West
Brian Laundrie-Gabby Petito docuseries highlights payment to lawyer connected to bin Laden
Gabby Petito’s parents cast shade on Brian Laundrie’s family in a new docuseries that reveals additional details about the timing of their daughter’s murder at her fiancé’s hands in the wilderness of Wyoming, especially the allegation that they shelled out $25,000 to a prominent attorney while professing their ignorance of the crime.
“You’re going to throw $25,000 of your hard-earned cash out on a lawyer from f—ing Wyoming, and you’re telling me you didn’t ask where she was?” Joseph Petito says in Netflix’s “American Murder: Gabby Petito.”
The payment came three days after Laundrie called his parents and less than a week after Petito was last seen alive.
“That’s some bulls—,” he added, “I’ll tell you that right now.”
BRIAN LAUNDRIE’S SISTER ESTRANGED FROM FAMILY AMID EXPLOSIVE NEW DOCUSERIES
Joe Petito and Tara Petito in “American Murder: Gabby Petito” (Netflix)
Her stepfather, Jim Schmidt, echoed his concerns.
“I don’t think the amount of money they paid their attorney would be for anything less than to represent somebody for murder,” he told the documentarians.
The lawyer in question is Tom Fleener, an Army veteran and former JAG lawyer whose clients included the Guantánamo Bay detainee Ali al Bahlul, a former bodyguard to the 9/11 terrorist Usama bin Laden, who Navy SEALs killed in 2011.
Fleener has previously declined to discuss the Laundrie case with Fox News Digital. He did not immediately respond to a request for comment for this story.
GABBY PETITO TOLD HER EX SHE WAS SCARED TO LEAVE BRIAN LAUNDRIE BUT WANTED TO JUST BEFORE MURDER: NEW DOC
Jim Schmidt and Nichole Schmidt in “American Murder: Gabby Petito” (Netflix)
The Laundrie family attorney, Steve Bertolino, collected $25,000 from his clients and used it to retain Fleener’s law firm. He said he has not collected any payment from the Laundries for his own legal role in the saga, which landed him in the middle of a now-settled lawsuit brought by Petito’s parents.
GABBY PETITO URGED BRIAN LAUNDRIE TO ‘STOP CRYING’ IN LOVE LETTER TO HER KILLER RELEASED BY FBI
- 8/27: Gabby Petito last seen alive in Jackson, Wyoming
- 8/29: Brian Laundrie tells his parents Petito is “gone” in “frantic” phone call
- 8/30: Laundrie sends phony texts from Petito’s phone to himself and to her mother
- 9/1: Laundrie arrives at his parents’ Florida house, driving Petito’s van
- 9/2: Bertolino enters a fee agreement with Wyoming law firm on Laundrie’s behalf
- 9/6-7: Laundrie family goes camping at Fort DeSoto Park
- 9/11: Petito reported missing
- 9/13: Laundrie evades FBI surveillance, leaves his parents’ home and takes his own life
- 9/19: Petito’s remains are discovered near their campsite outside Jackson
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While their social media told one story, there was a dark side to the cross-country road trip of Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie, pictured here in “American Murder: Gabby Petito.” (Netflix)
Bertolino arranged for a local defense attorney after Brian Laundrie made a panicked phone call to his father from Wyoming, repeatedly saying “Gabby’s gone,” according to court documents.
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Christopher Laundrie denied knowledge of Petito’s death at the time, and he said through his lawyer that his son hung up before sharing further details.
“Brian hung up on Chris. I said, ‘When Brian calls you back, give him my number, and you tell him to call me. You do not talk to him,’” Bertolino told Fox News Digital when depositions in the civil suit became public.
Chris and Roberta Laundrie are shown in the Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park on the morning when police found their son’s skeletal remains. (Michael Ruiz/Fox News Digital)
CASSIE LAUNDRIE UNLEASHES AFTER GABBY PETITO HOMICIDE
Both Christopher and Roberta Laundrie conceded that they had concerns for Petito’s welfare after the call but denied having knowledge of the murder. Brian Laundrie invoked his right to remain silent but ultimately left behind a suicide note and confession.
Brian’s sister, Cassie Laundrie, had also been expected to testify in the case, but her interview was canceled before the sides reached a settlement.
Pat Reilly, an attorney for Petito’s parents, said he called it off “because she had no information related to the issues of the litigation.”
Gabby Petito, 22, vanished in August 2021 and was later found dead near a campsite she shared with fiancé Brian Laundrie. (Steve Petito)
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Cassie Laundrie has denied knowledge of her parents’ conversations with her brother and recently alleged that a police detective, whose voice can be overheard on bodycam video, mischaracterized their conversation.
Since the case grabbed national headlines in 2021, Petito’s parents have become advocates for missing persons and domestic violence victims.
If you or someone you know is suffering from domestic violence, please contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233 (SAFE).
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Montana
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Nevada
One dead, four hospitalized after head-on crash on I-15 in Clark County
LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — Nevada Highway Patrol responded to a two-vehicle crash on Interstate 15 near mile marker 94 Sunday evening.
The crash was reported at 6:43 p.m. on June 28.
MORE ON FOX5: Driver sustains life-threatening injuries in Las Vegas multi-vehicle crash
A passenger sedan and a pickup truck were involved in the crash. One vehicle was traveling southbound, lost control, crossed through the median, and struck the other vehicle head-on in the northbound travel lane.
One adult male died at the scene. Two people were transported by ground ambulance, and two others were transported by life flight to a local hospital.
Road closures
All northbound I-15 travel lanes were closed at mile marker 94, but have since opened as of Sunday night.
Nevada Highway Patrol said further information will be provided following the preliminary investigation.
Copyright 2026 KVVU. All rights reserved.
New Mexico
Search operation continues to close area in Cochiti Lake
COCHITI LAKE, N.M. — Emergency responders are still conducting an active search operation Sunday night for a person who went missing in Cochiti Lake.
The Pueblo de Cochiti, Cochiti Fire Department, Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers established a unified command to coordinate all search and response operations. The pueblo and Army Corps issued a closure order for the affected area which remains in effect Sunday night.
“We respectfully ask all members of the public to honor this closure and avoid entering the restricted area. Keeping the area clear allows emergency personnel to operate safely and efficiently and helps ensure the best possible conditions for the ongoing search,” the Cochiti Fire Department stated.
The fire department encouraged everyone to avoid the area and not interfere with emergency operations.
Details are limited. However, the department stated the area will be closed until further notice and a statement will be issued when it is reopened.
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