An emotional distress case between the families of Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie has taken an interesting turn as an attorney for the Petitos has requested a letter allegedly written by Laundrie's mother said to contain phrases related to "getting a shovel" and the instructions to "burn after reading."
The case is scheduled to go to trial in August.
The death of the couple made national news after Brian Laundrie is said to have admitted in a note found after he died by suicide to being responsible for his partner's death during a road trip the pair were on.
His fiancé's remains were found in Wyoming's Bridger-Teton National Forest amida search for Laundrie who was later found dead in a Florida nature reserve.
Patrick Reilly, a lawyer for the Petitos, said during a court hearing in Sarasota County, Florida that he saw the letter at an FBI regional office and said it contained subject matter related to helping Laundrie get out of prison and regarding the need to get access to a shovel.
Reilly said the letter was in an envelope which had the phrase "burn after reading" on it. The letter was said to have been taken from Brian Laundrie's backpack when his remains were found in Florida.
Defense attorney's for the Laundrie's called the letter irrelevant and claimed it was produced before the pair went on their trip through Wyoming.
Reilly said the letter is not dated and said a jury should see it saying, “the language in that letter is damning and that letter has a reference to bringing a shovel and burying a body.”
Reilly's request said that it also includes "the note that Roberta Laundrie wrote to Brian Laundrie which she offered to bring a shovel to help bury the body." It said the note "was released to the custody" of another individual called "Mr. Bertolino on Friday, June 24, 2022 by the FBI,” according to a court filing reported on by CNN.
