48 Hours - Gabby Petito: The Untold Story

Episode Date: September 19, 2022

“48 Hours” explores Gabby Petito’s final days and the missed warning signs that might have saved her. "48 Hours" contributor Jericka Duncan reports.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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ConstantContact.ca When you hear the name Gabby Petito, what comes to mind? A young, aspiring blogger who loved life, loved adventures. A girl who was on the cusp of beginning life and whose life was tragically taken from her. The FBI announcing a medical examiner says the body found in Wyoming was indeed that of Gabby Petito, the coroner, calling her death a homicide. Brian Laundrie, I believe, made his decision to kill himself after he killed Gabby Petito. Investigators say human remains found in Florida this week are those of Brian Laundrie, the only person of interest in the death of his fiancée, Gabby Petito. Gabby Petito's been gone for over a year now. Is this case over? No. This case is far from over.

My name is Mary Fulginiti, and I'm a former federal prosecutor and defense attorney. There are still a lot of questions for Gabby's parents, the primary one being, would Gabby Petito still be alive today if the case had been handled differently?

Hello, hello, and good morning. We came to know Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie because they were putting themselves out there in social media, documenting their travels throughout America, this young couple in love, living out of their van, seeing what the world had to offer, living the dream. My name is Dr. Chris Mohandy, and I'm a forensic psychologist. But what we come to learn is that that was a veneer.

All the chocolate melted. It's a river of chocolate. Much as I know Gabby and feel like I know Brian, you just never know when it comes to relationships. We've been lucky so far at all the places we've stayed, but I'd say this is one of the best so far. Anyone that's met the two of them has been like, they seem like such a nice couple.

But a lot of couples look nice on Instagram. About a month into their trip, Gabby and Brian have a lot of arguments. It gets physical. A witness reports it to the Moab police. Hey, how are you? I'm good. I'm with Moab police. Hey, how are you? I'm good. I'm with Moab police.

They respond, and now we see that there's trouble in paradise. He walked me out of the car and told me to go take a breather, but I didn't want to take a breather. I'm fine, and I look at her. I hope she doesn't have too many complaints about me. I'm just, uh, I feel bad. I think it's so public. When you look back, could that Moab police stop been a game changer? Oh, absolutely.

It's hard not to wonder what would have happened to Gabby if either Gabby or Brian had been arrested that day. Two people went on a trip, one person returned. And that person that returned isn't providing us any information. Where is Gabby? We believe the circumstantial evidence demonstrates that the Laundrie family was aware that their son had murdered Gabby and that they were aware of the location of her remains. They refused to communicate to the Petito family.

As human beings, how could somebody not pick up that phone and say, I'm so sorry, we don't know what happened, what can we do to help? And the only reason why you wouldn't is if obviously something went afoul. Gabby is the most amazing person I've ever met. I've never felt a pain like this. I have screamed into the air what happened

because I want answers. We will get justice for her no matter what. it. Субтитры создавал DimaTorzok Gabby Petito's road trip in the summer of 2021 started as an adventure story. I love the band. Months later, it turned into a nationwide search for a missing woman. The search for missing 22-year-old Gabby Petito is now a multi-state effort. Before ending here. Earlier today, human remains were discovered. With the discovery of her remains in Grand Teton National Park. It has now become a cautionary tale. Ultimately, her death will hopefully lead to many women being rescued and saved from these situations

well before it gets to murder. Former prosecutor and CBS consultant Mary Fulginiti says Gabby's story is really about recognizing the warning signs of domestic violence, which are often hard to read. There are people who believe that Gabby Petito's story didn't have to end the way it did. If only the warning signs had been picked up on, would it have been different? would it have been different? To most eyes, Gabby Petito and her fiancé, Brian Laundrie, were compatible in every way. Gabby Petito never goes outside.

She's the coolest chick you ever met, man. By far, she's going to make you smile. Gabby's dad, Joseph. She's the coolest chick you ever met. Simple as that. 22 years old, a New York girl from Long Island, an appetite for adventure. She knew she wanted to take this trip. Her mom, Nicole Schmidt. She had told me about it probably a year before it started. Brian's stretching, doing some morning yoga. Brian's very charismatic. He always comes off as such a sweet person and just kind of like, I'm here. One of Gabby's close friends, Rose Davis, they met soon after Gabby moved to Florida. She texted me one of the sweetest messages I think I've ever got from someone,

and it was just like, you seem so cool. I really want to be your friend. And I was just, absolutely. They made TikTok videos together for fun. Rose says Gabby was good friends with Brian back in high school in New York. Then, after Brian moved to Florida, Gabby moved there too, to be closer to him. I always told her her life was kind of like a movie, because I was just like, this happens in movies.

Soon, they were in love and living together. She'd let me know what they did, and, you know, he'd make her breakfast, and it was always such a cute little thing, and they did cute little dinners. In July of 2020, they got engaged. They even got tattoos together. But Rose says Brian could sometimes exhibit what she calls toxic traits. We spoke to Rose when Gabby was first reported missing. When Brian wants something, he's going to get it.

And I don't mean in a physical way he's going to force it. He's just going to... I don't want people to say I'm calling him a fool. I'm not a fool manipulator, but he'll manipulate the situation to get what he wants out of it. And, you know, he didn't want her to go out one night with me and he stole her ID because you can't get into the bar without your ID. And, you know, this was really upsetting to her. You know, you're engaged. It's not, you know,

it's not supposed to be like that. But the couple seemed to put any drama behind them as they got ready for their adventure. Gabby worked hard at Taco Bell and with Brian at Public Supermarket saving money for their trip. They bought the van, they converted it. The goal was to spend four or five months crisscrossing the country, having adventures, even working on organic farms, and chronicling it all in real time on social media. She was just like, I want to document this. This is so cool to be doing. And she just kind of, yeah, kind of like a vlogger, just let everyone know what she was up to. She was excited starting her van life digital journey where she's creating this whole, you know, following of van lifers. And that's what she was really into at the moment.

They rolled out officially on July 2nd. Gabby posted constantly. Hello, hello and good morning. Every little detail. You can't keep chocolate in Utah. Not in July. But all those selfies may have been hiding a darker story. It's everything behind the scenes you don't know.

Six weeks into their trip, on the afternoon of August 12th, in Utah near the Arches National Park, Gabby and Brian's Instagram road trip came to a shuddering stop. Driver is showing some obscure driving, possibly intoxicated. It was around 4.45 in the afternoon, according to this police officer's body cam. Currently doing 45 miles an hour. Zone through here is 25. Oh!

Subject just hit the curb. Correction speed limit is 15. What's your guys' names? Gabby. Gabby, Brian, okay. It was the stop that could have changed everything. In 2014, Laura Heavlin was in her home in Tennessee when she received a call from California. Her daughter, Erin Corwin, was missing.

The young wife of a Marine had moved to the California desert to a remote base near Joshua Tree National Park. They have to alert the military, and when they do, the NCIS gets involved. From CBS Studios and CBS News, this is 48 Hours NCIS. Listen to 48 Hours NCIS ad-free starting October 29th on Amazon Music. Hot shot Australian attorney Nicola Gaba was born into legal royalty, her specialty representing some of the city's most infamous gangland criminals. However, while Nicola held the underworld's darkest secrets, the most dangerous secret was her own. She's going to all the major groups within Melbourne's underworld, and she's informing on them all. I'm Marsha Clark, host of the new podcast, Informants Lawyer X.

In my long career in criminal justice as a prosecutor and defense attorney, I've seen some crazy cases, and this one belongs right at the top of the list. She was addicted to the game she had created. She just didn't know how to stop. Now, through dramatic interviews and access, I'll reveal the truth behind one of the world's most shocking legal scandals. Listen to Informant's Lawyer X exclusively on Wondery Plus.

Join Wondery Plus in the Wondery app, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify, and listen to more Exhibit C true crime shows early and ad-free right now. Grand County Sheriff's Office. This 911 call was made on August 12, 2021, in Moab, Utah, four weeks before Gabby Petito was reported missing. We're driving by and I'd like to report a domestic dispute. The caller reports seeing what appeared to be an alarming confrontation between Gabby and Brian. Florida license plate, white land.

What were they doing? We drove by and the gentleman was slapping the girl. He was slapping her? Yes, and then we stopped. They ran up and down the sidewalk. He proceeded to hit her, hopped in the car, and they drove off. Officers from the Moab Police Department are dispatched. And within minutes, Gabby and Brian's white van is spotted driving erratically outside the Arches National Park.

They're pulled over. The officers separate the couple and begin questioning them. Gabby is visibly shaken. to him and saying, I'm sorry that I'm so mean. And I'm trying to start a blog. I don't have a blog. So I've been building my website. So I've just been really stressed. And he doesn't really believe that I can do any of it. So that's kind of been like a, I don't know. He's like down there.

I don't know. We've been fighting all morning. And he wouldn't let me in the car before. Why wouldn't he let you in the car? Because of your OCD? He told me I needed to calm down. So, tell me what's going on. You see this gets worked up sometimes, and I try and really distance myself from her.

So, like, I locked the car, and I locked the lathe, and I threw it away. Brian tells police that Gabby attacked him, scratching his face and his arm as she tried to get back into the van. She had her phone and was trying to get the police to get her. I know I shouldn't push it, but I was just trying to push her away to go, let's just take a minute, step back and breathe. And she got me with her phone. People that came to us and told us that they saw him hit you.

Another officer asked Gabby for more details about what happened. Well, to be honest, I definitely hit him first. Where'd you hit him? I slapped him. You slapped him first? Just on his face? He didn't get to come to me to shut up. How many times did you slap him? Probably around the mouth and the outfit.

Just a couple. And then his reaction was to do what? I didn't go around until I really slapped him. And so I really just had him. He just grabbed you? Yeah. Did he hit you, though? I mean, it's okay if you're saying you hit him. And I understand if he hit you.

But we want to know the truth if he actually hit you. I guess. I guess. Yeah, but I hit him first. Where did he hit you? Don't worry. Just be honest. He, like, grabbed my face.

Like, I guess. He didn't, like, hit me in the face.. He didn't, like, hit me in the face. Like, he didn't, like, punch me in the face or anything. Did he slap your face or what? Well, like, he, like, grabbed me, like, with his nail, and I guess that's why it looks... I definitely have a cut right here. It's like a peel. It burns.

The officers never directly asked Brian if he slapped or hit Gabby. They also didn't talk to the 911 caller who reported seeing Brian hit Gabby. But one of the officers did speak with a second eyewitness that day. The witness says, I never saw him hit her. I saw him shove her, but I couldn't tell if it was an aggression against her or a defense against her. tell you if it was an aggression against her or a defense against her. So at this point, unless the guy's screaming that he needs to go to jail and did something to this girl, it sounds to me like she is the primary aggressor. In Utah, if officers find evidence of a domestic violence assault,

they are required to make an arrest or issue a citation. An independent investigation would later conclude that the officers did not have a clear understanding of the law. Gabby, this is a very, very important question. How you answer this question is going to determine what happens next. But the only person who can answer this question is you. They mistakenly believed that Gabby had to intend to harm Brian to require an arrest. When you slapped him those times, were you attempting to cause him physical pain or physical impairment?

Was that what you were attempting to do to him? No. What were you attempting to do? What was the reason behind the slapping and stuff? What was it you were attempting to accomplish by slapping? I was trying to get him to stop telling me to calm down. Well, it doesn't sound to me like she attempted to interrupt. Ultimately, officers on the scene decided to separate the couple for the night.

I'm going to give you the keys to the van. Gabby was told to stay with the van. I'm giving him a ride over to the hotel. As the assumed victim, Brian was sent to a hotel. I really appreciate it. Thank you so much. For everything. No problem. It's nice to meet you. Brian, nice to meet you. No one was arrested or issued a citation.

Forensic psychologist Chris Mohandy has worked closely with law enforcement on issues of domestic violence. The officers that responded to Gabby and Brian were compassionate. Their hearts were in the right place of wanting to help. They were trying to do what they mistakenly believed was the right thing by cutting them a break. Weeks later, when the body cam footage was released, there was a public uproar.

Newly released video shows what looks like the aftermath of an argument between Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie. For her friend Rose, those images were almost impossible to watch. It takes a lot for her to get that hysterical. I'm perfectly calm. I'm calm all the time and he really stresses me out. And so when I saw the body cam, I knew it was more than just a little argument. She's not going to slap him for no reason. The release of the 911 call drew outrage. It was slapping her. Followers of the story on social media erupted in anger. My blood is boiling at how they failed this poor girl.

All I know is this didn't have to end like this. Police missed an opportunity. Mohandi says the officers seem to miss signs of domestic abuse. And Gabby accepting the blame. And I was apologizing to him and saying, I'm sorry that I'm so mean. In a domestically violent relationship, it's not uncommon for one party to take the blame for what really is the behavior of the other party. The independent investigator later wrote that it's very likely that Gabby was a long-term victim of domestic violence. The ramifications of the officers' actions during that stop would play out in the days ahead,

and months later would be questioned by Gabby's parents and their lawyers. Just days after that traffic stop, Gabby and Brian were back on the road, headed north to Salt Lake City. It rained all afternoon yesterday. On August 19th, Gabby posted an edited eight-minute video showing their journey together. It is really nice and

sunny today. The video showed no signs of any tension between Gabby and Brian. Later, Gabby told her mom they were leaving Utah and driving to Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. She was happy. She was excited to keep going on her journey. And that was the last time I spoke to her verbally. On August 25th, Gabby posted a series of photos on Instagram in front of a butterfly mural in Ogden, Utah. It would be her final post on Instagram. In the Pacific Ocean, halfway between Peru and New Zealand,

lies a tiny volcanic island. It's a little-known British territory called Pitcairn, and it harboured a deep, dark scandal. There wouldn't be a girl on Pitcairn once they reach the age of 10 that would still a virgin. It just happens to all of us. I'm journalist Luke Jones, and for almost two years, I've been investigating a shocking story

that has left deep scars on generations of women and girls from Pitcairn. When there's nobody watching, nobody going to report it, people will get away with what they can get away with. In the Pitcairn Trials, I'll be uncovering a story of abuse and the fight for justice that has brought a unique, lonely Pacific island to the brink of extinction. Listen to the Pitcairn Trials exclusively on Wondery Plus. Join Wondery Plus in the Wondery app, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. As a kid growing up in Chicago, there was one horror movie I was too scared to watch.

It was called Candyman. The scary cult classic was set in a Chicago housing project. It was about this supernatural killer who would attack his victims if they said his name five times into a bathroom mirror. Candyman. Candyman? Now, we all know chanting a name won times into a bathroom mirror. Candyman. Candyman? Now we all know chanting a name won't make a killer magically appear,

but did you know that the movie Candyman was partly inspired by an actual murder? I was struck by both how spooky it was, but also how outrageous it was. We're going to talk to the people who were there, and we're also going to uncover the larger story. My architect was shocked when he saw how this was created. Literally shocked. And we'll look at what the story tells us about injustice in America. If you really believed in tough on crime, then you wouldn't make it easy to crawl into medicine cabinets and kill our women. Listen to Candyman, the true story behind the bathroom mirror murder, wherever you get your podcasts. Gabby Petito never goes outside.

The Instagram post on August 25th, 2021, was the last time Gabby Petito would publish on social media. And shortly after she said she and Brian were headed to Grand Teton National Park, Gabby's parents stopped hearing from her. She seemed to have been in communication with her parents on a regular basis about the totality of this trip, and they were checking in on her regularly. checking in on her regularly. Then, on August 27, 2021, her mother says she received a strange text message from Gabby's phone.

It read, Can you help Stan? I just keep getting his voicemails and missed calls. Stan is Gabby's grandfather. The mother thought it was odd because she never refers to her grandfather as Stan. It was out of character and disconcerting, but as far as the Petito family knew, Gabby and Brian were still together on their trip. Hi, my name is Miranda Baker, and on August 29th,

my boyfriend and I picked up Brian at Grand Teton National Park at 5.30 at night at Coulter Bay. 48 hours after Gabby's mother received that cryptic text, Miranda Baker says she and her boyfriend picked up a man she believes was Brian Laundrie. She says he was alone. He approached us asking us for a ride because he needed to go to Jackson. Before he came in the car, he offered to pay us like $200 to give him a ride, like 10 miles. So that was kind of weird. He then told us he's been camping for multiple days without his fiance

and that she was working on their social media page back at their van. out his fiance and that she was working on their social media page back at their van. Suddenly, says Miranda, things took a turn when there was confusion over where they were going. He freaked out. He's like, nope, I need to get out right now, like pull over. We dropped him off at 6.09 p.m. on August 29th. Meanwhile, Gabby's mother, Nicole, did receive one more text from Gabby's phone. It said that there was no service in Yosemite. The last text I received from her phone was August 30th.

Are you confident that was from her or you're not sure? I can't comment on that. During Gabby's travels, she had been staying in touch with her friend Rose Davis. Rose was expecting to hear from Gabby on her birthday. So we talked and my birthday is August 29th. So we decided call me then. But no birthday call or text came. I honestly didn't think anything of it when she didn't text me or anything because she's traveling cross-country. And, you know, once it got later into it, around like 8th and 9th of September, that was the point where I was like, she would have called me.

Why haven't I heard from her yet? she would have called me. Why haven't I heard from her yet? What Rose did not know was that on September 1st, Brian Laundrie was back in North Port, Florida. He had driven the van there, and he was alone. The Petito family knew none of this, but they had already become alarmed when they stopped hearing from Gabby altogether,

and her cell phone had stopped working. Did you ever reach out to her boyfriend to figure out what happened and where your daughter is? We can't comment on that. We're not commenting on that. But Gabby's mother did reach out to police. It was actually Friday the 10th that I decided to call police because I had had 10 days, 10, almost 11 days was enough for me to not hear from my child. And I got the runaround. Nobody wanted to report her missing.

She's an adult. She's traveling. But as a mother, I said, it's not like her. adult, she's traveling. But as a mother, I said, it's not like her. Finally, that Saturday, I went personally to Suffolk County Fifth Precinct, and now this is where we are. Gabby Petito was officially declared a missing person on September 11th, just over two weeks after her last Instagram post. As the nation remembered so many lives lost 20 years earlier, the Petito family focused on one life, that of their missing daughter. We're looking for her and only her, not the van, not the two of them, just her.

Keep your eyes out and we'll find her. A woman disappears on a cross-country trip with her boyfriend in a van. On Monday, September 13th, 2021, the story of Gabby Petito's disappearance hit the news. The parents of a missing woman from Long Island need help finding her. Gabby's mom and stepdad, Nicole and Jim Schmidt, held up her photo for reporters. Do it. Gabby's 22 years old.

She's an absolutely beautiful, beautiful soul inside and out. Rose Davis was devastated to see her friend's picture on TV. My mom called me into her room and Gabby's face was all over the news and I kind of just went into shock. What happened to Gabby Petito? Have you ever wondered who created that bottle of sriracha that's living in your fridge? To be continued... origin stories of the products you're obsessed with, and the bold risk-takers who brought them to life. Like, did you know that Super Mario, the best-selling video game character of all time, only exists because Nintendo couldn't get the rights

to Popeye? Or Jack, that the idea for the McDonald's Happy Meal first came from a mom in Guatemala? From Pez dispensers to Levi's 501s to Air Jordans, discover the surprising stories of the most viral products. Plus, we guarantee that after listening, you're going to dominate your next dinner party. So follow The Best Idea Yet on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Best Idea Yet early and ad-free right now by joining Wondery Plus. It's just the best idea yet.

It's just the best idea yet. Once it became clear that Gabby Petito had gone missing, her mom and stepdad, her father Joe Petito, and stepmom Tara set up a Find Gabby page where people could post tips and information. She was reportedly last seen near Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming around August 27, 2021. We're home. We're home. Home safe and sound.

I immediately, immediately made like a collage of all of our photos for a TikTok and posted the information, Facebook, Instagram, everything. Within days, videos about Gabby's disappearance exploded across social media. Even people with no connection to Gabby joined the search to help find her. We are going to be going to the Grand Tetons to see if there's anything that we can do to help in the search of Gabby Petito. You know, the social media has been amazing. Watch, again, everybody to post it, repost it. We need for her to come back home.

And anything you guys can do to help us get there is just appreciated. And we just got to keep doing it. For Gabby's parents, this spotlight in the media and online was invaluable. But as former federal prosecutor Mary Fulginiti points out, not all missing persons cases received this level of attention. What was it about Gabby Petito's story that resonated with so many people across the world? You know, there seems to be a tendency in these types of cases to give a disproportionate amount of attention to a certain type of individual. And I think Gabby Petito was a young, beautiful, blonde, blue-eyed girl.

Forensic psychologist Dr. Chris Mohandy. This case, you know, is a bit of a commentary on who gets news attention, traction in social media. There are people in these situations every single day that don't fit that description. Native American communities, you know, gay communities. Are they being treated differently? Are they being ignored? Whether it's newsworthy or not

shouldn't be dictated by somebody's color of skin because these stories, if they rise to a level of notoriety, I mean, they really can help solve the mystery behind some of them. But there was one person who wasn't helping solve the mystery of what happened to Gabby, Brian Laundrie. Northport, Florida, police spokesman Josh Taylor said investigators were frustrated. Neither he nor his parents would answer their questions, even though Gabby had lived with them. We were essentially handed the information for their attorney. That is the extent of our conversation with them.

First word that popped in my brain was coward, to be honest with you. You're supposed to love her. You're supposed to marry her. Where is she? Police confiscated the white Ford van, searched it for evidence, and then released it, posting that Brian was now a person of interest in Gabby's disappearance. Laundrie family attorney Stephen Bertolino spoke briefly to the press. On behalf of the Laundrie family, I will hope that Ms. Petito is located and that she's reunited with her family. Gabby's parents responded through attorney Rick Stafford with a scathing letter. We believe you know the location of where Brian left Gabby. We beg you to tell us, as a parent, how could you let us go through this pain and not help us?

Six days after Gabby was declared missing, the Laundrie family reported that they didn't know where Brian was. They said he'd left for a hike at the Carlton Reserve days earlier. Police immediately began to comb the huge local park, looking for Brian. A massive search. More than 50 officers and FBI agents combing a 24,000-acre park near Sarasota, Florida, looking for Brian Laundrie. Anger at the Laundrie family's silence prompted protesters to gather outside the laundry

home demanding answers. While authorities were searching for Brian in Florida, the search for Gabby in and around Wyoming intensified. It was like a nationwide hut too, you know, between social media and all the other avenues. And people were looking for the van. People were looking for where it went, when it went. They were looking for Gabby Petito. And in this case, all of that social media attention ultimately helped investigators locate Gabby. When Kyle and Jen Bethune came forward with information, they had spotted Gabby and Brian's van. The Bethunes had been in Wyoming's Grand Teton National Park

around the time Gabby's family last heard from her. On August 27, 2021, the Bethunes had their GoPros rolling for their YouTube channel when they went looking for a campground. We're driving down this road past this van and it had Florida plates. However, the van was completely dark. We assumed that they were just out hiking or doing something else. Once the Bethunes left the park, they didn't think about the van again until late on Saturday, September 18th, when Jen checked her phone and was stunned to learn authorities now believed Gabby had been

in the Tetons the very same night the Bethunes were there. Jen instantly remembered the white van. And I immediately got goosebumps all over my body. I rushed back to the computer and I saw that white spec of van and I was like, please keep going, please keep going. And it did. And it got bigger and bigger. We just some reason instantly knew that it was hers. When I called the FBI, I was like, I have found Gabby's footage, like patch me across to somebody like this is huge As instructed, the Bethunes uploaded their footage to the FBI website. They also posted it on YouTube and Facebook. Just hours later came the devastating announcement. Earlier today human remains were discovered consistent with the

description of Gabrielle Gabby Petito. The FBI says Gabby's remains were found at the Spread Creek camping area inside Bridger-Teton National Forest in Wyoming. An autopsy confirmed the remains were Gabby's, and the coroner determined her death was a homicide by manual strangulation. We have no additional comments. Gabby's family asked for privacy, but her father Joe sent out a tweet that summed up the moment. It read simply, she touched the world. Hours after it was announced Gabby had been found, over a dozen FBI agents and police officers swarmed the home of Brian's parents. Police arrived. The FBI arrived. They were carrying a battering ram.

They also announced that they had a warrant. I think seeing these FBI agents and police here, you wonder, do they now know where he is? The next day, Northport police, the FBI, and other agencies ramped up the search of the nature preserve near Brian's home. Train's very difficult. Essentially, 75 percent of it's underwater. Forty nine days after Brian had returned home without Gabby on October 20th, 2021, the FBI made an announcement. Earlier today, investigators found what appeared to be human remains. An autopsy revealed Brian Laundrie had died from a self-inflicted gunshot to the head. And there was something else. A lot of personal items, such as a backpack and notebook

belonging to Brian Laundrie. That notebook contained writings from Brian explaining what he says really happened to Gabby Petito, writing, I ended her life. I thought it was merciful. Before Brian Laundrie put a bullet through his head, he wrote a story describing how Gabby Petito died.

It was dark. They were running across a stream. She must have fell and hurt herself. And he went to help her, but she seemed to be in extreme pain. In that small notebook found in a dry bag near Brian's remains, he 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. It was a self-serving narrative that portrayed that there had been an accident and that there had been a mercy killing by him of her because she was suffering. It speaks to selfishness and a degree of narcissism that it was important for how other people looked at him, his image. You know, he had the last word.

You know, he had the last word. While Gabby's parents will never see Brian Laundrie face a jury, they are seeking their own version of justice. They are suing Brian's estate for wrongful death and his parents for intentional infliction of emotional distress. Where is Gabby? Attorney Patrick Riley. It's our belief that the Laundrie family was aware that Brian had murdered Gabby and was aware where her body was located. Riley says that belief is based on information from the FBI.

He says the FBI believes that Gabby was murdered on August 27th, 2021, and that Brian made a lengthy phone call to his parents on the 28th. He says, according to the FBI, Brian's parents then contacted an attorney that same day. How damning is that? Why would they get an attorney so fast? Very, it's very damning. It doesn't pass the smell test. The Laundrie's attorney issued a statement denying the allegations made in the lawsuits and saying this lawsuit does not change the fact that the Laundries had no obligation to speak to law enforcement or any third party, including the Petito family. But there's more, says Riley. A letter allegedly written to Brian by his mother, Roberta Laundrie.

Riley says he and Gabby's mom read it while reviewing evidence at the FBI's Tampa office. There was one part that sticks out, which is, if you go to prison, I'll bake a cake with a shiv in it. And by the way, the envelope that the letter came in had written on the front of it, burn after reading. If it can be proven when and if Brian's mother did indeed write that letter, it could be very damaging, says Mary Fulginiti. Because it shows the mindset of the mother, that she'll do anything to protect her child. In addition to the pending cases in Florida, Gabby's parents are in the process of filing a lawsuit against the Moab Police Department. How's it going? How are we doing?

Relating to how they handled that domestic violence stop with Gabby and Brian, attorney Brian Stewart. The family believes that Gabby would still be alive today if the police officers had had the proper training and had followed the law in how they responded to Gabby's situation. Hey, how are you? According to Stewart, the body cam footage shows there was a fundamental problem. The very best thing I can do is call my supervisor and see if I'm missing something here. It's clear that the officers did not have a clear understanding of the law that they were supposed to enforce

that day. Try to calm down and I'm going to go call a supervisor. The Moab Police Department commissioned the captain of another Utah Police Department to conduct that independent review of the officers' actions that day. Among the report's conclusions, there was probable cause for an arrest. By choosing not to apply the statute and effect an arrest, the officers left Gabby and Brian in a dangerous situation. The report cited other unintentional mistakes, says Mary Fulginiti. They didn't follow up with a key witness, which is the 911 caller. They did not follow up with questions to Brian Landry about whether or not he grabbed her face or grabbed her arm.

They didn't document Gabby's wounds photographically or in the report. Mary Fulginiti believes they also missed some classic telltale signs of domestic violence. He was a girl who was hysterically crying, who was immediately taking the blame, who was also trying to minimize her boyfriend's actions. All of this while he remained calm, cool, and collected through his interviews. So I think if you look at that in the totality, and had all those things been addressed, we might have had a different outcome here. No, this could have been a game changer.

We don't know for sure. We'll never know. But certainly, intervention would have been more possible under that scenario. One of the officers involved told the independent investigator after Gabby's death, quote, I would have done anything to stop it if I would have known that was coming. What happened? What's going on? In a statement, the city of Moab said it believed the officer showed kindness, respect and empathy in their handling of this incident. The city intends to implement the recommendations of the independent review, which include more domestic violence investigation related training and legal training to ensure officers understand Utah state laws. The attorneys for Gabby's parents insist their lawsuits are not about money.

They're about raising awareness. are not about money. They're about raising awareness. Gabby's mother, Nicole, recently told the Associated Press, I get people messaging me all the time that they were inspired by her to get out of a relationship. And I think that in and of itself is a huge, huge victory for a family that has sadly encountered such tragedy. But there can be these bright lights that come out of these bad circumstances and if there is

one to be shined here it will be hopefully that there will be young girls out there that say you know what I'm gonna walk away. I'm not gonna stay or I'm gonna get myself the help I need to get the strength to walk away. Gabby Petito, doing in death what she did in life. I've always described her as this light, you know. She'll do everything to bring the light out in you. And if she can't, she'll give you some of hers. An Olympic horseman. He was a legend. A falling out with a student.

She attacked him on social media. I want operators to have to leave. He says she drove him to do it. Now, The Verdict. 48 hours, next on CBS. If you like this podcast, you can listen ad-free right now by joining

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