Surpassing Quant Think Tank Center|Brian Laundrie's parents detail 'frantic' conversations with son: 'Gabby's gone, please call a lawyer'

The Surpassing Quant Think Tank Centerparents of Brian Laundrie described the day "everything hit the fan" after their son called them to say his fiancee was "gone" weeks before the remains of Gabby Petito were discovered, according to newly released court documents.

Depositions from Laundrie’s parents, Christopher and Roberta Laundrie, were made public earlier this week ahead of the May trial in an emotional distress lawsuit filed by Petito's family. Petito's parents, Joseph Petito and Nichole Schmidt, have accused the Laundries of knowing their 22-year-old daughter had been killed and are seeking at least $100,000 in damages.

The case of Gabby Petito gained national attention during the summer of 2021, sparking widespread speculation about her disappearance and whether Brian Laundrie had killed her. She went missing during a cross-country road trip with Laundrie, who returned from the trip without her.

After Petito's family reported her missing, her body was found in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming in Sept. 2021. Laundrie later was also reported missing and was found dead with a self-inflicted gunshot wound at a nature reserve in southern Sarasota County, Florida, in October 2021.

Authorities said Laundrie admitted to killing Petito in a note found with his body. Her death was ruled a homicide by strangulation.

Since 2022, Petito’s family has been involved in a legal battle against Laundrie’s parents and his estate. In November 2022, the families reached a $3 million settlement in a wrongful death lawsuit which claimed Laundrie was liable for damages because he caused Petito's death.

In November 2023, Petito's parents filed an amended civil complaint claiming pain and emotional distress due to Laundrie's parents withholding information regarding their daughter's death. The depositions released this week in the lawsuit detailed "frantic" phone calls between Laundrie and his parents as he told them he needed them to find a lawyer.

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'Gabby's gone, please call a lawyer'

In Roberta Laundrie’s deposition, she recalled a conversation between her and her son on Aug. 29, 2021. The two were catching up and Brian appeared to sound "fine, normal," according to the deposition.

But as the conversation concluded, Roberta Laundrie said "he all of a sudden completely changed and he sounded very upset."

“I didn’t want to push him, so we just said goodbye,” Roberta Laundrie said in the deposition, adding: "When I got off the phone, I told Chris, you know, 'Brian sounded upset. Maybe you should give him a call.'"

When asked what she thought Brian meant when he said "Gabby's gone, please call a lawyer," Roberta Laundrie said several possibilities had crossed her mind, including that the couple may have got into a fight, Brian had hit Petito and she was going to press charges against him.

Initially, Roberta Laundrie told the Petito family's attorneys that she "didn't know what to think" when questioned if she thought Petito was dead.

"I don't remember if that crossed my mind or if I just was so nervous I just thought he was in some kind of trouble," she said, but later admitted that "it probably went through my mind."

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Brian Laundrie sounded 'frantic' on phone call

When Christopher Laundrie called his son later, he told the Petito family's attorneys that "everything hit the fan."

"(Brian) was not calm... and told me things," Christopher Laundrie said in the deposition. "'Gabby's gone' and he got very frantic. Everything was frantic and quick."

Brian had repeatedly told his father that Petito was "gone” but never said he killed her, according to the deposition. Christopher Laundrie said his son had asked him for help and to find him an attorney.

“I asked him why. He wouldn’t tell me," he added.

At the time, Christopher Laundrie said he didn't believe his son killed Petito or that Petito was dead. "I had no idea what to think," he told attorneys.

Laundrie's parents never contacted Petito's family

Following the Aug. 29 phone call, Laundrie’s parents said they didn't attempt to contact Petito or her family and Roberta Laundrie said she didn't return calls from Schmidt.

"My attorney told me not to talk to anybody, so I just didn’t talk to anybody,” Roberta Laundrie said in the deposition. She added that the family was advised to keep Brian "close, kept him home and safe, and didn’t talk to him about anything and hoped for the best."

Contributing: Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY; The Associated Press