The mother of Gabby Petito has little energy and few words to give about Brian Laundrie’s family lawyer after he released a statement about her late daughter’s autopsy results.
As we reported, the aspiring YouTuber’s cause of death was revealed on Tuesday, with Teton County Coroner Dr. Brent Blue announcing the 22-year-old died of “strangulation” and was left in the Wyoming wilderness for an estimated three to four weeks before she was discovered.
Related: Gabby & Brian Decided To Go On Road Trip After Their Wedding Got Delayed By COVID
Following the news, the Laundrie’s family lawyer, Steve Bertolino, released a hollow statement in which he seemed more concerned with downplaying his client’s connection to Gabby’s death. He shared:
“Gabby Petito’s death at such a young age is a tragedy. While Brian Laundrie is currently charged with the unauthorized use of a debit card belonging to Gabby, Brian is only considered a person of interest in relation to Gabby Petito’s demise. At this time Brian is still missing and when he is located we will address the pending fraud charge against him.”
Unsurprisingly, Bertolino’s cold and calculated “thoughts and prayers” didn’t sit well with Gabby’s mother, Nichole Schmidt, who only had four words for the Laundries’ lawyer. According to NBC New York, she said simply:
“His words are garbage.”
Ouch.
Nichole’s heartbreaking response comes as she and Gabby’s father Joseph Petito head to Wyoming to be reunited with their daughter’s remains. During their trip, the parents will also reportedly meet with law enforcement investigating Petito’s death for an update on the case.
It’s unclear what exactly will be discussed during the in-person meeting, but it’s possible authorities plan to share more about Gabby’s body’s condition with the family, as many of those details — like the shape of the body, the toxicology results, other injuries — were kept out of the report.
One person who thinks the more grisly details were kept private for the sake of the victim’s families is Dog The Bounty Hunter, who theorized that the homicide was particularly bad if officials were taking this long and holding this much back. The reality star previously told The Sun:
“If she was suffocated they would have announced that right away. I think it’s more than that.”
Gabby’s parents said they don’t plan to provide any further statements to the media until they’ve brought their daughter’s remains home to New York.
In his report, Blue said he couldn’t comment on whether or not Laundrie — who is still on the run — killed his fiancée, noting law enforcement would need to make that determination.
Thoughts?
[Image via Inside Edition/YouTube]