TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Nichole Schmidt, the mother of Gabby Petito, tweeted her frustration following the release of Brian Laundrie’s notebook, in which Laundrie described how Petito died.
Schmidt tweeted the words “fed up” with a graphic saying “narcissists rewrite history to escape accountability.” Hashtags on the tweet also said “the truth will be revealed” and “justice for Gabby.”
Schmidt’s tweet comes after Laundrie’s notebook was released Friday by attorney Steve Bertolino, who represents the Laundrie family.
In the notebook, Laundrie claimed responsibility for killing his fianceé after she fell during a hike in the Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming.
“I hear a splash and a scream, I could barely see,” Laundrie wrote. “I couldn’t find her for a moment, shouted her name. I found her breathing heavily, gasping, and [unclear] was freezing cold.”
Laundrie then said he killed Petito since she was in pain from her injuries.
“I thought it was merciful,” he said. “That it is what she wanted, but I see now all the mistakes I made. 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.”
Petito’s body remained in the park for “three to four weeks” until she was found on Sept. 19, 2021, according to findings from the Teton County Coroner. The coroner said that the 22-year-old was strangled to death.
Laundrie’s notebook said that he returned to his family’s home in North Port to spend time with his family before he would take his life.
Laundrie said he killed himself because he could not live without Petito.
“I have killed myself by this creek in the hopes that animals may tear me apart,” he wrote. “That it may make some of her family happy. Please pick up all of my things. Gabby hated people who litter.”
Schmidt has not directly commented on the release due to a pending lawsuit against the Laundrie family, which claims that they knew Laundrie killed Petito and was trying to help him leave the country.
