Laundrie’s dad seen for first time since son's notebook ‘murder confession’ | The Sun
BRIAN Laundrie’s dad has been pictured for the first time since his son’s notebook "confession" to the killing of Gabby Petito.
Chris Laundrie, who was snapped outside of his home in North Port, Florida, has remained silent as more chilling details have emerged in his late son's case.
Laundrie's now-infamous journal was recovered by the FBI on October 20, 2021, along with his skeletal remains.
In a notebook excerpt, he admitted to killing Gabby.
According to a picture from the journal, which The Sun obtained from Fox News Digital, Laundrie wrote that Gabby was dealing with some sort of injury and would "wake in pain."
He wrote that he "ended her life, mercifully" because that was "what she wanted."
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"She would wake in pain, start her whole painful cycle again, while furious that I was the one waking her," he wrote.
“She wouldn't let me try to cross the creek, thought like me that the fire would go out in her sleep, and she'd freeze."
The discovery was made shortly after Brian's dad, found a white plastic bag containing some of his son's items in a patch of bushes next to a trail.
At the time, Chris had been assisting law enforcement in the search to find his son.
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Extracts from the journal, released on Friday, appeared to reveal the manner in which Laundrie killed Gabby.
Extracts included the chilling final moments that saw the vlogger "gasping in pain,” as Laundrie detailed what he believed to be a “merciful” killing.
Pat Reilly, the attorney who represents Gabby’s parents, Joe and Nichole, swiftly issued a statement condemning the release of the document to the public.
He simultaneously slammed Laundrie family attorney Steven Bertolino for cherry-picking parts of the journal to be released.
He told WFLA: “I find it ironic that Mr Bertolino says he was, in full transparency, releasing this.
“Well, someone should ask him why he doesn’t release the entire notebook – but more importantly, ask him why he doesn’t release Roberta Laundrie’s letter to her son.”
MYSTERY NOTE
In his statement, Reilly claims there is a copy of a letter that features some “extreme details” of Petito’s murder.
He also alleges that a copy of the apparent letter is in possession of Bertolino and is being withheld from public view.
“There are some pretty extreme things she said in there that, without having the letter here to quote it I don’t want to say, but I will simply tell you that there are some pretty extreme things that were contained within that letter,” he said.
Reilly claimed the letter is undated and believes the note was “written after Gabby was killed and before Brian took his life," by his mother Roberta.
He alleges that the apparent letter was found in the Laundrie family’s home but was taken out of the van that Brian and Gabby had been traveling the country in.
He said “I will tell you, by the way, that on the envelope that contained the letter, the words ‘burn after you read this’ were written.
“The most I want to say is there was an offer to assist Brian with some things in that letter.”
Reilly also told NewsNation's Brian Entin that "the notebook is not the only confession Brian left."
"He told me today there was a second confession on a 'digital device' and possibly a third confession in written form," Entin, NewsNation's Senior National Correspondent, said on Friday.
"Reilly says he has not seen those confessions yet, but the FBI told him they are somewhat different from the confession in the notebook that we've seen."
GABBY'S PARENTS IN COURT
The latest claims come after Gabby's parents faced off with Bertolino, in a Sarasota County, Florida court.
The Petito family had sued Chris and Roberta Laundrie for allegedly withholding information about their daughter's death.
The Laundries family lawyer filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit.
They claimed the Laundries knew that their son killed Gabby and knew where her body was located but remained quiet and allegedly prepared to get Brian out of the country.
Both of Gabby's parents were in the courtroom while the Laundrie family and their lawyer Bertolino weren't present.
The lawyers squared off and presented their arguments about whether the lawsuit should be dismissed or not.
Laundrie's family attorney Matthew Luca said in court that they had a right to remain silent.
He was challenged by Judge Hunter Carroll, who's presiding over the case if Bertolino's lone comment about hoping Gabby and her family are reunited was made on behalf of Brian's family.
COURT RULING
Gabby's family's lawyer Patrick Reilly said their silence – and Bertolino's lone comment – while allegedly knowing Gabby was dead provided false hope and invoked emotional distress.
Carroll will weigh the two sides and is expected to make a final ruling in two weeks.
After the hearing, Reilly addressed the media with a rhetorical question: What crime did Brian Laundrie or the Laundrie family commit?
While Gabby was missing, he said they weren't under investigation or considered suspects.
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At that time, no one knew a crime happened, Reilly said, so there was no need for any of the Laundries to remain silent.
Luca – who represents the Laundrie family – didn't publicly address the media after the hearing.
Gabby Petito timeline
Gabby Petito, 22, was last seen on August 24, leaving a hotel in Utah. Here is a timeline of Gabby Petito’s disappearance:
- June 2021 – Gabby Petito and her fiancé Brian Laundrie set off on a cross-country trip across the US.
- July 4 – Gabby posts photos of herself barefoot in Gove County, Kansas.
- July 8 – Gabby posts photos of herself at the Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado.
- July 18 – Gabby and Brian post photos of themselves at Utah's Zion National Park.
- August 12 – Body camera footage was released in September showing an encounter Brian and Gabby had with police in Utah. Police confirmed that no significant injuries were reported.
- August 19 – Gabby and Brian post a video on their YouTube channel chronicling their trip.
- August 24 – Gabby is spotted leaving a hotel in Salt Lake City, Utah.
- August 25 – Gabby Facetimes her mom, Nichole Schmidt, for the final time. In a later police report, Schmidt said her conversations with her daughter revealed "more and more tension" between her and Brian.
- August 25 – Gabby also posts her last Instagram. No location is given.
- August 27 – Gabby is seen for what's believed to be the final time. Witnesses claim they saw Brian in an explosive argument with staff at a restaurant in Jackson Hole, leaving Gabby in tears.
- August 27 – Four hours later, travel bloggers driving through Grand Teton National Park drive past the couple's van "abandoned" on a dirt road.
- September 1 – Brian returns home to Florida without Gabby.
- September 11 – Gabby's parents report her missing to Suffolk County police.
- September 14 – Brian's family issues a statement saying he has retained an attorney and will not be cooperating with investigators.
- September 14 – Brian is allegedly last seen by his family. He reportedly told them he was going hiking in Cartlon Reserve but failed to return.
- September 15 – Florida's North Port police announce Brian is a person of interest in the case. He is not charged with any crime.
- September 16 – Utah police release body camera footage of the police encounter with Brian and Gabby.
- September 17 – Brian's parents say they have not seen their son in a couple of days and report him missing.
- September 18 – Police announce they were searching Carlton Reserve in Florida for Brian. Police announce they have not found anything.
- September 19 – Authorities in Wyoming say they found a body in Grand Teton National Park. The FBI announces the body was believed to be Gabby's but a full forensic identification needs to be completed first to confirm.
- September 20 – Police execute a search warrant on Laundrie's home, seizing his silver Mustang and a hard drive that may contain "evidence relevant to proving that a felony has been committed."
- September 21 – Officials announce they will be conducting an autopsy on the remains found in Wyoming to confirm whether or not they belong to Gabby. Police also resumed their search for Laundrie, this time on the Venice side of Carlton Reserve.
- September 21 – The FBI announced the body found in Wyoming was identified as Gabby's. The cause of death was not yet revealed.
- September 21 – The Teton County Coroner's office said Gabby's official cause of death was still pending but the initial manner of death is homicide.
- September 22 – Police continue to scour Carlton Reserve for a trace of Laundrie but yield no leads. A specialist dive team is called in to assist with the hunt.
- September 23 – Officials announced a federal arrest warrant for Brian was issued.
- September 26 – Gabby's funeral was held on Long Island, New York.
- October 12: Gabby's autopsy results were made public. Teton County Coroner Dr Brent Blue confirmed Gabby died by strangulation.
- October 20: Laundrie's personal items were found at the Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park. A medical examiner was called to the scene.
- October 21: The FBI confirmed the remains found have been identified as Laundrie's.
- November 23: Laundrie's autopsy reveals he died from a gunshot wound to the head.
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