September 12, 2025 • 39 mins
After weeks of speculation, the announcement finally came. The Teton County, Wyoming, coroner, Dr. Brent Blue, released that Gabby Petito died by strangulation. Petito’s boyfriend Brian Laundrie quickly became a person of interest. News broke of a domestic violence issue in Moab where Gabby was made to be the aggressor. Brian Laundrie returned to his Florida home on September 1 without Gabby, but with the converted camper van the couple had been traveling in on their cross-country road trip. He used Gabby's money to fund his cross-country drive back. No one told the Petitos where their daughter was or where she went missing. Then Brian Laundrie went missing himself. His remains were later found after he committed suicide, still with no news about Gabby.
Questions arose about what parents Chris and Roberta Laundrie knew about Gabby's disappearance and then death. The Laundries were the subject of a civil lawsuit filed by Gabby Petito's parents, who alleged that the Laundries inflicted emotional distress by acting with knowledge of Petito's death and the location of her body, which the Laundries denied. In depositions related to the lawsuit, Brian's parents admitted Brian told them Gabby was "gone" and that he needed a lawyer, while denying they knew she was dead. Gabby's dad Joe, and stepmom, Tara, joined Nancy Grace at Crime Con 2025 and in the studio, to discuss how the Petitos learned of their daughter's death, as well as how they have dealt with the knowledge that Brian Laundrie's parents reportedly knew Gabby was dead and did not share the information. The Petitos also share about their latest philanthropic project, the Laramie Project to provide a security fence for a Laramie domestic Violence shelter.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. Good evening, everybody. I'm Nancy Grayson.
This is the Friday Night special Crime Stories and Tonight
Shock Query. Did killer Brian Laundry's parents his mother and
(00:21):
father know Gabby Petito had been murdered? Did they know
that all along? Refusing to let her parents know and
launch a wild goose chase for their daughter. Tonight joining
us Gabby Petito's dad and stepmom. Not only are they
(00:48):
analyzing what happened then, but wait until you hear what
they are doing now, what they are doing for other
crime victims. It's amazing. I'm Nancy Grace, this is Crime Stories.
I want to thank you for being with us.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
I don't want to try and defend myself by saying
and hereby I pushed their way.
Speaker 3 (01:23):
She gets really worked up and when she knows, she
swings and shut herself on her head.
Speaker 4 (01:26):
So I was just trying to get.
Speaker 5 (01:27):
Through a way.
Speaker 4 (01:28):
But I was just really stressed.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
Way I am thinking about it work then, and I.
Speaker 6 (01:33):
Was apologizing I had done about this stuff in the fact.
Speaker 7 (01:37):
Oh, I was just apologizing.
Speaker 6 (01:40):
I was like, I'm sorry that I get so stressed out.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
Okay, how in the world was Brian Laundry deemed the
victim in that scenario.
Speaker 4 (01:53):
Did you hear that?
Speaker 1 (01:54):
How many times have women been victimized? And the man
says quote, she really gets worked up. Then you see
Gabby who was murdered, apologizing it like it's my fault
(02:14):
because she threw something in the back seat. Just so
you know. The police pulled them over after reports had
occurred of Brian Laundry beating Gabby Patito slapping her in
the face on Main Street. Why am I emphasizing main
(02:36):
Street because if he would do that on Maine Street,
what would he do in private? I e out and
dispersed camping where her remains were found completely bass actwards,
and she paid for the police mistake with her life.
(02:58):
Joining me right now two people that we all think
we know so well because we've seen them on TV,
we've heard their voices. But now joining me, Joe and
Tara Patito. This is Gabby's dad and step mom. They
(03:22):
have been co parenting with Gabby's stepdad and bio mom
for years and years, all four of them. I believe Tara,
they call you a bonus.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
Mom, yes, and they called Jim a bonus dad because
we're more than step. We've been in Gabby's life since
she was very little, so I've been there from the start.
Speaker 1 (03:50):
As a matter of fact, isn't it true, Tara, that
very quickly after you met Joe, now your husband, you
saw photos of Gabby just a little girl.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
Oh yeah, we met when Gabby was just about eight
nine months old. We didn't start really dating until about
six months later. But you know, one of the first
things he did show me was a picture of Gabby.
Speaker 1 (04:14):
You know, Tarah, A lot of guys and I guess women,
but mostly guys in the dating world, they hide the
fact that they have children or they don't even care.
They don't even think of talking about their children because
they're so like disconnected and they're more focused on getting
a girlfriend and all that entails. But not Joe, Betito, Joe,
(04:40):
what is your single most I no, there's a lot,
but what is your single most vivid memory of Gabby?
Speaker 3 (04:52):
When when I ditched work with her, so it was
like bring your daddy and bring your daughter to work, dad,
and h My work was boring. Jim's got like a
cool job, like he would run into the burning buildings
and you know all that stuff.
Speaker 7 (05:05):
You know, firepole whatever. No, I had reports and stuff.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
So she was so bored and she's just you know,
I could see it and she's like, you know, let's
get out of here.
Speaker 7 (05:15):
And I'm one hundred percent. Where do you want to go?
Speaker 3 (05:17):
And we went to the Museum of monitt Art and
we hung out there all day, and then we went
to I think it was the Starlight Diner after that
in Manhattan, and then then we went home.
Speaker 7 (05:26):
But that was that was fantastic.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
I've asked that about my fiance Keith before he was murdered,
and it's literally a moment. I've got so many memories,
but it's literally a moment. One moment. I lived on
the bottom floor of my dormitory and it to come
to the room and have to go through the lobby
and then walk down a circuitous route hallways. He would
(05:51):
come to the window and throw something at the window
of the dorm and I could just look at and
I remember one of those moments and I looked down
at him and he had beautiful blue eyes, and that
moment when he looked up and smile, that moment is
just something that just stuck in my memory. I mean,
there's so many of them, but that's one of them.
(06:11):
I don't know how anybody can pick just one with
all the birthdays and events and Christmases And do you
let yourself, Joe, think back on all of those amazing
times with Gabby or does that get you upset?
Speaker 5 (06:35):
No?
Speaker 7 (06:35):
I think about it all the time.
Speaker 3 (06:36):
I mean, yeah, yes, I get upset because I can't
have any more, But no, I think about it all
the time. And yeah, I try to make sure I
have those moments with my boys too, because you just
never know. So we really try to cherish everything and
every moment, you know, and really you live for today,
(06:57):
but you plan for tomorrow.
Speaker 7 (06:58):
And that's what we do.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
What about it, Tara, Well, I'm going to say, I
mean I cherish all the memories that we had, and again,
like Joe just said, I wish we could have more.
I find myself often looking at all the pictures. Gaby
loved to take pictures, and I'm so grateful that we
have so many of them. But right now, I mean,
(07:20):
she would have been twenty six years old, and she
has friends having.
Speaker 4 (07:24):
Babies and getting married and as happy as I am
for them, and.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
So you know, I just we're never going to get
that I'm never going to see my grandchildren from her,
and that's something that's extremely painful.
Speaker 1 (07:40):
I've been thinking about everything that we talked about at
crime Con, everything you're saying right now, Tara, you just
said something really powerful. It's not what you've already lost,
but what you are going to lose. You stated that
(08:02):
you will never have grandchildren with Gabby. When did that
hit you like a ton of bricks? I mean, do
you visualize Christmases and Easters and grandparents' days together? What
it would have been like. I mean, when you think
(08:22):
of that, what do you visualize?
Speaker 4 (08:30):
That is a rough one.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
I don't think that I really try to visualize that
because I think that would be way too painful. I
don't think I have visualized that. I mean, I think
about Gabby every single day. I try to look for
signs from her every single day. I think about her
brothers and sisters not getting to spend those times with
(09:01):
But damn, yeah, I know I'm never going to have
those grandchildren.
Speaker 4 (09:06):
But have I ever visualized it?
Speaker 5 (09:08):
No?
Speaker 4 (09:09):
I think that would be it's too bad.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
I did.
Speaker 1 (09:12):
I did tear it, but I had to stop. I
would visualize us moving in Colorado because Keith already had
a job lined up. He was a geology major, and
I would have been teaching school English or college, I
hope Shakespeare in literature, and we would have three children.
(09:35):
And I let myself do that. It was kind of
a comfort thing for years, but then it started taking
over and it wasn't comfort anymore. It was upsetting. And
then I had my twins and I learned to not
allow myself to do that because it takes you down
(09:56):
into you know, a depression or worse. It's very upsetting.
And you have your family now that you're helping through
Gabby's death. How are they at this juncture dealing with
(10:16):
no Gabby? No Gabby here anyway?
Speaker 2 (10:20):
The boys are definitely having a very difficult time. My
youngest right now, he's really struggling. I think it's he
was too young to really realize what was happening. He
was only ten years old. But now he's fourteen and
he's really it's been hitting him hard the past couple
of weeks, past couple of months.
Speaker 4 (10:43):
I just try to focus on them it's possible.
Speaker 2 (10:46):
I try to let them know that they are allowed
to have happiness. Gabby would want them to have happiness.
I let them know that Gabby's here with us, maybe
not in physical form, but her spirit's always always there,
just so that they know that they have a very
long life to live and they're going to have a
lot of memories, but to keep her always there.
Speaker 1 (11:11):
Joe, do you ever get sick when you hear people
talk about closure?
Speaker 5 (11:17):
Just?
Speaker 1 (11:17):
I mean, I just heard Tara there's no closure because
even now the boys are struggling, and as some of
them get older and it starts, they realize what really happened.
That's going to be very difficult to take in. There
is no closure. I don't know why people say that.
Speaker 3 (11:37):
So I don't get sick. I mean internally, I'm like, yeah, no,
that's not that's not a thing. You know, you don't
get over the death of a child. But there's no
better word to use. And I understand where they're coming
from and their intention behind it, to be honest with you,
I really do so, But I I just there is
(11:58):
no closure on the death child, know or or your
your partner that you see an entire life with you know,
and it's what you do afterwards, you know that and
make you get through the days, and it's find of
why we do what we do now and we get
our focus, you know, with the foundation and trying to help.
You know, that's one of the reasons that we're on today.
(12:20):
You know, that's what we're trying to do. You know,
we're trying to There's a domestic violence shelter in Laramie
that needs needs some help. They need a security defense.
And the excuse me, it's fifty four thousand dollars and
we're gonna match.
Speaker 7 (12:37):
We're gonna put up half of it. So we're gonna
put up twenty seven.
Speaker 1 (12:40):
Thousand crime stores with Nancy Grace. You're doing so much
with a Gabby Potato Foundation. But one thing you recently
told me is about Lara Dies. It's a shelter near Laramie.
(13:04):
Is it actually called Laradise.
Speaker 2 (13:07):
No, they call themselves Laradise. It's just I guess it's
spin on the words. It is Laramie, Wyoming. They're an
amazing organization and Nicky and I were able to visit
them last year. We spoke at their luncheon and when
we went to the shelter, we noticed that they did
not have a security gate, and it was something that
(13:28):
was really disturbing because they put their lives at risk
every day. They've already had issues where abusers will stop there.
Speaker 4 (13:39):
They're victims, and it's it's it's it's again, it's not.
Speaker 2 (13:46):
Most of most shelters have security gates, and so we
came up with this idea that we wanted to raise
money to try to to try to get them that,
because again, they put their lives at risk every single day.
Speaker 4 (13:58):
And she's not right. You shouldn't go to work in fear.
Speaker 2 (14:01):
You go to a shelter also to be protected from
your abuser. So they are really in desperate neve of
this eat.
Speaker 1 (14:14):
You know, Tara, I remember prosecuting all day long, and
I would work at the batter Women's Center in Atlanta
in the evenings, and a volunteer, I was a volunteer.
I wouldn't even know the location of the shelter for
a really long time, months and months and months, if
not over a year before a volunteer who was working
(14:38):
the hotline could know where the shelter was, right, because
that's a very real danger for victims to be brutalized.
And then they finally get away and then the pro
finds out where they are and the shelter you're talking about.
(14:58):
They don't even have a fence.
Speaker 7 (15:00):
What, Joe, we signed NDA's before we go yep.
Speaker 4 (15:04):
Because we can't give out the addresses.
Speaker 1 (15:07):
Well, you're right, because perps have found the shelter and
have followed the victim and tried to kill the victim
at the shelter, and then there are other people there
that are collateral damage. So this fence, these protective measures
are really needed. You go to Gabby Potito Foundation dot
(15:28):
org and when you go there and click on that,
you will immediately see how to donate to the Laramie
Project shelter. Tell me about who are the victims there, Joe.
Speaker 3 (15:42):
These aren't domestic violence survivors that need assistance, and they
need to make sure that where they are are going
to be safe. The name of the foundation is called
the Safe Project, and they do amazing work. And they
they said, Tyr and Nikki went and spoke there, and
the last thing they should be worried about is, hey, listen,
I got away. Now the person is going to break
(16:04):
into where I'm at. I mean, that's the fear that
you shouldn't have. And this is a process of healing.
It can't start with having more fear where you are
and that this is why this is so important. Nikki
and Tara and are going there this weekend this week going.
Speaker 2 (16:19):
Back there this weekend to speak at their luncheon again,
just as being there has brought in more people. They
sold out last year and I think they only have
a couple of tickets left for this year. So it
just brings in more money for them. And that's what
our foundation is all about. It's about helping other organizations,
TV organizations and missing organizations.
Speaker 4 (16:44):
I mean, we do a lot of other things as well,
but that's those are our main two things.
Speaker 3 (16:48):
I mean, so we have a first responder program that
gym's going around the country with. Nicki and Tara do
a lot of education and prevention around the country.
Speaker 7 (16:57):
I do a lot of the legislative work.
Speaker 3 (16:59):
So when it comes to what we're doing, it's a lot.
But this is right here, This is just going to.
Speaker 7 (17:05):
Be a pretty you know.
Speaker 3 (17:06):
Our short term goal is to get them their fence
right now and do what they can to make sure
that everyone that's there or come there in the future
have a safe place to Joe, when.
Speaker 1 (17:17):
Did you decide to launch the Gabby Potito Foundation?
Speaker 5 (17:22):
And why Nicky came up with it before Gabby's service
because we had so many people reach out and there
was so many questions on what to do and what
you saw and stuff like that.
Speaker 3 (17:38):
And we just wanted to help as many people as
we could and get as much information to people as
we could. And to be honest with you, the amount
of work that Tara and Nicky do, I mean, Jim
and I do a lot of work too, but it's
nowhere near the amount of work that Tara does and
that Nicky does. And I'll tell you they are the
brains behind the operation. And watching them work, it's just
it's just admirable.
Speaker 7 (18:00):
They are amazing together.
Speaker 1 (18:07):
Derek, when did you know in your heart that you
couldn't just sit by and do nothing after Gabby was
murdered by Brian Laundry Again, No, you've had to do something.
Speaker 4 (18:19):
It was right before Gabby's service.
Speaker 2 (18:21):
I mean, nothing that we could do, obviously, is to
bring Gabby back. As much as I would love to
be able to do that, it's just not possible. But
Nikki came to us right before her service and was like,
let's start a foundation.
Speaker 4 (18:35):
I think at that point we didn't really know what
that meant. We didn't know what we were doing.
Speaker 2 (18:40):
I've never ran a foundation before, but I knew in
my heart that we had to do it. So many
people helped us, and we don't want this happening to
anybody else.
Speaker 4 (18:50):
I mean, our goal is really to be put out
of business.
Speaker 2 (18:52):
That's what That's what we want to think most TV organizations,
that's what they want. They want to be put out
of business because I mean this it has to stop.
The violence has to stop.
Speaker 1 (19:02):
I've got a question for you. When you hear or
read online, dare you do it? People attacking you? How
do you deal with that? Just totally ignore it?
Speaker 2 (19:19):
I think in the beginning it used to really hurt
reading that, and then we have amazing supporters that actually
would defend us, and we didn't have to do anything
at that point.
Speaker 4 (19:33):
Now I just kind of laugh at them. I look
at them like their bots.
Speaker 2 (19:38):
They have no idea, they haven't done any research, and
lucky for them, they've maybe they've never been in a
situation where they've needed any resources.
Speaker 4 (19:46):
So have at it. Do what you got to do.
Speaker 1 (19:49):
But what are the different things that you do through
Gabby Potato Foundation dot org.
Speaker 3 (19:57):
Again, I mean, it's kind of like we said before,
what we do, you know, the education prevention Tara and
Nikki go around the country talking to colleges and conferences
and foundations at all types of events.
Speaker 1 (20:08):
Got to break it down Joe education about.
Speaker 2 (20:11):
What well, DV education and prevention. So right now Jim
is out there. He's a first uh, he's always been
a first responder, and he developed a DV it's like
unseen Advocate, So it's a DV prevention program that he
goes and teaches first responders us mts.
Speaker 4 (20:34):
And then Nicki and I will go around well we
will this next week.
Speaker 2 (20:39):
I think next week we're speaking at a high school.
Nicki has already spoken out of high school. That's what
we would like to get in.
Speaker 3 (20:46):
Red flags, you know where to go if you see
situations you know, similar to you know X, you know,
and they're talking about these these these events and these
situations that people in, especially when you gear it towards
the younger generation of friendships relationships because they're just new.
Speaker 2 (21:03):
And it's also about keeping your airways safe. I mean,
Gabby was strangled, so a lot of people do not
know the dangers of being strangled, even if it's just
for pleasure or I mean that anybody that strangles you
is the most dangerous person to walk the earth. Most likely,
if they're going to strangle you, they are ready to
(21:25):
kill you.
Speaker 7 (21:27):
Yeah, yeah, and then listen.
Speaker 3 (21:29):
Then there's the legislative stuff, do you know there's a
lethality assessment that we're trying to get everywhere. Matter of fact,
I'll be up in Albany in October trying to champion
a bill that's up and up there for the state
of New York. So then we'll have what Utah, Florida
and New York that'll have it. We just trained the
LAPD what two months back to they are using the
(21:53):
Maryland Network Against Domestic Violences lethality assessment now too. So
just doing as much as we can ise, you know,
just everywhere, but working on some legislation in Australia and
the United Kingdom as well.
Speaker 1 (22:08):
You know, I'm want to circle back on what the
legislation is that you're working on. But something that Tara
said about prevention DV domestic violence, I would see by
the time I got them, they would be felonies such
as aggravated battery where a woman would lose her eye,
the use of her eye or forever use, the use
(22:30):
of her lose, the use of her arm or finger
or a leg even or an aggravated assault where the
victim is shot stad beaten with fists, so they'd be
a fella or they're dead. That's how I would get
the case in court. By then it's a felony, right.
And it was a constant stream. I remember one woman
(22:53):
coming in in It's like a body cast from the
hip down on one side of her. Her whole legs
ankle all the way up, and she was on crutches,
of course, and trailing behind her was the purp. They
came together and she came up to me and wanted
(23:13):
to drop charges. Of course I reamed him a new
tailhole and refused to drop charges, and let him know
that's my decision, not hers. My point is all I
could do at that point is put somebody behind bars
for a good long time. But what you're doing is
(23:36):
trying to stop it before it happens.
Speaker 7 (23:40):
We're also trying to change some of the mentality behind it.
You know. Yeah, I hate listen.
Speaker 3 (23:46):
I don't want to bring up politics because I think
politics is just a ridiculous topic, to be honest with you,
you know, but there was something that was said yesterday
that I was tagged in and it was and you
can and we'll go offline on who it was, but
someone pretty prominent made a comment where, you know, even
a small, you know, fight between a husband and wife
(24:08):
and the home is now considered criminal or you know,
and they were just making light of that topic where
it's not the disagreements or the arguments that you have,
but the idea that someone would say something like that,
and you know, and not understanding there's some serious ramifications
behind even small fights where people will consider and there's
(24:30):
dangers behind it, and there's it's it's just not okay.
Speaker 7 (24:33):
And it's that mentality that we need to change. And
I mean we were talking about it last night. I
can't believe I actually heard something like that.
Speaker 3 (24:41):
And that's that's what we're trying to change, that type
of old way of thinking that that's okay.
Speaker 4 (24:47):
It's not because because of use as a process. I mean,
we know that.
Speaker 2 (24:54):
When Brian killed Gabby that that wasn't the first time
he strangled her. He had strangled her many times, many
times beforehand. I mean, now we know that we didn't
know that then. But a lot of times they love
bomb you, they isolate you, they start gasolating. I mean,
it doesn't always, it's not they're not going to.
Speaker 4 (25:14):
Physically abuse you right away. They got to win you
over and.
Speaker 2 (25:17):
Make you think that they're the best thing, the best
thing ever, and then then they.
Speaker 4 (25:22):
Will slowly show their true colors. So it's it doesn't
just happen overnight. It takes some time.
Speaker 7 (25:29):
I mean, it's crazy how they're always the same process. Yeah,
it really is.
Speaker 4 (25:35):
So it's really just eating.
Speaker 3 (25:38):
Well, there's statistics that show that when you kill someone
from strangulation, you've done it before.
Speaker 2 (25:44):
And she also disclosed that to her friend.
Speaker 1 (25:48):
I got a question, are you convinced that Laundry's family
new Gabby was dead for weeks and let you and
everybody else search for her while refusing to take your calls.
Speaker 3 (26:09):
It is my I'm going to say in terms that
I'm allowed to say that it is my opinion, okay,
that they definitively knew and nothing that anyone says will
ever change that. I've seen too much information to say
otherwise they knew, and.
Speaker 1 (26:27):
I under our law, no one has been accused, No
one is a person of interest or suspect and hiding
Gabby's murder. Everyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty in
a court of law that said, what have you seen
that convinces you? What have you seen that gives you
(26:51):
the opinion that the Laundrys, damn well knew Gabby was dead.
Could it be that they sent twenty five thousand dollars
to a Wyoming defense attorney where her body was found
before she was found?
Speaker 7 (27:13):
That's that would be a possibility.
Speaker 4 (27:15):
Would would they say yet?
Speaker 7 (27:16):
I mean that would that would time to do it
for me?
Speaker 2 (27:18):
And in a Christopher Laundry's deposition said that Gabby was gone,
that Brian called and said Gabby was gone and that
he needed a lawyer. I mean, but then he tried
to say, oh, because she just ran off. I don't
know anybody that needs a lawyer for a breakup.
Speaker 7 (27:37):
Yeah. No, I've never needed a lawyer for a breakup.
And a Nora have I sent twenty five thousand many times?
Speaker 1 (27:44):
Did you try to reach them? Because we all know
Brian Laundry drove across the country in Gabby's for transit,
arrives at home in her car, and nobody said none
of the laundry said, hey, where's Gabby? There was a
car you're here. You know how many times did you
call them to find out where's Gabby and nobody would
(28:07):
tell you.
Speaker 3 (28:08):
I don't know how many times I did. I know
I did a few and texted a few. You called
a few, Jim called a few, Nikki called a few.
I mean, we kept calling and texting, but it was
it got no responses. But I mean, listen, and nothing's
going to bring her back, and is listen we heard
(28:31):
every day. You know, we go through the process every day,
but it really does. The stuff that we do now
and the work that we do now really does, really
does make a difference in impacting our lives and making
us feel like it not that it's worth it, but
maybe there's meeting behind it. So do you know, I
don't know. You were one of the first people to
(28:53):
put a file on our face, you know, back when
this happened. You know, I don't know if Ben people
know that that you put me on your family thread
for the twins' birthday and accidentally and like are you coming?
And I didn't know how to respond, and I showed
Tara and it was like the one of the first
(29:14):
times that we laughed, to be honest with you, like,
we actually had a smile on our face, and she's like,
you have to respond, so you know, and.
Speaker 7 (29:22):
Then we you know, all that stuff, But that was
one of the first times that we left.
Speaker 1 (29:25):
So I'll put you on that text. It was to
all the parents about the twins' birthday party, and at
that time, everybody in the grade had to be invited
to the mega blowout at the jumping house or whatever
it was, and it was just not a good time
unless I threw up or got a black eye or
(29:46):
a fat lip at the jumping house. So that's what
you mistakenly were invited to all the good times. What
exactly was on that text?
Speaker 3 (29:53):
By the way, I really think, I replied the listen,
I think you're kind of far plus.
Speaker 7 (29:59):
I don't think this was meant for me, you know.
Speaker 3 (30:01):
But then I got I guess pictures from the event,
and then Tara's like, we were just laughing, Like I said,
it put a smile on our face at a dark time,
so that.
Speaker 4 (30:10):
He wasn't going to respond, and I'm like, you have to.
Speaker 8 (30:13):
You cannot not respond, like this is amazing, you know,
most people would love to be able to even meet you,
and here he is on your text.
Speaker 4 (30:24):
Threat was awesome, But thank you. Thank you for giving
us that laugh, we really needed it.
Speaker 1 (30:30):
And thank you what you want to Thank me for
inviting you to the Twins Jumping house party.
Speaker 7 (30:35):
I'll come next time.
Speaker 8 (30:36):
Listen.
Speaker 7 (30:36):
Who doesn't love a good jumping out.
Speaker 1 (30:44):
Crime Stores with Nancy Grace, Gabby's stepmom Tara, who helped
raise her. They referred to her as a bonus mom.
Spoke with our friends over at Squeeze a very disturbing question.
Speaker 6 (31:04):
His room was completely gutted and renovated. None of his
things were were there anymore. It was gone. So that
very same week Gabby was missing and cops were going
to their house to try to get I guess a
scent from their dogs to look for Brian. All his
things were gone.
Speaker 1 (31:23):
That from our friends at the Squeeze again. The Laundries
are not charged with any criminal wrongdoing. They have not
been named suspects or persons of interest. In fact, they
are innocent of all criminal wrongdoing under our jurisprudence. Innocent.
The sheer will power of Gabby Potatoes for parents is
(31:48):
amazing that they have taken their pain and their anger
and turned it in to something so amazingly good. This
is a discussion I had with Joe and Tara at
crime cod twenty twenty five out in Denver, just a
few days ago before he murdered her. He assaulted her
(32:11):
on main street in some little town, and the cot
named Gabby the aggressor, even though witnesses state they saw
him get her. So everything that could go wrong went wrong,
And somehow the Laundryes knew more than you did.
Speaker 3 (32:32):
Well, no, I was the person who was responsible. Came
home back into their house and I think it was
twenty five thousand dollars. You know, they had the right
to check twenty five thousand, and they.
Speaker 2 (32:45):
Sent a check for twenty five thousand dollars to their
attorney up in New York, Berdolino, who then sent it
to a defense attorney in Wyoming. How did they know
the location in Wyoming that they needed a difriend's attorney?
Speaker 1 (33:00):
And to say that again, so Brian Laundry and the
fiance walked in the door, and I said, Hey, where's Gamby?
Speaker 3 (33:06):
Actually no, that's not so he called. He called his
mom on his drive home and they had a long conversation,
and immediately afterwards the parents called Stephen Bertolino, and then
I guess the next day a wire went from the
laundries to Bertolino, and then Bertolino hired some high power
(33:27):
criminal defense attorney in Wyoming and that was the retainer
of twenty five thousand dollars. No, I don't know about
anybody in this room. If your child asked you for
a twenty five thousand dollars check, are you guys gonna
ask why?
Speaker 4 (33:43):
Right?
Speaker 1 (33:45):
Just wondering, Joe and Tara Patito, what is your message
tonight to families out there looking for their loved ones,
to families that know the one they loved is being abused,
and your message to people that are being abused.
Speaker 7 (34:08):
Okay, so that would be three different messages.
Speaker 2 (34:11):
So I guess the first one is, if your loved
one is missing, don't give up, keep trying. If you're
not getting answers from the media, and if they're not
helping you, take it to your take it to your
own social media, make your own social media, push it
as much as possible, advocate for your loved one as
much as possible.
Speaker 7 (34:32):
Can I give a dark one of that I'll give
a dark one of that sure.
Speaker 3 (34:36):
So for the media and the outlets and stuff, this
is gonna sound really horrible, but they need stuff that
people will watch and content. A photo sometimes isn't enough
to keep people's attention.
Speaker 7 (34:50):
So videos and or you know, sounds, you know.
Speaker 3 (34:53):
Where people can hear and see the body movements and
stuff can really make an impact on getting that story
out there.
Speaker 7 (35:00):
Further So, if you.
Speaker 3 (35:01):
Have videos or even live photos and stuff where you
can hear them, try and put those out there as
much as you can as well, because that's some of
the stuff that TikTok and like Instagram stories or the
mainstream media will pick up on because of that.
Speaker 7 (35:17):
I do find that to be helpful.
Speaker 2 (35:20):
If you're going through a situation similar to Gabby, reach
out for help. Reach out to a family member, a
loved one. There's a National Domestic Violence Hotline that you
can reach out to. They have lots of resources even
on their website. Don't give up that hope, just keep trying.
Come up with a safety plan. Know that you deserve
(35:41):
you deserve a life of happiness free from abuse.
Speaker 3 (35:46):
If you are in a situation where you're being abused,
like Dike, Tara said, you know, one hundred and seventy
nine nine Safe as a national domestic violence hotline. But
you'll see, like one of the things that happened after
the Netflix documentary, which is really cool, was we got
to see so many people tell their stories on how
(36:06):
they got out of their situation to inspire others that
there's light at the end of the tunnel. And if
I would say, kind of watch those that there are
better times ahead. And it's a journey, but there are
better times ahead. And you know, relationships can be a
wonderful thing. I mean, she's amazing. I'm an idiot, but
she's amazing. So and seeing stuff like that can really help.
(36:29):
And if you are in a safe place and you
have a story that you would like to tell and
get out there to help inspire others, I would encourage
you to do that too.
Speaker 1 (36:38):
I really love the bracelet you gave me. It says
Gabby Potato. She touched the world. What did you mean
by that?
Speaker 7 (36:48):
She touched the world? She touched everybody.
Speaker 3 (36:50):
Everybody When it comes to what Gabby was doing and
the way she helped others see themselves in her, you know,
in the certain situations and stuff and I mean there
wasn't a country that didn't contact us, to be honest,
So she really did.
Speaker 7 (37:09):
She really touched the world.
Speaker 3 (37:10):
And I hope others can be inspired by the way
that she would do things in terms of travel and
and just.
Speaker 7 (37:17):
Try and be nice, just be a nicer person.
Speaker 3 (37:20):
It's I actually find it more difficult to be a
jerk than it is to be nice. It's easy to
be nice, it's difficult to be a jerk.
Speaker 1 (37:28):
So you know, it takes a lot more energy, yeah, exact,
and sometimes people are energy. Get that. It takes a
lot of energy.
Speaker 3 (37:37):
Yeah, and they're not worth it, you know's And you
had said something before, like how do you you know
what social media?
Speaker 7 (37:43):
My kids have kids.
Speaker 3 (37:44):
The one thing that parents know about children is that
children say sometimes the darkest things. Were like, man, you
don't have to be so mean to me, you know,
So I care about like three people in my house,
my wife, my two boy, anything that anyone else has,
and but they're not talking to me. So but other
than that, say what you want. You know, we're still
(38:06):
going to help as many people as we can, and
that's why we're trying to help the Safe Project right now.
That's that's our short term, you know, this week we
want to raise that money and get them their fence
and hopefully the people that are there are they're going
to come there. We'll sleep better at night knowing that
they're in.
Speaker 7 (38:24):
A safe place.
Speaker 3 (38:25):
That's I mean, that's the bare minimum that we could offer, right.
Speaker 1 (38:29):
Guys joining us tonight are two people that have really
touched my life and I hope your life. And it's
all because I've Gabby Potito, the beautiful, beautiful girl. Please
in her name, help them, help us. Go to Gabbypotito
(38:51):
Foundation dot org and for starters you can send to
donate to the Laramie Security Project, a shelter for people
that need it so desperately. I don't know what is
to come. I don't know what will happen in the future,
but I do know this. I have two friends, and
(39:15):
you're looking at them, Tara and Joe Potito. God speed,
my friends. Thank you, thank you for having us, Nay,
thank you, Nancy, Nancy Grace signing off, good night friend.
Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. Good evening, everybody. I'm Nancy Grayson.
This is the Friday Night special Crime Stories and Tonight
Shock Query. Did killer Brian Laundry's parents his mother and
(00:21):
father know Gabby Petito had been murdered? Did they know
that all along? Refusing to let her parents know and
launch a wild goose chase for their daughter. Tonight joining
us Gabby Petito's dad and stepmom. Not only are they
(00:48):
analyzing what happened then, but wait until you hear what
they are doing now, what they are doing for other
crime victims. It's amazing. I'm Nancy Grace, this is Crime Stories.
I want to thank you for being with us.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
I don't want to try and defend myself by saying
and hereby I pushed their way.
Speaker 3 (01:23):
She gets really worked up and when she knows, she
swings and shut herself on her head.
Speaker 4 (01:26):
So I was just trying to get.
Speaker 5 (01:27):
Through a way.
Speaker 4 (01:28):
But I was just really stressed.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
Way I am thinking about it work then, and I.
Speaker 6 (01:33):
Was apologizing I had done about this stuff in the fact.
Speaker 7 (01:37):
Oh, I was just apologizing.
Speaker 6 (01:40):
I was like, I'm sorry that I get so stressed out.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
Okay, how in the world was Brian Laundry deemed the
victim in that scenario.
Speaker 4 (01:53):
Did you hear that?
Speaker 1 (01:54):
How many times have women been victimized? And the man
says quote, she really gets worked up. Then you see
Gabby who was murdered, apologizing it like it's my fault
(02:14):
because she threw something in the back seat. Just so
you know. The police pulled them over after reports had
occurred of Brian Laundry beating Gabby Patito slapping her in
the face on Main Street. Why am I emphasizing main
(02:36):
Street because if he would do that on Maine Street,
what would he do in private? I e out and
dispersed camping where her remains were found completely bass actwards,
and she paid for the police mistake with her life.
(02:58):
Joining me right now two people that we all think
we know so well because we've seen them on TV,
we've heard their voices. But now joining me, Joe and
Tara Patito. This is Gabby's dad and step mom. They
(03:22):
have been co parenting with Gabby's stepdad and bio mom
for years and years, all four of them. I believe Tara,
they call you a bonus.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
Mom, yes, and they called Jim a bonus dad because
we're more than step. We've been in Gabby's life since
she was very little, so I've been there from the start.
Speaker 1 (03:50):
As a matter of fact, isn't it true, Tara, that
very quickly after you met Joe, now your husband, you
saw photos of Gabby just a little girl.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
Oh yeah, we met when Gabby was just about eight
nine months old. We didn't start really dating until about
six months later. But you know, one of the first
things he did show me was a picture of Gabby.
Speaker 1 (04:14):
You know, Tarah, A lot of guys and I guess women,
but mostly guys in the dating world, they hide the
fact that they have children or they don't even care.
They don't even think of talking about their children because
they're so like disconnected and they're more focused on getting
a girlfriend and all that entails. But not Joe, Betito, Joe,
(04:40):
what is your single most I no, there's a lot,
but what is your single most vivid memory of Gabby?
Speaker 3 (04:52):
When when I ditched work with her, so it was
like bring your daddy and bring your daughter to work, dad,
and h My work was boring. Jim's got like a
cool job, like he would run into the burning buildings
and you know all that stuff.
Speaker 7 (05:05):
You know, firepole whatever. No, I had reports and stuff.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
So she was so bored and she's just you know,
I could see it and she's like, you know, let's
get out of here.
Speaker 7 (05:15):
And I'm one hundred percent. Where do you want to go?
Speaker 3 (05:17):
And we went to the Museum of monitt Art and
we hung out there all day, and then we went
to I think it was the Starlight Diner after that
in Manhattan, and then then we went home.
Speaker 7 (05:26):
But that was that was fantastic.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
I've asked that about my fiance Keith before he was murdered,
and it's literally a moment. I've got so many memories,
but it's literally a moment. One moment. I lived on
the bottom floor of my dormitory and it to come
to the room and have to go through the lobby
and then walk down a circuitous route hallways. He would
(05:51):
come to the window and throw something at the window
of the dorm and I could just look at and
I remember one of those moments and I looked down
at him and he had beautiful blue eyes, and that
moment when he looked up and smile, that moment is
just something that just stuck in my memory. I mean,
there's so many of them, but that's one of them.
(06:11):
I don't know how anybody can pick just one with
all the birthdays and events and Christmases And do you
let yourself, Joe, think back on all of those amazing
times with Gabby or does that get you upset?
Speaker 5 (06:35):
No?
Speaker 7 (06:35):
I think about it all the time.
Speaker 3 (06:36):
I mean, yeah, yes, I get upset because I can't
have any more, But no, I think about it all
the time. And yeah, I try to make sure I
have those moments with my boys too, because you just
never know. So we really try to cherish everything and
every moment, you know, and really you live for today,
(06:57):
but you plan for tomorrow.
Speaker 7 (06:58):
And that's what we do.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
What about it, Tara, Well, I'm going to say, I
mean I cherish all the memories that we had, and again,
like Joe just said, I wish we could have more.
I find myself often looking at all the pictures. Gaby
loved to take pictures, and I'm so grateful that we
have so many of them. But right now, I mean,
(07:20):
she would have been twenty six years old, and she
has friends having.
Speaker 4 (07:24):
Babies and getting married and as happy as I am
for them, and.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
So you know, I just we're never going to get
that I'm never going to see my grandchildren from her,
and that's something that's extremely painful.
Speaker 1 (07:40):
I've been thinking about everything that we talked about at
crime Con, everything you're saying right now, Tara, you just
said something really powerful. It's not what you've already lost,
but what you are going to lose. You stated that
(08:02):
you will never have grandchildren with Gabby. When did that
hit you like a ton of bricks? I mean, do
you visualize Christmases and Easters and grandparents' days together? What
it would have been like. I mean, when you think
(08:22):
of that, what do you visualize?
Speaker 4 (08:30):
That is a rough one.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
I don't think that I really try to visualize that
because I think that would be way too painful. I
don't think I have visualized that. I mean, I think
about Gabby every single day. I try to look for
signs from her every single day. I think about her
brothers and sisters not getting to spend those times with
(09:01):
But damn, yeah, I know I'm never going to have
those grandchildren.
Speaker 4 (09:06):
But have I ever visualized it?
Speaker 5 (09:08):
No?
Speaker 4 (09:09):
I think that would be it's too bad.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
I did.
Speaker 1 (09:12):
I did tear it, but I had to stop. I
would visualize us moving in Colorado because Keith already had
a job lined up. He was a geology major, and
I would have been teaching school English or college, I
hope Shakespeare in literature, and we would have three children.
(09:35):
And I let myself do that. It was kind of
a comfort thing for years, but then it started taking
over and it wasn't comfort anymore. It was upsetting. And
then I had my twins and I learned to not
allow myself to do that because it takes you down
(09:56):
into you know, a depression or worse. It's very upsetting.
And you have your family now that you're helping through
Gabby's death. How are they at this juncture dealing with
(10:16):
no Gabby? No Gabby here anyway?
Speaker 2 (10:20):
The boys are definitely having a very difficult time. My
youngest right now, he's really struggling. I think it's he
was too young to really realize what was happening. He
was only ten years old. But now he's fourteen and
he's really it's been hitting him hard the past couple
of weeks, past couple of months.
Speaker 4 (10:43):
I just try to focus on them it's possible.
Speaker 2 (10:46):
I try to let them know that they are allowed
to have happiness. Gabby would want them to have happiness.
I let them know that Gabby's here with us, maybe
not in physical form, but her spirit's always always there,
just so that they know that they have a very
long life to live and they're going to have a
lot of memories, but to keep her always there.
Speaker 1 (11:11):
Joe, do you ever get sick when you hear people
talk about closure?
Speaker 5 (11:17):
Just?
Speaker 1 (11:17):
I mean, I just heard Tara there's no closure because
even now the boys are struggling, and as some of
them get older and it starts, they realize what really happened.
That's going to be very difficult to take in. There
is no closure. I don't know why people say that.
Speaker 3 (11:37):
So I don't get sick. I mean internally, I'm like, yeah, no,
that's not that's not a thing. You know, you don't
get over the death of a child. But there's no
better word to use. And I understand where they're coming
from and their intention behind it, to be honest with you,
I really do so, But I I just there is
(11:58):
no closure on the death child, know or or your
your partner that you see an entire life with you know,
and it's what you do afterwards, you know that and
make you get through the days, and it's find of
why we do what we do now and we get
our focus, you know, with the foundation and trying to help.
You know, that's one of the reasons that we're on today.
(12:20):
You know, that's what we're trying to do. You know,
we're trying to There's a domestic violence shelter in Laramie
that needs needs some help. They need a security defense.
And the excuse me, it's fifty four thousand dollars and
we're gonna match.
Speaker 7 (12:37):
We're gonna put up half of it. So we're gonna
put up twenty seven.
Speaker 1 (12:40):
Thousand crime stores with Nancy Grace. You're doing so much
with a Gabby Potato Foundation. But one thing you recently
told me is about Lara Dies. It's a shelter near Laramie.
(13:04):
Is it actually called Laradise.
Speaker 2 (13:07):
No, they call themselves Laradise. It's just I guess it's
spin on the words. It is Laramie, Wyoming. They're an
amazing organization and Nicky and I were able to visit
them last year. We spoke at their luncheon and when
we went to the shelter, we noticed that they did
not have a security gate, and it was something that
(13:28):
was really disturbing because they put their lives at risk
every day. They've already had issues where abusers will stop there.
Speaker 4 (13:39):
They're victims, and it's it's it's it's again, it's not.
Speaker 2 (13:46):
Most of most shelters have security gates, and so we
came up with this idea that we wanted to raise
money to try to to try to get them that,
because again, they put their lives at risk every single day.
Speaker 4 (13:58):
And she's not right. You shouldn't go to work in fear.
Speaker 2 (14:01):
You go to a shelter also to be protected from
your abuser. So they are really in desperate neve of
this eat.
Speaker 1 (14:14):
You know, Tara, I remember prosecuting all day long, and
I would work at the batter Women's Center in Atlanta
in the evenings, and a volunteer, I was a volunteer.
I wouldn't even know the location of the shelter for
a really long time, months and months and months, if
not over a year before a volunteer who was working
(14:38):
the hotline could know where the shelter was, right, because
that's a very real danger for victims to be brutalized.
And then they finally get away and then the pro
finds out where they are and the shelter you're talking about.
(14:58):
They don't even have a fence.
Speaker 7 (15:00):
What, Joe, we signed NDA's before we go yep.
Speaker 4 (15:04):
Because we can't give out the addresses.
Speaker 1 (15:07):
Well, you're right, because perps have found the shelter and
have followed the victim and tried to kill the victim
at the shelter, and then there are other people there
that are collateral damage. So this fence, these protective measures
are really needed. You go to Gabby Potito Foundation dot
(15:28):
org and when you go there and click on that,
you will immediately see how to donate to the Laramie
Project shelter. Tell me about who are the victims there, Joe.
Speaker 3 (15:42):
These aren't domestic violence survivors that need assistance, and they
need to make sure that where they are are going
to be safe. The name of the foundation is called
the Safe Project, and they do amazing work. And they
they said, Tyr and Nikki went and spoke there, and
the last thing they should be worried about is, hey, listen,
I got away. Now the person is going to break
(16:04):
into where I'm at. I mean, that's the fear that
you shouldn't have. And this is a process of healing.
It can't start with having more fear where you are
and that this is why this is so important. Nikki
and Tara and are going there this weekend this week going.
Speaker 2 (16:19):
Back there this weekend to speak at their luncheon again,
just as being there has brought in more people. They
sold out last year and I think they only have
a couple of tickets left for this year. So it
just brings in more money for them. And that's what
our foundation is all about. It's about helping other organizations,
TV organizations and missing organizations.
Speaker 4 (16:44):
I mean, we do a lot of other things as well,
but that's those are our main two things.
Speaker 3 (16:48):
I mean, so we have a first responder program that
gym's going around the country with. Nicki and Tara do
a lot of education and prevention around the country.
Speaker 7 (16:57):
I do a lot of the legislative work.
Speaker 3 (16:59):
So when it comes to what we're doing, it's a lot.
But this is right here, This is just going to.
Speaker 7 (17:05):
Be a pretty you know.
Speaker 3 (17:06):
Our short term goal is to get them their fence
right now and do what they can to make sure
that everyone that's there or come there in the future
have a safe place to Joe, when.
Speaker 1 (17:17):
Did you decide to launch the Gabby Potito Foundation?
Speaker 5 (17:22):
And why Nicky came up with it before Gabby's service
because we had so many people reach out and there
was so many questions on what to do and what
you saw and stuff like that.
Speaker 3 (17:38):
And we just wanted to help as many people as
we could and get as much information to people as
we could. And to be honest with you, the amount
of work that Tara and Nicky do, I mean, Jim
and I do a lot of work too, but it's
nowhere near the amount of work that Tara does and
that Nicky does. And I'll tell you they are the
brains behind the operation. And watching them work, it's just
it's just admirable.
Speaker 7 (18:00):
They are amazing together.
Speaker 1 (18:07):
Derek, when did you know in your heart that you
couldn't just sit by and do nothing after Gabby was
murdered by Brian Laundry Again, No, you've had to do something.
Speaker 4 (18:19):
It was right before Gabby's service.
Speaker 2 (18:21):
I mean, nothing that we could do, obviously, is to
bring Gabby back. As much as I would love to
be able to do that, it's just not possible. But
Nikki came to us right before her service and was like,
let's start a foundation.
Speaker 4 (18:35):
I think at that point we didn't really know what
that meant. We didn't know what we were doing.
Speaker 2 (18:40):
I've never ran a foundation before, but I knew in
my heart that we had to do it. So many
people helped us, and we don't want this happening to
anybody else.
Speaker 4 (18:50):
I mean, our goal is really to be put out
of business.
Speaker 2 (18:52):
That's what That's what we want to think most TV organizations,
that's what they want. They want to be put out
of business because I mean this it has to stop.
The violence has to stop.
Speaker 1 (19:02):
I've got a question for you. When you hear or
read online, dare you do it? People attacking you? How
do you deal with that? Just totally ignore it?
Speaker 2 (19:19):
I think in the beginning it used to really hurt
reading that, and then we have amazing supporters that actually
would defend us, and we didn't have to do anything
at that point.
Speaker 4 (19:33):
Now I just kind of laugh at them. I look
at them like their bots.
Speaker 2 (19:38):
They have no idea, they haven't done any research, and
lucky for them, they've maybe they've never been in a
situation where they've needed any resources.
Speaker 4 (19:46):
So have at it. Do what you got to do.
Speaker 1 (19:49):
But what are the different things that you do through
Gabby Potato Foundation dot org.
Speaker 3 (19:57):
Again, I mean, it's kind of like we said before,
what we do, you know, the education prevention Tara and
Nikki go around the country talking to colleges and conferences
and foundations at all types of events.
Speaker 1 (20:08):
Got to break it down Joe education about.
Speaker 2 (20:11):
What well, DV education and prevention. So right now Jim
is out there. He's a first uh, he's always been
a first responder, and he developed a DV it's like
unseen Advocate, So it's a DV prevention program that he
goes and teaches first responders us mts.
Speaker 4 (20:34):
And then Nicki and I will go around well we
will this next week.
Speaker 2 (20:39):
I think next week we're speaking at a high school.
Nicki has already spoken out of high school. That's what
we would like to get in.
Speaker 3 (20:46):
Red flags, you know where to go if you see
situations you know, similar to you know X, you know,
and they're talking about these these these events and these
situations that people in, especially when you gear it towards
the younger generation of friendships relationships because they're just new.
Speaker 2 (21:03):
And it's also about keeping your airways safe. I mean,
Gabby was strangled, so a lot of people do not
know the dangers of being strangled, even if it's just
for pleasure or I mean that anybody that strangles you
is the most dangerous person to walk the earth. Most likely,
if they're going to strangle you, they are ready to
(21:25):
kill you.
Speaker 7 (21:27):
Yeah, yeah, and then listen.
Speaker 3 (21:29):
Then there's the legislative stuff, do you know there's a
lethality assessment that we're trying to get everywhere. Matter of fact,
I'll be up in Albany in October trying to champion
a bill that's up and up there for the state
of New York. So then we'll have what Utah, Florida
and New York that'll have it. We just trained the
LAPD what two months back to they are using the
(21:53):
Maryland Network Against Domestic Violences lethality assessment now too. So
just doing as much as we can ise, you know,
just everywhere, but working on some legislation in Australia and
the United Kingdom as well.
Speaker 1 (22:08):
You know, I'm want to circle back on what the
legislation is that you're working on. But something that Tara
said about prevention DV domestic violence, I would see by
the time I got them, they would be felonies such
as aggravated battery where a woman would lose her eye,
the use of her eye or forever use, the use
(22:30):
of her lose, the use of her arm or finger
or a leg even or an aggravated assault where the
victim is shot stad beaten with fists, so they'd be
a fella or they're dead. That's how I would get
the case in court. By then it's a felony, right.
And it was a constant stream. I remember one woman
(22:53):
coming in in It's like a body cast from the
hip down on one side of her. Her whole legs
ankle all the way up, and she was on crutches,
of course, and trailing behind her was the purp. They
came together and she came up to me and wanted
(23:13):
to drop charges. Of course I reamed him a new
tailhole and refused to drop charges, and let him know
that's my decision, not hers. My point is all I
could do at that point is put somebody behind bars
for a good long time. But what you're doing is
(23:36):
trying to stop it before it happens.
Speaker 7 (23:40):
We're also trying to change some of the mentality behind it.
You know. Yeah, I hate listen.
Speaker 3 (23:46):
I don't want to bring up politics because I think
politics is just a ridiculous topic, to be honest with you,
you know, but there was something that was said yesterday
that I was tagged in and it was and you
can and we'll go offline on who it was, but
someone pretty prominent made a comment where, you know, even
a small, you know, fight between a husband and wife
(24:08):
and the home is now considered criminal or you know,
and they were just making light of that topic where
it's not the disagreements or the arguments that you have,
but the idea that someone would say something like that,
and you know, and not understanding there's some serious ramifications
behind even small fights where people will consider and there's
(24:30):
dangers behind it, and there's it's it's just not okay.
Speaker 7 (24:33):
And it's that mentality that we need to change. And
I mean we were talking about it last night. I
can't believe I actually heard something like that.
Speaker 3 (24:41):
And that's that's what we're trying to change, that type
of old way of thinking that that's okay.
Speaker 4 (24:47):
It's not because because of use as a process. I mean,
we know that.
Speaker 2 (24:54):
When Brian killed Gabby that that wasn't the first time
he strangled her. He had strangled her many times, many
times beforehand. I mean, now we know that we didn't
know that then. But a lot of times they love
bomb you, they isolate you, they start gasolating. I mean,
it doesn't always, it's not they're not going to.
Speaker 4 (25:14):
Physically abuse you right away. They got to win you
over and.
Speaker 2 (25:17):
Make you think that they're the best thing, the best
thing ever, and then then they.
Speaker 4 (25:22):
Will slowly show their true colors. So it's it doesn't
just happen overnight. It takes some time.
Speaker 7 (25:29):
I mean, it's crazy how they're always the same process. Yeah,
it really is.
Speaker 4 (25:35):
So it's really just eating.
Speaker 3 (25:38):
Well, there's statistics that show that when you kill someone
from strangulation, you've done it before.
Speaker 2 (25:44):
And she also disclosed that to her friend.
Speaker 1 (25:48):
I got a question, are you convinced that Laundry's family
new Gabby was dead for weeks and let you and
everybody else search for her while refusing to take your calls.
Speaker 3 (26:09):
It is my I'm going to say in terms that
I'm allowed to say that it is my opinion, okay,
that they definitively knew and nothing that anyone says will
ever change that. I've seen too much information to say
otherwise they knew, and.
Speaker 1 (26:27):
I under our law, no one has been accused, No
one is a person of interest or suspect and hiding
Gabby's murder. Everyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty in
a court of law that said, what have you seen
that convinces you? What have you seen that gives you
(26:51):
the opinion that the Laundrys, damn well knew Gabby was dead.
Could it be that they sent twenty five thousand dollars
to a Wyoming defense attorney where her body was found
before she was found?
Speaker 7 (27:13):
That's that would be a possibility.
Speaker 4 (27:15):
Would would they say yet?
Speaker 7 (27:16):
I mean that would that would time to do it
for me?
Speaker 2 (27:18):
And in a Christopher Laundry's deposition said that Gabby was gone,
that Brian called and said Gabby was gone and that
he needed a lawyer. I mean, but then he tried
to say, oh, because she just ran off. I don't
know anybody that needs a lawyer for a breakup.
Speaker 7 (27:37):
Yeah. No, I've never needed a lawyer for a breakup.
And a Nora have I sent twenty five thousand many times?
Speaker 1 (27:44):
Did you try to reach them? Because we all know
Brian Laundry drove across the country in Gabby's for transit,
arrives at home in her car, and nobody said none
of the laundry said, hey, where's Gabby? There was a
car you're here. You know how many times did you
call them to find out where's Gabby and nobody would
(28:07):
tell you.
Speaker 3 (28:08):
I don't know how many times I did. I know
I did a few and texted a few. You called
a few, Jim called a few, Nikki called a few.
I mean, we kept calling and texting, but it was
it got no responses. But I mean, listen, and nothing's
going to bring her back, and is listen we heard
(28:31):
every day. You know, we go through the process every day,
but it really does. The stuff that we do now
and the work that we do now really does, really
does make a difference in impacting our lives and making
us feel like it not that it's worth it, but
maybe there's meeting behind it. So do you know, I
don't know. You were one of the first people to
(28:53):
put a file on our face, you know, back when
this happened. You know, I don't know if Ben people
know that that you put me on your family thread
for the twins' birthday and accidentally and like are you coming?
And I didn't know how to respond, and I showed
Tara and it was like the one of the first
(29:14):
times that we laughed, to be honest with you, like,
we actually had a smile on our face, and she's like,
you have to respond, so you know, and.
Speaker 7 (29:22):
Then we you know, all that stuff, But that was
one of the first times that we left.
Speaker 1 (29:25):
So I'll put you on that text. It was to
all the parents about the twins' birthday party, and at
that time, everybody in the grade had to be invited
to the mega blowout at the jumping house or whatever
it was, and it was just not a good time
unless I threw up or got a black eye or
(29:46):
a fat lip at the jumping house. So that's what
you mistakenly were invited to all the good times. What
exactly was on that text?
Speaker 3 (29:53):
By the way, I really think, I replied the listen,
I think you're kind of far plus.
Speaker 7 (29:59):
I don't think this was meant for me, you know.
Speaker 3 (30:01):
But then I got I guess pictures from the event,
and then Tara's like, we were just laughing, Like I said,
it put a smile on our face at a dark time,
so that.
Speaker 4 (30:10):
He wasn't going to respond, and I'm like, you have to.
Speaker 8 (30:13):
You cannot not respond, like this is amazing, you know,
most people would love to be able to even meet you,
and here he is on your text.
Speaker 4 (30:24):
Threat was awesome, But thank you. Thank you for giving
us that laugh, we really needed it.
Speaker 1 (30:30):
And thank you what you want to Thank me for
inviting you to the Twins Jumping house party.
Speaker 7 (30:35):
I'll come next time.
Speaker 8 (30:36):
Listen.
Speaker 7 (30:36):
Who doesn't love a good jumping out.
Speaker 1 (30:44):
Crime Stores with Nancy Grace, Gabby's stepmom Tara, who helped
raise her. They referred to her as a bonus mom.
Spoke with our friends over at Squeeze a very disturbing question.
Speaker 6 (31:04):
His room was completely gutted and renovated. None of his
things were were there anymore. It was gone. So that
very same week Gabby was missing and cops were going
to their house to try to get I guess a
scent from their dogs to look for Brian. All his
things were gone.
Speaker 1 (31:23):
That from our friends at the Squeeze again. The Laundries
are not charged with any criminal wrongdoing. They have not
been named suspects or persons of interest. In fact, they
are innocent of all criminal wrongdoing under our jurisprudence. Innocent.
The sheer will power of Gabby Potatoes for parents is
(31:48):
amazing that they have taken their pain and their anger
and turned it in to something so amazingly good. This
is a discussion I had with Joe and Tara at
crime cod twenty twenty five out in Denver, just a
few days ago before he murdered her. He assaulted her
(32:11):
on main street in some little town, and the cot
named Gabby the aggressor, even though witnesses state they saw
him get her. So everything that could go wrong went wrong,
And somehow the Laundryes knew more than you did.
Speaker 3 (32:32):
Well, no, I was the person who was responsible. Came
home back into their house and I think it was
twenty five thousand dollars. You know, they had the right
to check twenty five thousand, and they.
Speaker 2 (32:45):
Sent a check for twenty five thousand dollars to their
attorney up in New York, Berdolino, who then sent it
to a defense attorney in Wyoming. How did they know
the location in Wyoming that they needed a difriend's attorney?
Speaker 1 (33:00):
And to say that again, so Brian Laundry and the
fiance walked in the door, and I said, Hey, where's Gamby?
Speaker 3 (33:06):
Actually no, that's not so he called. He called his
mom on his drive home and they had a long conversation,
and immediately afterwards the parents called Stephen Bertolino, and then
I guess the next day a wire went from the
laundries to Bertolino, and then Bertolino hired some high power
(33:27):
criminal defense attorney in Wyoming and that was the retainer
of twenty five thousand dollars. No, I don't know about
anybody in this room. If your child asked you for
a twenty five thousand dollars check, are you guys gonna
ask why?
Speaker 4 (33:43):
Right?
Speaker 1 (33:45):
Just wondering, Joe and Tara Patito, what is your message
tonight to families out there looking for their loved ones,
to families that know the one they loved is being abused,
and your message to people that are being abused.
Speaker 7 (34:08):
Okay, so that would be three different messages.
Speaker 2 (34:11):
So I guess the first one is, if your loved
one is missing, don't give up, keep trying. If you're
not getting answers from the media, and if they're not
helping you, take it to your take it to your
own social media, make your own social media, push it
as much as possible, advocate for your loved one as
much as possible.
Speaker 7 (34:32):
Can I give a dark one of that I'll give
a dark one of that sure.
Speaker 3 (34:36):
So for the media and the outlets and stuff, this
is gonna sound really horrible, but they need stuff that
people will watch and content. A photo sometimes isn't enough
to keep people's attention.
Speaker 7 (34:50):
So videos and or you know, sounds, you know.
Speaker 3 (34:53):
Where people can hear and see the body movements and
stuff can really make an impact on getting that story
out there.
Speaker 7 (35:00):
Further So, if you.
Speaker 3 (35:01):
Have videos or even live photos and stuff where you
can hear them, try and put those out there as
much as you can as well, because that's some of
the stuff that TikTok and like Instagram stories or the
mainstream media will pick up on because of that.
Speaker 7 (35:17):
I do find that to be helpful.
Speaker 2 (35:20):
If you're going through a situation similar to Gabby, reach
out for help. Reach out to a family member, a
loved one. There's a National Domestic Violence Hotline that you
can reach out to. They have lots of resources even
on their website. Don't give up that hope, just keep trying.
Come up with a safety plan. Know that you deserve
(35:41):
you deserve a life of happiness free from abuse.
Speaker 3 (35:46):
If you are in a situation where you're being abused,
like Dike, Tara said, you know, one hundred and seventy
nine nine Safe as a national domestic violence hotline. But
you'll see, like one of the things that happened after
the Netflix documentary, which is really cool, was we got
to see so many people tell their stories on how
(36:06):
they got out of their situation to inspire others that
there's light at the end of the tunnel. And if
I would say, kind of watch those that there are
better times ahead. And it's a journey, but there are
better times ahead. And you know, relationships can be a
wonderful thing. I mean, she's amazing. I'm an idiot, but
she's amazing. So and seeing stuff like that can really help.
(36:29):
And if you are in a safe place and you
have a story that you would like to tell and
get out there to help inspire others, I would encourage
you to do that too.
Speaker 1 (36:38):
I really love the bracelet you gave me. It says
Gabby Potato. She touched the world. What did you mean
by that?
Speaker 7 (36:48):
She touched the world? She touched everybody.
Speaker 3 (36:50):
Everybody When it comes to what Gabby was doing and
the way she helped others see themselves in her, you know,
in the certain situations and stuff and I mean there
wasn't a country that didn't contact us, to be honest,
So she really did.
Speaker 7 (37:09):
She really touched the world.
Speaker 3 (37:10):
And I hope others can be inspired by the way
that she would do things in terms of travel and
and just.
Speaker 7 (37:17):
Try and be nice, just be a nicer person.
Speaker 3 (37:20):
It's I actually find it more difficult to be a
jerk than it is to be nice. It's easy to
be nice, it's difficult to be a jerk.
Speaker 1 (37:28):
So you know, it takes a lot more energy, yeah, exact,
and sometimes people are energy. Get that. It takes a
lot of energy.
Speaker 3 (37:37):
Yeah, and they're not worth it, you know's And you
had said something before, like how do you you know
what social media?
Speaker 7 (37:43):
My kids have kids.
Speaker 3 (37:44):
The one thing that parents know about children is that
children say sometimes the darkest things. Were like, man, you
don't have to be so mean to me, you know,
So I care about like three people in my house,
my wife, my two boy, anything that anyone else has,
and but they're not talking to me. So but other
than that, say what you want. You know, we're still
(38:06):
going to help as many people as we can, and
that's why we're trying to help the Safe Project right now.
That's that's our short term, you know, this week we
want to raise that money and get them their fence
and hopefully the people that are there are they're going
to come there. We'll sleep better at night knowing that
they're in.
Speaker 7 (38:24):
A safe place.
Speaker 3 (38:25):
That's I mean, that's the bare minimum that we could offer, right.
Speaker 1 (38:29):
Guys joining us tonight are two people that have really
touched my life and I hope your life. And it's
all because I've Gabby Potito, the beautiful, beautiful girl. Please
in her name, help them, help us. Go to Gabbypotito
(38:51):
Foundation dot org and for starters you can send to
donate to the Laramie Security Project, a shelter for people
that need it so desperately. I don't know what is
to come. I don't know what will happen in the future,
but I do know this. I have two friends, and
(39:15):
you're looking at them, Tara and Joe Potito. God speed,
my friends. Thank you, thank you for having us, Nay,
thank you, Nancy, Nancy Grace signing off, good night friend.
Host
Nancy Grace
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce
Football’s funniest family duo — Jason Kelce of the Philadelphia Eagles and Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs — team up to provide next-level access to life in the league as it unfolds. The two brothers and Super Bowl champions drop weekly insights about the weekly slate of games and share their INSIDE perspectives on trending NFL news and sports headlines. They also endlessly rag on each other as brothers do, chat the latest in pop culture and welcome some very popular and well-known friends to chat with them. Check out new episodes every Wednesday. Follow New Heights on the Wondery App, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to new episodes early and ad-free, and get exclusive content on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. And join our new membership for a unique fan experience by going to the New Heights YouTube channel now!
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com