What Happened To Brian Laundrie's Parents After He Died In 2021
This article contains mention of murder and suicide.
Netflix's new American Murder docuseries, American Murder: Gabby Petito, covers the murder of Gabby Petito by her fiancé, Brian Laundrie, and how his parents became involved in the case. In August 2021, Laundrie killed Petito (both in their early 20s) while on a trip traveling across the United States in their van. According to TIME Magazine, the couple had only been on the road for a little over one month (on what was supposed to be a four-month vacation) when Petito went missing and died. Her body wasn't found until September 19, and Laundrie died by suicide a few days later.
Petito and Laundrie reportedly had their fair share of problems before their deaths. In American Murder: Gabby Petito, Petito's friend, Rose Davis, claims that Petito felt uncomfortable at the Laundrie family's home and that Laundrie was quite controlling. Then, on August 12, 2021, police received a call stating that a man was attacking a woman in what turned out to be Petito and Laundrie's can. Two weeks later, Petito was dead, and Laundrie tried to cover up the murder, allegedly with the help of his parents.
Brian Laundrie's Parents Were Sued By Gabby Petito's Parents In 2022
Joseph Petito & Nichole Schmidt's Lawsuit Claimed Laundrie's Parents Helped Him Cover Up Gabby's Murder
Netflix's documentaryAmerican Murder: Gabby Petito details Brian Laundrie's actions after killing his fiancée. He called his parents, Christopher and Roberta Laundrie, who contacted an attorney. He tried to create an alibi by texting back and forth from his and Gabby Petito's phones to fabricate a conversation between the two. Laundrie even transferred $700 from Petito's bank account to his own with the message, "Goodbye Brian, I'll never ask you for anything again." He returned home in the van, where police found him and his parents, all unwilling to cooperate with the investigation into Petito's disappearance, leading to Petito's parents' lawsuit.
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Laundrie disappeared from his home in September 2021, and in October, police discovered his remains. Next to Laundrie's body was a letter containing his confession to Petito's murder. So, it was an open-and-shut case of a horrific tragedy. A few months later, though, Joseph Petito and Nichole Schmidt, Petito's parents, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Christopher and Roberta Laundrie (per Newsweek).
Netflix's American Murder Documentary Series | Release Date | Episodes | Case Covered |
|---|---|---|---|
American Murder: The Family Next Door | September 30, 2020 | N/A (one 1-hour 23-minute movie) | The 2018 Watts family murders |
American Murder: Laci Peterson | August 14, 2024 | 3 | The 2002 murder of Laci Peterson |
American Murder: Gabby Petito | February 17, 2025 | 3 | The 2021 murder of Gabby Petito |
They claimed that the Laundries had assisted their son in his attempt to cover up their daughter's murder and were planning on helping him flee the country. Petito and Schmidt also alleged that Laundrie's parents knew where Gabby's body was and never told the police. A judge ultimately ruled in Petito and Schmidt's favor and settled the lawsuit for $3 million. In the years since, the Laundries have never faced any criminal charges in connection to Petito's murder.
What Christopher & Roberta Laundrie Have Said About Gabby Petito's Murder After Brian's Death
The Laundries Spoke About Petito's Death In 2024
More than two years after Gabby Petito's murder, Brian Laundries' parents discussed the case and their involvement in it for the first time in February 2024. Christopher and Roberta Laundrie spoke under oath during depositions for the aforementioned civil trial with the Petito family. According to WFLA, Christopher Laundrie confirmed that his son had called him multiple times after killing his fiancée, stating in his deposition:
"I asked him, you know, how is he doing, and he — you know, he was not calm and he got very excited and told me things had — you know, 'Gabby's gone' and he got very frantic. Everything was frantic and quick. So, you know, Gabby's gone ... He said, you know, 'Can you help me,' you know, and he might need a lawyer, you know. And I would — I asked him why he wouldn't tell me. He was very frantic. Everything was frantic and I started to not really comprehend, and then he said just, you know, 'Can you help me?’'And I said, 'Okay. I'll help you.' And I calmed him down and I said — I don't know. It was — it was all mumbled and I still don't remember everything that happened."
While verifying the story that their son had called them after killing his fiancée, the Laundrie family asserted that they weren't made aware of Petito's death. Throughout the trial, they maintained their ignorance about the murder. As for why they didn't contact Petito's parents, the Laundries claimed they had no reason to think anything had happened to Petito.
Brian Laundrie's Parents Still Live In Florida Today
They Have Attempted To Live A Private Life
As one might expect, Christopher and Roberta Laundrie have tried to maintain as private a life as they can almost four years after the murder of Gabby Petito. Since the conclusion of the civil lawsuit, the Laundrie family has remained away from the public eye. The couple reportedly still lives in Florida, as of the release of Netflix's true crime documentary showAmerican Murder: Gabby Petito.
Sources: TIME Magazine, Newsweek, WFLA
