The disappearance and murder of Gabby Petito, a young woman who was on a cross-country road trip with her fiancé Brian Laundrie, captivated the nation in 2021. The case has been re-examined in a new docuseries, American Murder: Gabby Petito, which has brought new attention to the events surrounding her death and the involvement of Brian Laundrie’s family. Cassie Laundrie, Brian’s older sister, has found herself at the center of controversy, as the docuseries reveals text messages between her and her mother, Roberta Laundrie, that appear to mock the police for letting Brian slip away before he eventually took his own life.
In a recent Instagram post, Cassie Laundrie revealed that she has been estranged from her parents for nearly two years. She made this statement in response to criticism she has faced since the release of the docuseries, which includes bodycam footage and detective interviews that shed light on the early stages of the investigation. Cassie has consistently denied any wrongdoing or knowledge of her brother’s actions, but her relationship with her family has come under intense scrutiny. The docuseries highlights a conversation between Cassie and her mother in which they joke about the police’s failure to catch Brian before he disappeared into a nearby park, where he later died by suicide. The texts, which have sparked outrage, show Roberta making light of the situation, calling Brian “short, pudgy, and shapely,” while Cassie replies with sarcastic comments about the police’s surveillance efforts.
One of the most contentious aspects of Cassie’s involvement is her claim that she had no contact with her parents or Gabby’s family until Detective Tracey Barry reached out to her during the initial investigation. In the docuseries, Barry can be heard recounting a phone call with Cassie, in which she allegedly told the detective that Brian had gotten into a fight with Gabby and left her at a hotel before flying back to Florida. Cassie has since disputes Barry’s account, stating that the detective “gravely miscommunicated” what she had told her. She claims that no one from either family contacted her until after Barry initiated the conversation, and she has maintained that she had no knowledge of her brother’s actions after he returned home.
The timeline of events leading up to Gabby’s disappearance and murder is deeply troubling. In late August 2021, Brian and Gabby were involved in a domestic dispute in Moab, Utah, during their cross-country road trip. Police intervened, separating the couple for the night, but they later reunited and continued their trip. Brian flew home to Florida for nearly a week, leaving Gabby at a hotel in Salt Lake City. When he returned, they resumed their journey, but the trip ended in tragedy when Gabby was found dead in Wyoming on September 19, 2021. The FBI later confirmed that Brian had killed Gabby near Spread Creek in the Bridger-Teton National Forest on August 27, 2021. He then staged the crime scene, transferred money from her bank account, and drove her van back to Florida, where he went camping with his parents and Cassie’s family over Labor Day weekend.
Cassie has long maintained that she had no knowledge of her brother’s actions and that she was equally devastated by Gabby’s death. She has also claimed that she witnessed Brian being a victim of domestic violence at the hands of Gabby, a claim that Gabby’s family has vehemently denied. In a statement to Fox News Digital, Gabby’s mother, Nichole Schmidt, called Cassie’s claims “lies,” adding that “evidence and actions speak louder than words.” Cassie’s own family has seemingly distanced themselves from her, as she has not spoken to her parents in nearly two years. She has expressed her own heartbreak over the situation, stating that she feels she is “losing my parents and my brother and my children’s aunt and future sister-in-law on top of this.”
The release of the docuseries has reignited the debate over the Laundrie family’s involvement in the case, with many questioning whether they could have done more to prevent Gabby’s death or to assist in the investigation. Cassie’s text messages with her mother have been particularly scrutinized, as they appear to show a callous disregard for the gravity of the situation. While Cassie has denied any wrongdoing, her jokes about the police’s handling of the case have only added to the public’s frustration. In the end, the case of Gabby Petito serves as a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of domestic violence and the importance of holding perpetrators accountable. If you or someone you know is suffering from domestic violence, please contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233 (SAFE).
