The fiance and killer of the domestic violence murder victim Gabby Petito desperately called his parents and told them that she was “gone” weeks before she was discovered dead – yet they later shared messages expressing hope that search efforts for her would end in success, her family has alleged.

Petito’s parents, Joseph Petito and Nichole Schmidt, made the claim in a lawsuit that they are pursuing against Brian Laundrie’s family and their attorney in the latest chapter to a case that has generated international news headlines.

The Petitos, who amended the lawsuit with the new allegations on 30 November, have accused Laundrie’s parents as well as their lawyer of intentionally withholding information about their daughter’s murder, inflicting on them pain and emotional distress.

  • phoneymouse@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    11
    ·
    11 months ago

    He said he needed a lawyer and the family went and got him one… you don’t need a lawyer for a break up.

    • OpenPassageways@lemmy.zip
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      3
      ·
      edit-2
      11 months ago

      I don’t think getting a lawyer should be seen as an admission of guilt. Its dangerous for even 100% innocent people to talk to the police without a lawyer.

      • phoneymouse@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        11 months ago

        Preponderance of evidence is required in civil cases. In the same conversation, he both told his parents she was gone and also said he needed a lawyer.

      • interceder270@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        1
        arrow-down
        2
        ·
        edit-2
        11 months ago

        I mean, that doesn’t have to stop the jury from including it in their verdict.

        The legal system is way more flimsy than a lot of you people realize.

        Here’s a case of a bootlegger that killed his wife after he got out of jail because she left him and sold all his stuff: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Remus

        He was found not guilty even though he admitted to doing it. Apparently the courtroom cheered (I don’t blame them, tbh.)