CNN
—
Brian Laundrie’s mom wrote a letter to her son that included references to getting a shovel and burying a physique, an legal professional representing the dad and mom of Gabby Petito stated throughout a court docket listening to Tuesday.
The Petitos are suing the Laundries for emotional misery in reference to Gabby’s loss of life throughout a street journey along with her betrothed, Brian.
The lawyer for Petito’s dad and mom, Patrick Reilly, stated throughout a distant listening to in Sarasota County Circuit Courtroom in Florida that he noticed the letter at an FBI regional workplace and it expressed issues “together with serving to him get out of jail, getting a shovel and another issues.”
The envelope containing the letter stated “burn after studying” in keeping with Reilly, who stated the letter was recovered from Brian Laundrie’s backpack when his physique was discovered.
Gabby’s stays have been discovered at Wyoming’s Bridger-Teton Nationwide Forest and her loss of life was dominated a murder by handbook strangulation. Earlier than taking his personal life, Brian wrote in a pocket book he was accountable for Gabby’s loss of life, in keeping with the FBI.
In court docket Tuesday, a protection legal professional for Laundrie’s dad and mom stated the letter is irrelevant to the lawsuit they usually shouldn’t have to supply it but additionally confirmed that the letter exists and that one other household legal professional has it of their possession.
“This doc pre-dates Brian and Gabby’s journey so its creation actually doesn’t have any relation essentially to the unlucky occasions that unfolded thereafter. I do know that a number of the wording that was used within the letter is unlucky and would possibly recommend that it has some connection nevertheless it doesn’t,” protection legal professional P. Matthew Luka stated in court docket.
Reilly pushed again that the letter will not be dated and a jury ought to resolve if it’s related.
“The language in that letter is damning and that letter has a reference to bringing a shovel and burying a physique,” Reilly stated through the Tuesday listening to.
The legal professional for Gabby’s household needs to ask Roberta Laundrie concerning the letter in a deposition, he stated.
Choose Danielle Brewer stated Tuesday, “I don’t see the way it wouldn’t be related to the motion.”
Plaintiffs will ask once more for it as a part of the invention course of.
Petito’s household legal professional referenced the be aware in a latest court docket submitting requesting extra proof.
Reilly in his request stated, “This request would additionally embody the be aware that Roberta Laundrie wrote to Brian Laundrie which she supplied to deliver a shovel to assist bury the physique. This be aware was launched to the custody of Mr. Bertolino on Friday, June 24, 2022 by the FBI,” the court docket submitting stated.
Since then, Reilly stated he’s acquired letters from the Laundries’ counsel threatening to sue him for defamation in response to the request to acquire the unique copy of this letter.
The lawsuit filed by Petito’s dad and mom alleges outrageous conduct of intentional infliction of emotional misery by Roberta and Christopher Laundrie through the time Gabby was lacking. The couple refused to return calls or texts to the Petito household as they have been frantically looking for their daughter, it says.
The Laundries have responded in court docket filings arguing that they had no obligation to Petito’s household.
The case is scheduled for trial in August.
