Where Are Brian Laundrie’s Parents Now? What Happened to Christopher & Roberta

Gabby Petito‘s disappearance and death has remained a nationwide heartbreak since 2021. The late 22-year-old vlogger was murdered while traveling around the country with her fiancé, Brian Laundrie, and his parents, Christopher and Roberta Laundrie, became the most controversial figures in the case. Now that Netflix has released its docuseries on the case, American Murder: Gabby Petito, viewers are wondering what happened to Brian’s parents.

In 2022 and 2023, Gabby’s family filed multiple lawsuits related to their late daughter’s death. In November 2023, they sued the Laundries and their attorney for emotional distress and claimed that Christopher and Roberta notably withheld information regarding Gabby’s death, according to several outlets. In early 2024, the Petito and Laundrie families reached a settlement regarding the emotional distress lawsuit.

Find out what happened to Brian’s parents, Christopher and Roberta, after he died.

Who Killed Gabby Petito?

Brian admitted to killing Gabby in a letter that was discovered near his skeletal remains in Florida. He claimed that before Petito died, she had fallen into freezing water and was shivering, so he chose to end her life.

“I thought it was merciful, that it is what she wanted, but I see now all the mistakes I made,” the letter read. “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.”

Brian wrote that Gabby was the “love of [his] life” and apologized to her family.

“I’m so very sorry to her family because I love them,” he added in the letter. “I’d [consider] her younger siblings my best of friends… I am sorry to my family, this [is] a shock to them as well a terrible grief.”

Courtesy of Netflix © 2025

How Did Brian Laundrie Die?

Brian died by suicide, authorities confirmed when they found his remains in the Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park in Florida. He wrote in his letter that he was “ending [his] life not because of a fear of punishment, but rather because [he couldn’t] stand to live another day without [Gabby].”

“I’ve lost our whole future together, every moment we could have [shared],” Brian’s letter read. “I’m sorry for everyone’s loss. Please do not make life harder for my family, they lost a son and a daughter. The most wonderful girl in the world. Gabby I’m sorry. … I have killed myself by this creek in the hopes that animals may tear me apart. That it may make some of her family happy.”

What Happened to Brian Laundrie’s Parents?

Christopher and Roberta have been living a private life since their son’s death. The latest update the public received about the couple was in February 2024 when the Laundries’ attorney, Steve Bertolino, told Fox News that they and the Petito family reached a settlement in the emotional distress lawsuit. The settlement happened a few months before the case would have gone to trial.

“Christopher and Roberta Laundrie and I participated in mediation with the Petito family, and the civil lawsuit has now been resolved,” Steve’s statement to the outlet read. “The terms of the resolution are confidential, and we look forward to putting this matter behind us.”

If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or considering suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential support.