Brian Laundrie’s Parents Describe the Moment He Told Them Gabby Petito Was ‘Gone’ in Phone Call

Image Credit: Octavio Jones/Getty Images

Brian Laundrie’s parents shared the details of what happened on the day that their son called them to say that his girlfriend Gabby Petito was gone in depositions that are part of newly filed court documents in their lawsuit against Petito’s parents. While speaking about the day that Brian told them that Gabby was “gone,” both parents shared their thoughts and how they reacted.

Brian’s mother Roberta Laundrie revealed that she spoke to her son earlier in the day, and she could see that something was wrong, and she didn’t want to “push him,” according to CNN. “His voice was very upset and I didn’t know why,” she said. “When I got off the phone, I told Chris, you know, ‘Brian sounded upset. Maybe you should give him a call.’”

Gabby Petito’s parents are seen during a press conference. (Octavio Jones/Getty Images)

Christopher Laundrie, Brian’s dad, said that his son was “frantic,” when he told him that Petito was “gone,” but he didn’t share more details. “He was not calm and he got very excited,” he said. “I asked him why. He wouldn’t tell me.”

Both parents said that they were unsure what exactly their son had meant when he said that Petito was “gone,” but when asked if she thought that Brian may have killed his girlfriend, Roberta said that the idea “probably went through my mind.”

Petito and Laundrie’s story captured national attention in 2021. Following Petito’s disappearance and murder, a nationwide manhunt for Laundrie commenced, until his remains were found in October 2021. Officials found that he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. In January 2022, the FBI revealed a page from Laundrie’s notebook where he admitted to killing Gabby.

Following the death of their daughter, Petito’s parents filed a lawsuit against Laundrie’s parents, citing pain and emotional distress. The lawsuit claims that Laundrie’s parents knew that he had killed Gabby and that they were intentionally withholding information about where he may have been. Her parents first filed a lawsuit in March 2022, and they claimed that they “believed  [they] were making arrangements for him to leave the country.”