Last September, Gabby Petito’s disappearance created a media frenzy of speculation. Many questioned what exactly happened during her cross-country trip with fiancé Brian Laundrie and if he were to blame.
After Brian ran from officials for weeks during a massive manhunt, he did end up taking his own life last October in Florida.
Petito’s remains were also recovered, and her cause of death was ruled to be strangulation.
Found with Brian’s remains was a personal notebook. The contents of his notebook had been kept private until last Friday when an attorney for the Laundrie family released eight pages. Inside, Brian claimed responsibility for Petito’s death.
“I’m sorry to everyone this will affect. Gabby was the love of my life, but I know adored by many. I’m so very sorry to her family because I love them,” one page read.
In another entry, Brian described Petito as being injured and attempting to help her.
“I do not know the extent of Gabby’s injuries, only that she was in extreme pain,” Brian wrote. “I ended her life; I thought it was merciful, that it is what she wanted, but I see now all the mistakes I made.”
“I panicked. I was in shock. But from the moment I decided, took away her pain, I knew I could not go on without her.”
Facebook; pictured above Gabby smiles
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Earlier this year, Petito’s parents– Joseph Petito and Nichole Schmidt– did file a civil lawsuit against parents Chris and Roberta Laundrie.
The suit claims that Brian’s parents had knowledge of Gabby’s murder and were helping him flee the country.
“It is believed and therefore averred that Brian Laundrie advised his parents, Christopher Laundrie and Roberta Laundrie, that he had murdered Gabrielle Petito,” the lawsuit says.
“On that same date, Christopher Laundrie and Roberta Laundrie spoke with Attorney Steve Bertolino and sent him a retainer on Sept. 2, 2021.”
Following news of the lawsuit, the Laundries did file a motion to dismiss the case. And this past Wednesday, both sides appeared before a judge in Sarasota County, Florida, who will decide whether or not the case will be dismissed.
Why Laundrie’s attorney Bertolino’s decided to publicly release Brian’s journal entries following the hearing is unclear.
Nonetheless, the Florida judge will make their ruling about the case’s dismissal in the next few weeks.
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