The lawyer for Brian Laundrie’s parents filed a motion on Wednesday, seeking to dismiss a civil lawsuit filed by Gabby Petito’s parents and stepparents.
As CrimeOnline previously reported, a lawsuit was filed against Chris and Roberta Laundrie earlier this month in Florida, which accused them of knowing that their son killed his girlfriend, 22-year-old Gabby Petito
“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 reads. “On that same date, Christopher Laundrie and Roberta Laundrie spoke with Attorney Steve Bertolino, and sent him a retainer on Sept. 2, 2021.”
Further, the lawsuit claims that Gabby was found with blunt force trauma to her head and neck, although her cause of death was listed as strangulation. The Laundries are also accused of making plans to get their son out of the country while ignoring desperate calls and messages from Gabby’s family.
According to Fox News, lawyer Steve Bertolin filed a 20-page motion, which requests that the lawsuit be dropped with prejudice, claiming that the alleged unfounded accusations caused “intentional infliction of emotional distress.”
Bertolino also asked that the judge prevent the Petito and Schmidt families from filing an amended lawsuit, the outlet reports. He also added that the Laundries were exercising their constitutional right to remain silent, which according to Bertolino, was what he advised his clients to do.
“The Laundries have exercised their constitutional right to refrain from speaking and have relied on counsel to speak for them,” he told Fox News Digital. “This is not only common practice in our civilized society, but it embodies the exercise of fundamental rights under the United States and Florida Constitutions.”
The lawsuit against the Laundries accuses them of knowing where their son was during a nationwide search for Gabby, who disappeared while on a cross-country road trip with Brian Laundrie in 2021.
“While Joseph Petito and Nichole Schmidt were desperately searching for information concerning their daughter, Christopher Laundrie and Roberta Laundrie were keeping the whereabouts of Brian Laundrie secret, and it is believed were making arrangements for him to leave the country,” the lawsuit against the Laundries read.
“Christopher and Roberta Laundrie exhibited extreme and outrageous conduct which constitutes behavior, under the circumstances, which goes beyond all possible bounds of decency and is regarded as shocking, atrocious, and utterly intolerable in a civilized community.”
Although he was never charged with Gabbie’s murder, Laundrie was wanted on a felony warrant following her death, after he allegedly used her Capitol One Bank debit card without permission. Laundrie is said to have used the card between August 30, 2021, and September 1, 2021, “knowingly and with intent to defraud.”
The couple had embarked on their cross-country trip in July 2021, but by September 1, 2021, Laundrie returned to his parents’ North Port, Florida, home with Gabby’s van, but without Gabby.
“There were multiple conversations between Brian, his parents, and their lawyer Steven Bertolino before Brian left Wyoming on August 30, 2021,” Petito family lawyer Richard Stafford previously told Fox News. “Christopher and Roberta had multliple opportunities to disclose to Joe, Nichole, or the authorities that Gabby was no longer alive and to direct them to her body.”
On September 19, 2021, authorities found Gabby’s deceased body in a remote area at the Bridger-Teton National Forest in Wyoming. According to Teton County coroner, Dr. Blue, Gabby died from strangulation; her death has been listed as a homicide.
In November, the FBI announced that Laundrie’s remains were found in the Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park in Florida. He had a gunshot wound to his head.
Laundrie’s parents told authorities that Laundrie fled to the Carlton Reserve while highly upset on September 13, even though his father begged him to stay at home. Chris Laundrie told his attorney that Brian Laundrie claimed he wanted to get some fresh air and take a hike at the reserve.
Laundrie’s parents reportedly stumbled upon some of his belongings, while authorities found his remains nearby.
The story is developing. Check back for updates.
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[Featured Photo: Instagram]
