VENICE, Fla. (WFLA) — A new wrongful death lawsuit has been filed by Gabby Petito’s mother against the estate of Brian Laundrie, accusing him of “intentional acts” that led to Petito’s death.
The new lawsuit from Petito’s mother, Nichole Schmidt, is seeking damages in excess of $30,000 for “incurred funeral and burial expenses, and they have suffered a loss of care and comfort, and suffered a loss of probable future companionship, society and comfort,” according to the documents.
Petito’s disappearance and the discovery of her remains in September led to a nationwide manhunt for Laundrie, whose remains were found a month later in Florida’s Carlton Reserve. The FBI ruled Laundrie’s death as a suicide and revealed he had claimed responsibility for Petito’s death in a notebook found near his remains.
The wrongful death suit seeks resolution through a jury trial, similar to the civil lawsuit filed by the Petito and Schmidt family in March. The civil lawsuit includes claims that Brian Laundrie’s parents were told Petito was murdered soon after it happened but attempted to help Brian flee the country.
Laundrie attorney Steven Bertolino has called the claims in the civil lawsuit “baseless.” A motion to dismiss was filed against the lawsuit in Sarasota County Circuit Court.