Gabby Petito's Mother Forgives Brian Laundrie, But Not His 'Sociopath' Mother: 'You Epitomize Pure Evil'

That's not to say that the family isn't making some progress as they process their grief and learn to live with the absence of Gabby in their lives. Speaking at CrimeCon 2024 over the weekend, Gabby's mother Nicole Schmidt shared that she'd forgiven her daughter's killer.

Acknowledging that it "may shock most people," Nicole said, per People, "I speak for myself here when I say, 'Brian, I forgive you.'" She added, "I needed to release myself from the chains of anger and bitterness, and I refuse to let your despicable act define the rest of my life."

She also noted that she and Gabby's father, Joseph Petito, were "denied the chance to confront our daughter's killer, to look him in the eye." She places at least some of the blame for that on Brian's parents, whom she believes knew he had killed Gabby before he returned to their Florida home before fleeing into the woods.

Nicole called them out for allegedly being "complicit in his cowardly flight from justice," saying their decision to protect their son "added salt" to her wounds. She credited Roberta Laundrie as the "mastermind." The Laundries have repeatedly denied they had any idea their son had killed Gabby.

"As for you, Roberta -- and I call you out individually because you are evidently the mastermind that shattered your family and mine with your evil ways -- I see no empathy in your eyes, no remorse in your heart and no willingness to take responsibility for your actions," said Nicole.

"You are the dark. You are the sociopath that everyone fears. The one who appears so innocent and kind, but harbors darkness within your soul," she continued. "You do not deserve forgiveness. You deserve to be forgotten and dehumanized. You epitomize pure evil."

In closing, Nicole shifted to speaking about her daughter's spirit, saying she "was and still is a bright light in this world." She said, "We will continue to honor her memory, to cherish the moments we shared, and to fight tirelessly for justice and change in her name."

"May Gabby's legacy serve as a beacon of hope in the world desperately in need of light, hope for a future where such senseless violence and injustice are eradicated from our society," she continued. "I implore you all, live by these simple words directly from Gabby: Just be a nicer person."

On February 21, the Laundrie's attorney, Steve Bertolino, released a statement revealing that the two families had reached a confidential settlement to avoid going to trial.

Petito's lawyer released a statement on behalf of his cilents at the time saying the two sides "reluctantly agreed" to avoid a "prolonged personal conflict," as reported by TMZ and CNN.

Gabby was killed in late August 2021 while on a cross-country road trip with Brian. A couple days after her death, Brian reportedly called his parents and told them she was "gone" and that he would need a lawyer.

He then returned home with the van they'd been traveling in before packing up and heading into the woods. He was reported missing 10 days after his return home.

After her body was found in Wyoming, a manhunt began for Brian in Florida, near his parents' home. His partial remains were found October 20, 2021 in the nearby Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park.

The following month, the Laundrie's attorney reported he'd died by suicide. He'd also reportedly confessed to Gabby's murder in a notebook found near his remains.