Petito family files wrongful death lawsuit against Moab PD

Back in August, the family of murdered and nationally-known Gabby Petito announced plans to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the Moab PD. Today, they finally filed with the courts. Photo: Thomas O’Neill/NurPhoto via AP.

MOAB, Utah — The Petito family announced intentions to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the Moab Police Department for its failure to properly investigate the reported domestic violence involving Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie.

The suit states, “alleging the Department’s negligent hiring and failure to properly train and the Individual Officers’ negligence caused Gabby’s tragic and untimely death.”

On August 12, 2020, police pulled the couple over after a call was placed to 911 regarding a domestic disturbance, and police witnessed Laundrie drive over the double yellow line and then hit a curb. Petito and Laundrie were traveling cross-country in Petito’s van when Moab PD pulled the couple over on their way to Arches National Park.

Petito’s body was found one month later, on September 19, in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming.

Her family’s lawsuit argues Petito would still be alive if the Moab PD acted correctly.

The suit continues, “The police investigation was deeply flawed. Despite the witness’s report, the officers treated Brian as if he were the victim of domestic abuse rather than the perpetrator. In fact, the officers never directly questioned Brian about whether he hit Gabby or how she ended up with scratches on her face. They failed to recognize or otherwise identify the obvious signs clearly indicating that Gabby was the victim of domestic abuse, including her assuming responsibility for the fight with Brian even though she described Brian grabbing her face so violently that it scratched her cheeks and drew blood. The officers egregiously misinterpreted Gabby’s extreme emotional distress, seeing it as the cause of the domestic violence rather than its result.”