Featured Image Credit: Netflix
Topics: Gabby Petito, Netflix, News, US News
Gerrard Kaonga
Brian Laundrie’s sister has taken to social media to address some of the conversations around the Netflix documentary about Gabby Petito’s murder.
Back in 2021, travel influencer Gabby Petito was traveling on a road trip across the US with her fiancé Brian Laundrie.
Police opened an investigation for Petito when the 22-year-old disappeared weeks into the trip, with police eventually pointing to 23-year-old Brian as a suspect, who'd returned home to Florida.
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Petito’s autopsy would reveal that the YouTuber had died by 'blunt force injuries' to her head and 'manual strangulation'.
He then too vanished before authorities discovered his body after he'd taken his own life in Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park with a note confessing to her murder.
This story has recently been explored in a three-part documentary by Netflix entitled American Murder: Gabby Petito.
The documentary revealed that Laundrie had made several phone calls to his parents, Roberta and Christopher Laundrie, with one conversation with his mother lasting almost an hour.
A letter from Roberta to her son was discovered in his backpack, which was marked 'burn after reading'. The contents of the letter (via CNN) spoke of Roberta showing up 'with a shovel and garbage bags' if he needed to 'dispose of a body', however, attorneys for Roberta said this letter was written before his trip and had no connection to Petito's death.
In 2022, Petito's parents filed a civil lawsuit against them, accusing them of knowing about their daughter's whereabouts and were 'making arrangements' for Laundrie to 'leave the country'.
The Laundries denied the allegations and the case was privately settled in 2024. They have also not been charged with any crime.
And recently, Brian’s sister Cassie Luycx has recently taken to Instagram to say she knew nothing of Petito's disappearance.
Last week, an account said to belong to her said: “No one from any family contacted me until detective Barry called me. Detective Barry gravely miscommunicated what I told her in the phone.”
She also captioned the post: “If’ you’re new here and just starting to attack me today. I’ve been non contact with my parents for almost two years. Have fun. #heal.”
Laundrie's parents also issued a statement following the release of the Netflix documentary.
In an exclusive statement to the US Sun, the Laundries' attorney, Steven Bertolino, said the documentary was what the family were expecting, but alleged it has 'many inaccuracies'.
"One perspective depicted as the 'truth' as seen through their lens. Similar to Republicans and Democrats fighting it out lately," he said. "Each side believes their perspective is correct. Hard to see through the lens of the other with all the noise and distrust.
"To be clear though, there were no contradictions by my clients Chris and Roberta Laundrie."
The attorney continued: "The documentary contained many inaccuracies, incorrect juxtapositions of timelines, and misstatements and omissions of fact - perhaps deliberate to capture their 'truth', perhaps due to simple error.
"We all know Brian took Gabby's life and Brian then took his own as well."