In a recent legal development, this motion aimed to determine whether privilege extends to a deceased client who never explicitly waived it but allegedly confessed to the crime in a suicide note.
The attorney representing the parents of the late travel blogger Gabby Petito, Pat Reilly, has withdrawn his court request to compel the lawyer of Brian Laundrie
Reilly argued that the handwritten confession should be considered a waiver, a claim contested by Steve Bertolino, Brian Laundrie’s family lawyer named as a co-defendant. With the withdrawal of the motion, the scheduled hearing on December 20 has been canceled. Reilly stated that he no longer deems Bertolino’s testimony necessary for the case.
Brian Laundrie’s parents, Christopher and Roberta, who are facing a lawsuit filed by Gabby Petito’s parents, denied knowing about Petito’s death but acknowledged contacting Bertolino for legal representation for their son on August 29. Bertolino, in turn, secured a prominent Wyoming lawyer for Brian Laundrie, a detail that only became public last week. Petito was reported missing on September 11, with allegations suggesting she was killed on August 27.
During the critical period, Laundrie reportedly traveled from Wyoming to his parents’ Florida home using Petito’s van and her debit card
Despite going camping with his family for Labor Day weekend, Laundrie remained silent about his missing fiancee’s whereabouts. Joseph Petito and Nichole Schmidt, Gabby Petito’s parents, are suing the Laundries, claiming they had direct knowledge of her death and likely knew the location of her remains when they issued a statement expressing hope for her safe return. Reilly contends that this statement, given the Laundries’ alleged knowledge, caused emotional distress.
In response, the Laundrie side argued feeling pressured to make a statement due to extensive media coverage, protests at their residence, and purported death threats. Brian Laundrie later confessed to killing Petito in a suicide note found near his remains in a Florida swamp, situated approximately 10 minutes from his parent’s home in North Port.
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