MURDERED Gabby Petito’s parents are convinced Brian Laundrie's family know where he is and have accused them of hiding information.
Step-dad Jim and mom Nichole Schmidt told reporters Laundrie's parents' silence was torturous and cruel and branded the prime suspect in the strangulation of the 22-year-old vlogger a coward.
Since his disappearance on September 17, there have been multiple alleged sightings of Laundrie.
Now, in an interview with 60 minutes, Gabby's devastated family have spoken about their devastation and made an emotional plea for Laundrie to turn himself in.
Mom Nichole said: "He's a coward.
"This was evil. She was taken at somebody else's hand."
Step-father Jim said: "She was stolen, she was taken from us.”
Meanwhile, his parents’ refusal to provide any information about where he might be has increased suspicion that they are hiding crucial information about his whereabouts.
Gabby's father Joe Petito said: "If they do know something and they're withholding that and they don't want to let us know, it's cruel.”
Nichole agreed with this. She said: "Their actions don't show that their son is missing. It shows that they're just comfortable and they probably know where he is."
Read our Gabby Petito live blog for the very latest news and updates…
It comes as ex-FBI agent Dennis Franks said Laundrie’s family must know more about the missing fugitive than they’re revealing.
Franks, who works as a Security Consultant, told NewsNationNow: "There's been a lot of information about what they have and haven't done — including coming from the sister.
"They do know things that they're not going to reveal."
Franks is skeptical that parents Christopher and Roberta Laundrie are coveting critical information because they quickly let their attorney Steve Bertolino be their mouthpiece.
He said: "They hired this attorney, which they have a right to do.
"This attorney is providing a certain amount of information.”
But he suspects there is much more than they’ve chosen to withhold.
"How to you get to that? I don't know."
America’s Most Wanted host John Walsh says that Brian Laundrie may have fled to Mexico following the release of Gabby Petito's autopsy results.
Criminal investigator Walsh suggested Laundrie may have traveled to Mexico.
Gabby Petito timeline
Gabby Petito, 22, was last seen on August 24, leaving a hotel in Utah. Here is a timeline of Gabby Petito’s disappearance:
- June 2021 – Gabby Petito and her fiancé Brian Laundrie set off on a cross-country trip across the US.
- July 4 – Gabby posts photos of herself barefoot in Gove County, Kansas.
- July 8 – Gabby posts photos of herself at the Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado.
- July 18 – Gabby and Brian post photos of themselves at Utah's Zion National Park.
- August 12 – Body camera footage was released in September showing an encounter Brian and Gabby had with police in Utah. Police confirmed that no significant injuries were reported.
- August 19 – Gabby and Brian post a video on their YouTube channel chronicling their trip.
- August 24 – Gabby is spotted leaving a hotel in Salt Lake City, Utah.
- August 25 – Gabby Facetimes her mom, Nichole Schmidt, for the final time. In a later police report, Schmidt said her conversations with her daughter revealed "more and more tension" between her and Brian.
- August 25 – Gabby also posts her last Instagram. No location is given.
- August 27 – Gabby is seen for what's believed to be the final time. Witnesses claim they saw Brian in an explosive argument with staff at a restaurant in Jackson Hole, leaving Gabby in tears.
- August 27 – Four hours later, travel bloggers driving through Grand Teton National Park drive past the couple's van "abandoned" on a dirt road.
- September 1 – Brian returns home to Florida without Gabby.
- September 11 – Gabby's parents report her missing to Suffolk County police.
- September 14 – Brian's family issues a statement saying he has retained an attorney and will not be cooperating with investigators.
- September 14 – Brian is allegedly last seen by his family. He reportedly told them he was going hiking in Cartlon Reserve but failed to return.
- September 15 – Florida's North Port police announce Brian is a person of interest in the case. He is not charged with any crime.
- September 16 – Utah police release body camera footage of the police encounter with Brian and Gabby.
- September 17 – Brian's parents say they have not seen their son in a couple of days and report him missing.
- September 18 – Police announce they were searching Carlton Reserve in Florida for Brian. Police announce they have not found anything.
- September 19 – Authorities in Wyoming say they found a body in Grand Teton National Park. The FBI announces the body was believed to be Gabby's but a full forensic identification needs to be completed first to confirm.
- September 20 – Police execute a search warrant on Laundrie's home, seizing his silver Mustang and a hard drive that may contain "evidence relevant to proving that a felony has been committed."
- September 21 – Officials announce they will be conducting an autopsy on the remains found in Wyoming to confirm whether or not they belong to Gabby. Police also resumed their search for Laundrie, this time on the Venice side of Carlton Reserve.
- September 21 – The FBI announced the body found in Wyoming was identified as Gabby's. The cause of death was not yet revealed.
- September 21 – The Teton County Coroner's office said Gabby's official cause of death was still pending but the initial manner of death is homicide.
- September 22 – Police continue to scour Carlton Reserve for a trace of Laundrie but yield no leads. A specialist dive team is called in to assist with the hunt.
- September 23 – Officials announced a federal arrest warrant for Brian was issued.
- September 26 – Gabby's funeral was held on Long Island, New York.
- October 12: Gabby's autopsy results were made public. Teton County Coroner Dr Brent Blue confirmed Gabby died by strangulation.
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