Gabby Petito’s Parents Reach Settlement with Brian Laundrie’s Parents to Avoid Emotional Distress Trial
The case would have gone to trial in May if a settlement had not been reached
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(L-R) Gabby Petito, Brian LaundrieA settlement has been reached between the families of Gabrielle "Gabby" Petito and her fiancé Brian Laundrie in the emotional distress civil lawsuit Petito's parents filed against Laundrie's parents.
According to CNN, the settlement occurred during a mediation between Joe Petito and Nichole Schmidt (Gabby's parents) and Chris and Roberta Laundrie (Brian's parents) on Wednesday. The case would have gone to trial in May if a settlement had not been reached.
Laundrie family lawyer Steve Bertolino confirmed the news in a statement to Fox News and other outlets.
"Christopher and Roberta Laundrie and I participated in mediation with the Petito family and the civil lawsuit has now been resolved. The terms of the resolution are confidential, and we look forward to putting this matter behind us," his statement read.
PEOPLE has reached out to Bertolino for comment.
The Petito family also released their own statement via their lawyer to WFLA-TV, expressing that "all parties reluctantly agreed in order to avoid further legal expenses and prolonged personal conflict."
Related: Timeline of Gabby Petito Tragedy 1 Year After Killer Brian Laundrie's Body Was Found
“Our hope is to close this chapter of our lives to allow us to move on and continue to honor the legacy of our beautiful daughter, Gabby," the statement continued.
The settlement is in response to an emotional distress lawsuit Petito's parents filed against Laundrie's parents. They alleged that the Laundries knew that Gabby had died and the location of her deceased body after a nationwide search for her whereabouts began after she vanished during a cross-country road trip with their son during the summer of 2021 that was chronicled on YouTube.
Laundrie returned to his parent's home without Petito on Sept. 1, 2021, and she was reported missing on Sept. 11, 2021.
Her remains were found in Grand Teton National Park on Sept. 19, 2021, and her death was declared a homicide.
Laundrie became a person of interest in the case and police said he refused to cooperate with their investigation. He was reported missing on Sept. 13, 2021, and his human remains, along with a backpack and notebook (in which he confessed to killing Gabby), were found in Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park on Oct. 20, 2021. His death was ruled a suicide.
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Petito's parents were awarded $3 million dollars in a wrongful death lawsuit against Laundrie's estate in November 2022.
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