Gabby Petito's family reaches settlement in emotional distress lawsuit against Brian Laundrie's parents, attorneys say
Brian Laundrie and Gabrielle "Gabby" Petito in an undated photograph. Credit: EPA-EFE/Shutterstock/North Port Police Dept.
The parents of the late 22-year-old Blue Point native Gabrielle “Gabby” Petito have reached a settlement in their emotional distress lawsuit against the parents of her fiance, Brian Laundrie, who admitted killing Petito in 2021 while the pair were on a cross-country road trip, attorneys on the case confirmed Thursday.
The settlement avoids a trial, which was slated for May.
“After a long day of mediation, a confidential resolution has been reached between the parents of Gabby Petito, the parents of Brian Laundrie and Attorney Steven Bertolino to which all parties reluctantly agreed in order to avoid further legal expenses and prolonged personal conflict,” said the statement from attorney Patrick J. Reilly, of Venice, Florida, who is representing Petito's parents. “Our hope is to close this chapter of our lives to allow us to move on and continue to honor the legacy of our beautiful daughter, Gabby.”
Petito’s parents — Nichole Schmidt and Joe Petito — filed suit against Roberta and Christopher Laundrie in March 2022, claiming they were subjected to intentional infliction of emotional distress at the hands of Brian Laundrie’s parents because they knew she was dead soon after she was killed but allegedly ignored the family’s pleas to help them locate their daughter.
They later successfully added Laundrie attorney Steven Bertolino, of East Islip, as a defendant in the case, citing a public statement he made that gave the impression Petito could still be alive when he allegedly knew she was dead, the lawsuit said.
Bertolino, in a text message Thursday, confirmed the settlement.
“Christopher and Roberta Laundrie and I participated in mediation with the Petito family and the lawsuit has now been resolved. The terms of the resolution are confidential and we look forward to putting this matter behind us,” Bertolino said.
(L-R) Richard Stafford, Petito family attorney speaks, as Tara Petito and husband Joe Petito, along with Nicole Schmidt and husband Jim Schmidt, hold a news conference about Gabby Petito in Bohemia on Sept. 28, 2021. Credit: James Carbone
In a second statement from Reilly, Petito’s parents and stepparents said the lawsuit had helped them get answers.
“Joe and Tara Petito, along with Niki and Jim Schmidt, have endured a difficult and emotional 2 ½ years, resulting in a resolution through mediation on Feb. 21, 2024,” Reilly said. “Throughout this time, the primary objective of Gabby Petito's family in pursuing litigation was to seek answers to lingering questions.
"Having obtained those answers through depositions, their focus now shifts to spending time with and prioritizing their families and fostering the Gabby Petito Foundation," Reilly added. "As a result, they have decided not to take part in any interviews. Nonetheless, they wish to extend their heartfelt gratitude and appreciation to all who have supported them during these trying times.”
Gabby Petito, who blogged about her “van life” lifestyle, last communicated with her parents in late August 2021.
After weeks of a nationwide search, her body was found Sept. 19 in a national forest in Wyoming, where she and Laundrie had stopped while on a cross-country road trip. Laundrie later died by suicide.
The FBI has said Laundrie took “responsibility” for Petito’s death in writings in a notebook found that October near his remains. In excerpts of the notebook released by Bertolino, Laundrie admitted killing Petito, writing: “I ended her life.”
In November 2022, a Florida judge awarded Petito's family $3 million after a settlement in a wrongful-death lawsuit against the Laundrie estate.
Nicole Fuller is Newsday's senior criminal justice reporter. She began working at Newsday in 2012 and previously covered local government.
