Brian Laundrie's family ordered to pay Gabby Petito's $3 million
Topics: US News, Gabby Petito, Crime, True crime
Dominic Smithers
Featured Image Credit: North Port Police
Topics: US News, Gabby Petito, Crime, True crime
Brian Laundrie's parents have been ordered to pay Gabby Petito's family $3 million.
Petito and Laundrie went on a roadtrip across the country last year, visiting America's National Parks in their camper van.
However, when Laundrie returned home without his fiancée, suspicions were raised that something had happened to the 22-year-old.
It later transpired that the couple had been arguing constantly, and that Laundrie had eventually murdered his partner.
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After refusing to help Petitio's parents get answers as to what happened to their daughter, he fled home, hiding out in a nearby marsh, and killed himself.
Petito's family later sued Laundrie's family for malice and wrongful death, with the case set to go to trial next month.
They claimed that Christopher and Roberta Laundrie both knew that their son had murdered Gabby and were going to help him escape the country.
However, the two sides have now reached an agreement, with the Laundries paying Petito's family $3m.
In a statement about the lawsuit, the Petitos' attorney Patrick Reilly said: "No amount of money is sufficient to compensate the Petito family for the loss of their daughter, Gabby, at the hands of Brian Laundrie.
"Brian did not have $3 million; it’s an arbitrary number.
"Whatever monies they do receive will help Gabby’s family in their endeavours with the Gabby Petito Foundation."
The Petitos have also taken legal action against the Laundries separately, which are still active.
Earlier this year, it was revealed that Laundrie, who died as a result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, had admitted to killing his fiancée.
A notebook, which was recovered close to his remains in Florida’s Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park, was found to contain a confession.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the FBI said: "A review of the notebook revealed written statements by Mr Laundrie claiming responsibility for Ms Petito’s death."
FBI Denver Division Special Agent in Charge Michael Schneider said that 'the investigation quickly focused on the last person believed to see her alive — Mr Laundrie'.
"The FBI’s primary focus throughout the investigation was to bring justice to Gabby and her family," he said.
Richard Stafford, the Petito family attorney, thanked the FBI for its 'diligent and painstaking efforts in this extremely complicated case'.
"The quality and quantity of the facts and information collected by the FBI leave no doubt that Brian Laundrie murdered Gabby," a statement read.