubt they will settle, and I hope they do not. Sending them prayers. Respectfully agree to disagree al66pine. Jmo

 

[NCWatcher]

Gabby's Parents. Not Able to Cradle Daughter?

snipped for focus. @DFWNF
True that Gabby's parents were not able to cradle daughter, etc.
But respectfully, RL & CL did NOT cause that.
Nor did Bertolino.
Son BL did.

Hypothetically speaking, even if BL had phoned or texted JP & NS immediately, confessed to killing GP & revealed the site of her remains, could JP & NS have jumped on a plane, flown west to WY Teton-Bridger NF, located the remains, and cradled daughter, kissed her forehead? IDK, seems rather doubtful imo.

Only speaking to that one point of being "robbed of a goodbye."

Agree. It sounds like, if I'm reading reports correctly, it's thought BL first called his parents two days after he killed GP. At that point, they didn't know she was dead, but even if they had, by then decomposition was underway. I'm not sure the body would have lent itself to being cradled and kissed by family even the day BL called home, much less by the 3rd day after death. (By then external bloating has often begun.) And as you say, that was not the fault of RL, CL, or SB.

I do hope the families can come to a settlement because I think a trial will be damaging to both sides for a variety of reasons. But I personally doubt a settlement will happen. I've always thought the lawsuit was about a measure of revenge, not accountability or changing laws and Joe Petito has pretty much said that.

“I want to make them hurt as much as they hurt us. As I told Pat, there’s not amount of money that I would settle for, not a dime.”
“And how —how is this lawsuit going to help you change laws?” Petito was asked.
“It’s not. This lawsuit’s not going to help me do anything,” he said.

Those feelings don't suggest settling is very likely to me. MOO

‘Gabby’s gone’: Brian Laundrie’s parents reveal what happened after Petito’s death in new depositions

In the hours after the murder of Gabby Petito, Brian Laundrie made repeated phone calls to his parents who, years later, continue to maintain they were never told Petito was dead, according to cour…

www.wfla.com

 

[girlhasnoname]

Say what you will, but after reading the L's attorney's deposition, there is absolutely no way, no reasonable, logical way on this planet that the L's didn't know that Gabby was dead. BL called them extremely upset and told them she was 'gone', and he needed help, a lawyer get me one fast I'm on my way home.

Then he shows up in their driveway after driving straight through from GT in Wyoming to FL in Gabby's van (titled in her name not Brians) with all of her personal belongings and using her credit card without permission, because Gabby was 'gone'. He didn't say she took off somewhere to meet up with friends, he didn't say he dropped her off at a motel. 'Just gone'. Poof.

Then the L's retain a criminal defense lawyer for Brian for $25,000 that could handle a Federal case in Wyoming? Why would BL need a criminal lawyer with a $25K retainer for if he hadn't done something bad/illegal? Why need a lawyer at all if Gabby was just 'gone'. Make no logical sense.

IMO, they knew Gabby was dead. They denied the Petito family the very basic human compassion of being honest and ending their suffering over where Gabby was and what had happened to her for weeks. The L's got to spend time with BL, talk, get a new phone, go for bike rides, go camping as a family, until BL decided it was time to end it on his terms. They hid when he left their home and they did not tell LE about one of the guns that was missing.

Yes, BL killed Gabby, but the L's helped to facilitate a massive coverup that cost hundreds of thousands of dollars in tax payers money for searches, and even more than that, the mental anguish of a bereaved family over the whereabouts of their child. Sickening, and there should be some accountability. Like JP said, it's not about the money.

JMO

 

[Cedars]

“I want to make them hurt as much as they hurt us. As I told Pat, there’s not amount of money that I would settle for, not a dime.”
“And how —how is this lawsuit going to help you change laws?” Petito was asked.
“It’s not. This lawsuit’s not going to help me do anything,” he said.

Those feelings don't suggest settling is very likely to me. MOO

‘Gabby’s gone’: Brian Laundrie’s parents reveal what happened after Petito’s death in new depositions

In the hours after the murder of Gabby Petito, Brian Laundrie made repeated phone calls to his parents who, years later, continue to maintain they were never told Petito was dead, according to cour…

www.wfla.com

Thanks for the link.

So that would indicate, this case arises from trauma and unprocessed feelings.

There is another perspective, that truly dealing with PTSD requires some form of mental health attention. Looking inwards, not outwards.

For example, other people deal with similar feelings as JP describes, by violence, or becoming addicted. We disapprove of that strongly, we say, that's the wrong approach, you need to go to therapy, not act out. You must heal from the trauma so you can move on, or it will never let you go.

JMO

 

[housewife]

Thanks for the link.

So that would indicate, this case arises from trauma and unprocessed feelings.

There is another perspective, that truly dealing with PTSD requires some form of mental health attention. Looking inwards, not outwards.

For example, other people deal with similar feelings as JP describes, by violence, or becoming addicted. We disapprove of that strongly, we say, that's the wrong approach, you need to go to therapy, not act out. You must heal from the trauma so you can move on, or it will never let you go.

JMO

If the Laundries went to therapy, maybe they would have called the Petito's and said "Hey, did you know Gabby's van is in our driveway? Was she able to get her belongings out or do we have to look for an iPad/charge cord/favorite shirt and mail it to you?"

I agree, therapy might help someone understand empathy for others. With therapy, the Laundries might not have released that additional statement.

Edit: typo

 

[DFWNF]

Say what you will, but after reading the L's attorney's deposition, there is absolutely no way, no reasonable, logical way on this planet that the L's didn't know that Gabby was dead. BL called them extremely upset and told them she was 'gone', and he needed help, a lawyer get me one fast I'm on my way home.

Then he shows up in their driveway after driving straight through from GT in Wyoming to FL in Gabby's van (titled in her name not Brians) with all of her personal belongings and using her credit card without permission, because Gabby was 'gone'. He didn't say she took off somewhere to meet up with friends, he didn't say he dropped her off at a motel. 'Just gone'. Poof.

Then the L's retain a criminal defense lawyer for Brian for $25,000 that could handle a Federal case in Wyoming? Why would BL need a criminal lawyer with a $25K retainer for if he hadn't done something bad/illegal? Why need a lawyer at all if Gabby was just 'gone'. Make no logical sense.

IMO, they knew Gabby was dead. They denied the Petito family the very basic human compassion of being honest and ending their suffering over where Gabby was and what had happened to her for weeks. The L's got to spend time with BL, talk, get a new phone, go for bike rides, go camping as a family, until BL decided it was time to end it on his terms. They hid when he left their home and they did not tell LE about one of the guns that was missing.

Yes, BL killed Gabby, but the L's helped to facilitate a massive coverup that cost hundreds of thousands of dollars in tax payers money for searches, and even more than that, the mental anguish of a bereaved family over the whereabouts of their child. Sickening, and there should be some accountability. Like JP said, it's not about the money.

JMO

Great post girlhasnoname. For those who missed it "We needed, I believe, a criminal Wyoming lawyer." Steve Bertolino page 36 of his depo

 

[imstilla.grandma]

"His voice was very upset and I didn't know why," Roberta Laundrie said. "I didn't want to push him, so we just said goodbye. ... When I got off the phone, I told Chris, you know, 'Brian sounded upset. Maybe you should give him a call.'"

When Christopher Laundrie called Brian, his son was "frantic," he said in his deposition. "He was not calm and he got very excited."

Brian repeatedly told his father, "Gabby's gone" but never said he killed Petito, Christopher Laundrie said. His son asked for help, saying he may need a lawyer. "I asked him why. He wouldn't tell me."

Laundrie's father said he never thought his son killed Petito when he said she was "gone." He said, "I had no idea what to think."

After the conversation, Christopher Laundrie contacted the family's attorney, Steven Bertolino, both of Laundrie's parents said in their depositions. Later that evening, Brian Laundrie called his mother to say he was coming home to Florida, she said.

When asked what she thought her son meant when he said Petito was "gone," Roberta Laundrie said several possibilities ran through her mind, including that the couple may have gotten into a fight and Petito could have been considering pressing charges.

Initially, the mother said she couldn't recall whether she considered the possibility that Brian Laundrie could have killed Petito, saying, "I didn't know what to think." But she later acknowledged the thought "probably went through my mind."

"As we knew each other longer and longer, we grew closer and we really cared for each other," she said. "I cared for her. I believe she cared for me, too. She always said so."

But when asked whether she made any attempt to contact Petito or her parents after the August 29 call, the mother said no. "I was just concerned about my son at the time and I just figured maybe her parents could come get her," she said.

"My attorney told me not to talk to anybody, so I just didn't talk to anybody," Roberta Laundrie said. When Nichole Schmidt, Petito's mother, contacted her, Laundrie did not return the calls, she said.

Brian Laundrie's parents detail 'day everything hit the fan' after son says Gabby Petito was 'gone'

The depositions are part of a lawsuit brought by Gabby Petito's parents against Brian Laundrie's parents for pain and emotional distress, claiming the Laundries knew their son had killed Gabby.

6abc.com

 

[DFWNF]

"His voice was very upset and I didn't know why," Roberta Laundrie said. "I didn't want to push him, so we just said goodbye. ... When I got off the phone, I told Chris, you know, 'Brian sounded upset. Maybe you should give him a call.'"

When Christopher Laundrie called Brian, his son was "frantic," he said in his deposition. "He was not calm and he got very excited."

Brian repeatedly told his father, "Gabby's gone" but never said he killed Petito, Christopher Laundrie said. His son asked for help, saying he may need a lawyer. "I asked him why. He wouldn't tell me."

Laundrie's father said he never thought his son killed Petito when he said she was "gone." He said, "I had no idea what to think."

After the conversation, Christopher Laundrie contacted the family's attorney, Steven Bertolino, both of Laundrie's parents said in their depositions. Later that evening, Brian Laundrie called his mother to say he was coming home to Florida, she said.

When asked what she thought her son meant when he said Petito was "gone," Roberta Laundrie said several possibilities ran through her mind, including that the couple may have gotten into a fight and Petito could have been considering pressing charges.

Initially, the mother said she couldn't recall whether she considered the possibility that Brian Laundrie could have killed Petito, saying, "I didn't know what to think." But she later acknowledged the thought "probably went through my mind."

"As we knew each other longer and longer, we grew closer and we really cared for each other," she said. "I cared for her. I believe she cared for me, too. She always said so."

But when asked whether she made any attempt to contact Petito or her parents after the August 29 call, the mother said no. "I was just concerned about my son at the time and I just figured maybe her parents could come get her," she said.

"My attorney told me not to talk to anybody, so I just didn't talk to anybody," Roberta Laundrie said. When Nichole Schmidt, Petito's mother, contacted her, Laundrie did not return the calls, she said.

Brian Laundrie's parents detail 'day everything hit the fan' after son says Gabby Petito was 'gone'

The depositions are part of a lawsuit brought by Gabby Petito's parents against Brian Laundrie's parents for pain and emotional distress, claiming the Laundries knew their son had killed Gabby.

6abc.com

Wow, pretty outrageous imo. Maybe they they thought the public would not see the depos?

 

[ch_13]

Wow, pretty outrageous imo. Maybe they they thought the public would not see the depos?

I assume that there's a written record somewhere of them admitting that Brian said Gabby was "gone", perhaps in the email thread between Bertolino and the Wyoming attorneys.

So, there's a limit to how much ignorance they can claim. If they thought they could get away with it, they would have just said the phone calls with Brian were about the weather or something. IMO, they're pushing plausible deniability as far as it can go by claiming they didn't know about her death.

 

[housewife]

No updates on mediation yet, live stream is on while waiting. They are also discussing why Brian interrupted his own van trip to fly back to rearrange storage items "to save money".

#HEYJB LIVE: Documents released ahead of Laundrie-Petito trial

Court documents released ahead of the upcoming Gabby Petito civil trial have revealed some of the numerous calls made between Brian Laundrie, his parents and his attorney in the hours after Petito&…

www.wfla.com

 

[DFWNF]

Hi ch-13, yes there is, and it is in the depos. Have we seen communications between Bertolino and the Wyoming crim lawyers? I don't seem to have that. I am not finished the Bertolino depo yet, it exposes a lot of info imo.