Moab, Utah – A judge in Utah has dismissed a wrongful death lawsuit brought by the family of Gabby Petito against the city’s police department. The suit claimed that the officers failed to protect Petito during a traffic stop involving her and her fiancé, who was later accused of her murder.
The decision was reached by the Seventh District Court Judge Don Torgerson, who cited immunity laws that shield government agencies from such lawsuits. Despite this ruling, Petito’s family expressed their intentions to appeal the dismissal, emphasizing persistent concerns about how law enforcement handles domestic violence situations.
Gabby Petito’s tragic story captured the nation’s attention in the summer of 2021. The 22-year-old and her fiancé, Brian Laundrie, 23, were trekking across the country in a converted camper van, a journey they shared through vibrant social media posts. However, the journey took a dark turn when police intervened during a physical altercation between the couple in Moab on August 12, 2021. Officers at the scene decided that Petito was the primary aggressor and instructed them to stay apart for the night.
The saga continued as communication from Petito ceased in late August. She was officially reported missing by her parents on September 11, 2021, after Laundrie returned to Florida alone. Petito’s body was later discovered on September 19 near Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming, and an autopsy confirmed that she had been strangled.
Adding to the complexity, Laundrie was named a person of interest but disappeared shortly before Petito’s body was found. He was later found deceased in a Florida wildlife reserve with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Investigators also found a notebook with Laundrie’s confession to the killing.
An independent review of the Moab Police Department’s handling of the initial encounter with Petito and Laundrie concluded that while their actions were well-intentioned, they made several key errors. It suggested that Petito might have been enduring a pattern of abuse, highlighting a critical lapse in the officers’ judgment and understanding of domestic violence dynamics.
The lawsuit sought $50 million in damages, claiming that the police’s failure to recognize the risks to Petito possibly set the stage for her eventual murder. Joseph Petito and Nicole Schmidt, her parents, filed the lawsuit in November 2022, their grievances underscored by allegations of insufficient police training and negligence.
Petito’s family reflected on the distressing moments during the police intervention, revealing that despite their daughter’s assurances over the phone, they had pleaded with her to return home for safety. The family’s lawyer, Judson Burton, criticized the officers for seemingly taking a lenient stance towards Laundrie, which he argued may have emboldened him.
Defending against the lawsuit, an attorney for the Moab Police Department, Mitchell Stephens, argued for the dismissal based on governmental immunity and disputed claims that the department’s engagement during the traffic stop had any direct linkage to Petito’s death weeks later.
This incident and its extensive public and media scrutiny also reignited conversations about the disparities in how missing persons cases are handled, particularly highlighting differences in media attention and resources allocated to cases involving white women compared to women of color.
As this case progresses through the appeals process, it remains a poignant reminder of the ongoing challenges in addressing and preventing domestic violence and ensuring that potential warning signs are adequately acted upon by law enforcement.
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