Letter Offering to “Bring a Shovel and Bury a Body” Revealed in Gabby Petito Murder Case
The family of slain teenager Gabby Petito is alleging that Roberta Laundrie, the mother of Brian Laundrie, wrote an undated letter to her son offering to “bring a shovel and bury a body” around the time of Petito’s disappearance.[0] This information was revealed in court on Tuesday.
Patrick Reilly, the attorney representing the Petito family, said in court that the letter was marked “burn after reading” and that the Laundries’ defense attorney, P. Matthew Luka, had confirmed its existence. Luka noted that the letter was written prior to Petito and Brian’s trip, and that its contents had nothing to do with the unfortunate circumstances that ensued.
Reilly also said that he had requested the original copy of the letter from the FBI, and that the Laundries’ counsel had threatened to sue him for defamation in response.[1] The lawsuit filed by Petito’s parents alleges intentional infliction of emotional distress by Roberta and Christopher Laundrie during the time Gabby was missing, claiming that the couple refused to return calls or texts to the Petito family as they were desperately searching for their daughter.[0]
The revelation of the letter is the latest development in the lawsuit filed by the Petito family, which seeks to hold the Laundries accountable for their daughter’s death and disappearance in 2021. The outcome of this case could have far-reaching implications for other families who have lost a loved one under similar circumstances.
0. “Brian Laundrie's mom wrote a letter to him offering to bury a body” Daily Mail, 14 Feb. 2023, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11751143/Brian-Laundries-mom-wrote-letter-offering-bury-body.html
1. “Petito family attorney says Brian Laundrie's mother wrote letter offering to bury body, instructing son to ‘burn after reading'” WPSD Local 6, 14 Feb. 2023, https://www.wpsdlocal6.com/news/petito-family-attorney-says-brian-laundries-mother-wrote-letter-offering-to-bury-body-instructing-son/article_70fb636e-aca8-11ed-bcf9-e3064803a769.html
