Chris and Roberta Laundrie, the parents of Brian Laundrie, have filed a motion seeking to limit their depositions in a lawsuit filed by the parents of Gabby Petito.
The Laundries are attempting to block discussion of “irrelevant matters” and shield themselves from “annoyance, embarrassment, oppression, undue burden and expense.”
The motion was obtained by local station WFLA on Thursday, and states that "this has been a truly heartbreaking experience for both families."
"The public who followed the case and the Plaintiffs are likely curious about Brian Laundrie’s life, his last days, his interaction with his parents, and the thoughts and feelings experienced by his parents," the motion says. "But curiosity is not a reason to require the Defendants to discuss such personal and heart wrenching details. Rather, the discovery must be relevant to the cause of action at issue."
The couple had been traveling the country in a van as she tried to document her experiences for a vlog.
The case gripped the nation after he returned to his parent's home in Florida without her. Instead of cooperating with police to find the young woman, his parents lawyered up and remained silent.
As time went on, and Petito remained missing, protesters camped outside the Laundrie home demanding that they turn their son in. Eventually, his body was found in a swampy area of Carlton Reserve in North Port. His death was ruled a suicide by gunshot.
Brian Laundrie admitted to killing Petito in his suicide note.
“I ended her life,” the eight-page confession reads. “I thought it was merciful, that it is what she wanted, but I see now all the mistakes I made. I panicked. I was in shock. But from the moment I decided, took away her pain, I knew I couldn’t go on without her.”
Petito's remains were found in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming.
Gabby's parents, Joe Petito and Nichole Schmidt, filed the lawsuit in March, claiming that the Laundries knew that Brian had killed their daughter and attempted to protect him.
"The motion seeks to limit the depositions to the events that occurred between Aug. 27, 2021 and Sept. 19, 2021, the day Petito is believed to have been killed and the day her remains were discovered," WFLA reports.
The depositions were originally scheduled for October 20, but have been postponed. A new date has not been set at this time.
"We are just looking to confine the questioning to matters and the time frame relevant to the claim that has been filed," Laundrie family attorney Steven Bertolino told WFLA.
