The parents of Brian Laundrie have become pariahs in their Florida neighborhood following the murder of Gabby Petito, and residents say the ostracism may worsen with the release of a new Netflix documentary about the case. Christopher and Roberta Laundrie are portrayed as cold and distant toward Petito when she starts dating their son. The docuseries also highlights claims that the Laundrie family impeded the investigation after Petito was reported missing on Sept. 11, 2021. “The more I watched, the more pissed I got,” said Miriam Woodby, who lives in the Laundries’ North Port community. “When I pass their house, I get a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. I hate them, and I’ve never even met them. I wish they’d just leave.”
A neighbor living next to the Laundries’ home expressed similar feelings. “Just horrible people, in my belief,” he said. “It’s unanimous. No one wants anything to do with them.”
Jorge Ruiz, another neighbor, disclosed that people had thrown trash into the Laundrie’s yard, including dirty diapers and dog feces. On at least two occasions, individuals have stood on the sidewalk outside the Laundrie home and shouted insults at Roberta Laundrie as she walked from her car to her house.
“Yeah, my heart breaks for her,” Ruiz said sarcastically. “That’s what you get when you prolong the pain of innocent people to protect someone you know is guilty. You reap what you sow.”
Neighbors express anger toward Laundrie’s
Neighbors have reacted to revelations that Petito had been planning to break up with Brian Laundrie due to his abusive behavior.
The documentary shows Petito confided to friends about her plans, saying, “I think I want to leave him. I’m going to do it. I have to figure out when to do it.”
“That family destroyed her,” another neighbor said. “And it all happened across the street from me.”
Brian Laundrie and Gabby Petito traveled across the western United States in a white van in the summer of 2021. Laundrie returned alone to his parents’ North Port home on Sept. 1. Ten days later, Petito’s family reported the Long Island native missing after being unable to get information from the Laundrie family.
Gabby Petito’s body was found on Sept. 19. Laundrie had strangled her. Days after Petito’s body was discovered, authorities started a manhunt for Laundrie, but his parents refused to cooperate with authorities and provide any information about their son’s whereabouts.
A month later, Brian Laundrie’s remains were found in a Florida nature reserve, along with his backpack and notebook, which contained a confession about killing Petito. The Laundrie family attorney, Steven Bertolino, did not return messages or emails for comment.
The new docuseries, which began streaming on Netflix on Monday, is stirring up angry feelings in the Laundries’ palm tree-lined neighborhood.
“I wish them nothing but the worst,” one neighbor said. “Seriously. I hope they know how much we all hate them here. I hope they know they don’t have any friends.”
