Gabby Petito’s dad shares heartbreaking message and new photos on her 24th birthday

GABBY Petito’s dad posted heartbreaking pictures of his late daughter on her 24th birthday, along with a heartbreaking message.

Petito, a 22-year-old vlogger, was reported missing on September 11, 2021, prompting a week-long search that drew national attention.

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However, that search ended with the tragic discovery of Gabby’s remains near Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park on September 19, 2021.

It was later revealed that Gabby’s fiancé, Brian Laundrie, 23, strangled her during a cross-country trip.

Gabby’s father, Joseph Petito, posted a series of photos via Instagram on Sunday showing them smiling and enjoying life.

In the first picture, Gabby is grinning from ear to ear as she poses next to a fountain.

The next photo shows a younger Gabby smiling with two young boys, who appear to be Joseph’s other two children.

Joseph also posted a close-up of Gabby smiling to end the post.

He wrote in the caption: “Happy 24th Birthday Gabby.

“You brought so many together. Keep shining that light.

“We love and miss you so much.”

On Twitter, Joseph posted another photo of Gabby as a child, where she’s smiling while being hugged by someone.

The day before Gabby’s birthday, Joseph posted a picture of a sunrise over the sea on Instagram in memory of his late daughter.

Gabby “would be 24 tomorrow and I’m watching the sun rise,” the heartbroken dad wrote on Saturday.

“I ask that if you are reading this, please share a #MissingPerson story and help a family in the same way you have helped all of us.

“Every share counts,” Joseph said, followed by the hashtag #TogetherWeCan.

Gabby’s cousin Nikki Passannante posted a photo collage on Facebook as a birthday tribute to the late vlogger.

“Happy birthday in heaven,” she wrote on Sunday. “I feel you everywhere.”

Photos of rainbows feature in the collage, along with a photo of Gabby giving a peace sign and one of the two cousins ​​smiling together while hugging each other tightly.

“Thank you for inspiring me to follow my dreams and travel the world,” Nikki wrote.

LEGAL BATTLE

Joseph Petito and Nichole Schmidt, Gabby’s parents, are suing Brian’s parents for “willful infliction of emotional distress” after Brian confessed to murdering Gabby before he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

His remains were found near a notebook and backpack that belonged to him at Carlton Reserve in Florida on October 20, 2021.

The lawsuit, filed by Gabby’s parents in March 2022, alleges that Chris and Roberta Laundrie knew their son had murdered his fiancé and decided not to act.

The emotional distress case was originally scheduled to go to trial in August 2023.

On Wednesday, however, the trial judge gave May 13, 2024 as the start date. WLFA reports.

It is scheduled to last until May 24, 2024.

There will reportedly be several pre-trial hearings before then, including one on the laundries’ motion to dismiss.

If the trial goes ahead as planned, Roberta Laundrie could face further questions about a now infamous letter she sent to her son.

‘BURN AFTER READING’

The letter was found at the Laundrie family home after being taken from their son’s van.

Patrick Reilly, Gabby’s parents’ attorney, previously revealed that the letter contained messages about helping Laundrie “get out of jail, get a shovel and some other stuff.”

The words “Burn after reading” are said to have been written on the cover.

It is undated and both legal teams are at odds as to when it was written.

The Petito family’s legal team has previously claimed it was “written after Gabby was killed and before Brian took his own life”.

While Laundrie’s attorney, Matt Luka, insisted that “the letter was written before Brian and Gabby even started their journey”, WFLA reports.

Luka also claimed that the letter had “no relevance to the plea” behind the Petitos’ civil lawsuit.

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