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

[MyBelle]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1760440760690680032

Fantastic news! Also, glad it is confidential.

JMO

 

[RANCH]

It would have been more difficult for TK's family because no one in the world was looking for TK in connection with the bombings, whereas it was pretty obvious that people were going to have questions about BL immediately upon hearing the story.

Looks like we will have to agree to disagree because I see this totally opposite than you do.

I'm not going to delve further into the Unabomber case because it's off topic to this thread. JMO.

 

[Skigirl]

Looks like we will have to agree to disagree because I see this totally opposite than you do.

I'm not going to delve further into the Unabomber case because it's off topic to this thread. JMO.

My point wasn't about the unabomber but rather the Laundries. I'm sure we at least agree that BL's deed was evil, which is enough for me. I'm going to leave it there.

 

[Skigirl]

MOO- I think it would’ve made a big difference to the Petitos to know that Brian told his parents Gabby was gone back on 8/29, and that the last time he saw her was in Wyoming. Here’s an article where her mom describes not even knowing where to start looking for her. By the time Gabby was reported missing on September 11, Brian was already back in Florida with her van so as a mom I can imagine the panic and fear I would have trying to figure out where between Wyoming and Florida my daughter could possibly be and where I should start looking, especially when the person who was most likely the last to see her isn’t responding to your texts and calls, nor is his family. It’s very hard for me to believe that all parties involved didn’t know what gone meant, particularly when Brian arrived back in Florida with the van full of her belongings. Once Gabby’s mom began trying to call them to locate her, they most certainly had to know what it meant because any reasonable person would have to admit it’s extremely unlikely she would’ve up and disappeared without any belongings, and without trying to contact her family for help. MOO

A timeline of 22-year-old Gabby Petito's case | CNN

Just days into the search for Brian Laundrie, authorities on the other side of the country discovered Petito's remains in an area of Wyoming's Bridger-Teton National Forest. A Wyoming coroner ruled Petito's cause of death to be strangulation.

www.cnn.com

Editing to add, I do hope the Petitos get their apology. I definitely think they are owed one.

Especially since Brian used Gabby's phone to tell her mother that they were in Yosemite in California, so Gabby could have been anywhere between California and Florida Being able to narrow it down to a specific area in Wyoming would have spared the Petitos significant heartache and expense.

 

[housewife]

Thanks MassGuy. So the prolonged personal conflict has come to an end. JMO.

Well, the legal conflict has come to an end.

We won't know about their personal feelings. But I imagine losing a child in such a violent way is heartbreaking. Searching for her body is heartbreaking.

Edit: I meant to add that the loss of Gabby will be felt forever regardless.

 

[housewife]

Hopefully a huge donation is on the way to the Gabby Petito Foundation.

That might be the only good PR move the Laundries could make at this point.

 

[RANCH]

Well, the legal conflict has come to an end.

We won't know about their personal feelings. But I imagine losing a child in such a violent way is heartbreaking. Searching for her body is heartbreaking.

Gabby's parents mentioned in their statement that avoiding further legal expense and prolonged personal conflict was a factor in the agreed upon resolution. JMO.

 

[NCWatcher]

Gabby's parents mentioned in their statement that avoiding further legal expense and prolonged personal conflict was a factor in the agreed upon resolution. JMO.

I do wonder (and had wondered before today) if each "side" might occasionally have experienced internal conflict as it's possible they were not totally unified in their views. That would make ending the legal conflict even more important to the participants.
MOO

 

[SeesSeas]

Settlement reached in Petito vs. Laundrie civil lawsuit

Settlement reached in Petito/Laundrie lawsuit

www.mysuncoast.com

Settlement reached in Petito vs. Laundrie civil lawsuit
Published: Feb. 21, 2024 at 7:55 PM EST
[...]
In a statement issued by former Laundrie Attorney Steven Bertolino, he mentioned the case had been resolved and they were looking forward to moving forward.

The statement from Steven Bertolino reads:

“Christopher and Roberta Laundrie and I participated in mediation with the Petito family and the civil lawsuit has now been resolved. The terms of the resolution are confidential, and we look forward to putting this matter behind us.”
[...]

 

[GRT]

That must have been a heck of a good mediator, these families were miles apart and so were their attorneys. Reluctant or not, it's finally over.

Congrats to all of them for being able to find resolution.

I'm so glad to hear that.

Neither family could move forward with their lives while fighting the demons of the past, and I was worried that a trial would bring out things that are better left alone.

They've aired their grievances now, and (hopefully) both sets of parents can start enjoying life again.

This has to be a huge relief to the Petitos and the Laundries.

 

[CrimeDawg123]

I recently listened to a podcast that featured a long-form interview with the Unabomber’s brother. He and his wife made the difficult decision to call in a tip after they read the Unabomber’s manifesto and recognized the writing. He now goes on speaking engagements about forgiveness with one of his brother’s victims.

He showed such integrity and courage and it’s such a stark contrast to what happened in this case. Unfortunately, the Laundries’ actions not only led to suffering for Gabby’s family, but by delaying his arrest, they made his eventual suicide easier to accomplish. MOO.

I have been so moved by the Unabomber's brothers recounting of his experiences learning his brother was the Unabomber. I think the two cases are very very different. In the unabomber case, the brother knew for years that his brother was mentally on the edge and was probably capable of some bad things. That family acknowledged his problems and tried to help him. On the other hand, BL's family totally coddled him and looked the other way when his behavior was off the rails. I have so much respect and empathy for the Unabomber's family and zero respect for BL's parents.

 

[housewife]

Neither family could move forward with their lives while fighting the demons of the past, and I was worried that a trial would bring out things that are better left alone.

RSBM
What things would be better left alone for the Laundries?

 

[GRT]

RSBM
What things would be better left alone for the Laundries?

Not just the Laundries, but for both families. The attorneys in civil lawsuits can pick apart private matters. I could see the P's attorney insinuating the L's babied BL or maybe allowed him to get by without discipline. I could see the L's attorney insinuating the P's didn't seem to care about contributing to the kids' living situation until there was a tragedy.

Civil suits can get very nasty--a lot of dirty laundry gets aired--so I think this decision is best for all of them.

This is just my opinion -- but I think the Laundrie's depositions probably tipped the scale. I think the Petitos wanted the Laundries to step up and explain what happened, and once they did, they agreed to mediation and to settle the suit. JP made the comment last week that he didn't care about the money, so I doubt there was much of a financial agreement.

All just MOO.

 

[nao]

RSBM
What things would be better left alone for the Laundries?

Moo..not much really for the Laundries, their lives and family has been found and put on display and judged....moo

 

[nao]

The Petito's have a help centre or foundation of some sort, could someone give me link please

 

[housewife]

I could see the L's attorney insinuating the P's didn't seem to care about contributing to the kids' living situation until there was a tragedy.

I think the Petitos wanted the Laundries to step up and explain what happened, and once they did, they agreed to mediation and to settle the suit.

RSBM
Very interesting. I'm confused about Gabby and Brian's living situation. Gabby chose to live with Brian in Florida. Do you mean her family didn't contribute financially for their adult daughter and her boyfriend?

IMHO To your second point, I really hope that happened but I don't see it. Maybe CL finally convinced RL to reveal the whole truth. The Petitos wanted information. If they agreed to a resolution reluctantly, to me that means they didn't get it.

IMHO The strong personalities in the room during the mediation probably dominated. I could see Bertolino threatening to countersue the Petitos for the rest of their lives. He has problems expressing himself and is prone to outbursts.
I get the sense that the Petitos are exhausted and realized you can't get logical answers from illogical people.

 

[Jade]

Not just the Laundries, but for both families. The attorneys in civil lawsuits can pick apart private matters. I could see the P's attorney insinuating the L's babied BL or maybe allowed him to get by without discipline. I could see the L's attorney insinuating the P's didn't seem to care about contributing to the kids' living situation until there was a tragedy.

Civil suits can get very nasty--a lot of dirty laundry gets aired--so I think this decision is best for all of them.

This is just my opinion -- but I think the Laundrie's depositions probably tipped the scale. I think the Petitos wanted the Laundries to step up and explain what happened, and once they did, they agreed to mediation and to settle the suit. JP made the comment last week that he didn't care about the money, so I doubt there was much of a financial agreement.

All just MOO.

No one should ever feel ashamed to pursue a Civil Claim [Tort] if their attorney feels they have a case.

Proving a Tort Claim has procedural hurdles and is a complicated legal effort not the Jerry Springer show.

Civil Claims is where those who don’t have enough to arrest or convict in criminal court can get some remedy for wrongs that have been caused by intentional infliction of emotional distress.

In this case the depositions showed the Laundries admitted intent of avoidance and knowledge that severe emotional distress was likely to occur as a result of their conduct; e.g. ignoring calls and circumstances e. g. Brain returning home in "gone" Gabby’s van, to the point of extreme and outrageous conduct with intensity and duration which was malicious.

Remember RL’s letter to Brain? She was willing to go to any lengths to protect him.

So I don’t think the Laundrie’s mind any court actions as that is what they signed up for when they aided and abetted their murderer with intensity and duration.



Brian Laundrie's parents detail "the day everything hit the fan," recalling an exchange of frantic phone calls as their son told them his fiancee Gabby Petito was "gone" and he needed them to find him an attorney as he drove back home without her.

The calls took place on August 29, 2021, three weeks before Petito's strangled remains were found

[…]

When Nichole Schmidt, Petito's mother, contacted her, Laundrie did not return the calls, she said.

Petito always could "take care of herself," the mother said.

[…]

Brian Laundrie arrived back home in Florida on September 1 with the white van he and Petito had been traveling in, but his mother didn't ask him about what happened with Gabby

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


All imo

 

[Sundog]

If they agreed to a resolution reluctantly, to me that means they didn't get it.

IMHO The strong personalities in the room during the mediation probably dominated.

<Snipped for focus>

The statement said that ALL parties were reluctant but agreed to resolve the situation, nonetheless. Both the P's and the L's were all reluctant, but agreed to settle the dispute.

The strong personalities (as we here on WS assess them to be) were able to resolve the matter. A good mediator would not allow any one in mediation to bully another party in the case. Mediators look for congruency as they don't want to end up with "buyer's remorse," so to speak.

Congrats to JP and SB and the other parties for their willingness to put their strong personalities aside and do what was ultimately in their best interests.

 

[MollyDDD]

Who on earth would not follow up with, “What do you mean, gone?”

IMO, they did. In fact, I think they always knew this day might come. He was a real problem and they knew it. Once they got that call, they knew what he did, imo.

 

[GRT]

RSBM
Very interesting. I'm confused about Gabby and Brian's living situation. Gabby chose to live with Brian in Florida. Do you mean her family didn't contribute financially for their adult daughter and her boyfriend?

IMHO To your second point, I really hope that happened but I don't see it. Maybe CL finally convinced RL to reveal the whole truth. The Petitos wanted information. If they agreed to a resolution reluctantly, to me that means they didn't get it.

IMHO The strong personalities in the room during the mediation probably dominated. I could see Bertolino threatening to countersue the Petitos for the rest of their lives. He has problems expressing himself and is prone to outbursts.
I get the sense that the Petitos are exhausted and realized you can't get logical answers from illogical people.

I was just giving you examples--none of us really have any clue as to what sort of accusations could come out had the case gone to trial.

As to whether the Petitos agreed enthusiastically or reluctantly--we'll probably never know. But given that 95% of civil cases never go to trial, the odds were always in favor of the case being settled or dropped.

My thoughts are that the Petitos had decided (mostly) to settle back when they agreed to mediation. Otherwise, there would be no point to mediation. Mediation means -- let's work this out.

And, I think it was the best decision for both families. Both lost children.