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Crime Stories with Nancy Grace

After Gut Punch, Gabby Petito's Family Case Makes Its Way to Utah Supreme Court

Crime Stories with Nancy Grace

iHeartPodcasts and CrimeOnline

True Crime, News

4.28.1K Ratings

🗓️ 21 February 2026

⏱️ 45 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Gabby Petito was strangled by her then boyfriend Brian Laundrie while the pair were on a cross-country van trip. The FBI report states that Laundrie confesses to the murder in a hand written notebook, found near the remains of Laundrie's body after he committed suicide.  According to the report, Laundrie tried to cover up Petito's death by using the woman's debit card, and then also sending text messages from her phone, to give the impression that Gabby was still alive. During the trip, a domestic violence episode was caught on Moab police body cam, after a 911 call came in reporting a man slapping a woman. 

The footage shows Petito was injured with scratches and  bruises. Police determined however that Petito was the aggressor, after she admitted hitting Laundrie.   The pair was separated for the night, with no domestic violence counseling. 

Petito's family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Moab Police Department. Utah's 7th District Court Judge Don Torgerson dismissed the case, citing governmental immunity. Torgerson said he is bound to follow the law as it currently exists and follow rulings of other courts. The Petito's attorney argued to end just the police immunity.  He added the Court of Appeals has the authority to determine whether the governmental immunity law is constitutional.

Now the case heads to the Utah Supreme Court. 

Joining Nancy Grace Today:

  • Kathleen Murphy  - Raleigh, North Carolina, Attorney at TriangleDivorceLawyers.com 
  • Caryn Stark - Psychologist, renowned TV and Radio trauma expert and consultant, www.carynstark.com, Instagram: carynpsych, FB: Caryn Stark Private Practice 
  •  Lisa Dadio - Former Police Lieutenant, New Haven Police Department, Annie Le Lead Detective, Senior Lecturer, Director of the Center for Advanced Policing and Graduate Program Coordinator, Investigations program, University of New Haven 
  •  Kristy Mazurek - Emmy Award-winning Investigative Reporter
  • Mike Hadsell - President and Founder, Peace River K9 Search and Rescue, Twitter: @K9River, PRSAR.org
  • Dale Carson - Criminal Defense Attorney (Jacksonville), Former FBI Agent, Former Police Officer, Author: "Arrest-Proof Yourself, DaleCarsonLaw.com
  • Sheryl McCollum - Forensic Expert & Cold Case Investigative Research Institute Founder, ColdCaseCrimes.org, Twitter: @ColdCaseTips
  • Joe Scott Morgan - Professor of Forensics: Jacksonville State University, Author, "Blood Beneath My Feet", Host: "Body Bags with Joseph Scott Morgan"
  • Mahsa Saeidi - Investigative Reporter, WFLA-TV (Tampa), Twitter/Instagram: @MahsaWho, Facebook: "WFLAMahsa"
  • Dale Carson - High Profile Attorney (Jacksonville), Former FBI Agent, Former Police Officer, Author: "Arrest-Proof Yourself, DaleCarsonLaw.com
  • Dr. Bethany Marshall - Psychoanalyst, www.drbethanymarshall.com, New Netflix show: 'Bling Empire' (Beverly Hills)
  • Joe Scott Morgan - Professor of Forensics: Jacksonville State University, Author, "Blood Beneath My Feet", Host: "Body Bags with Joseph Scott Morgan"
  • Michael Ruiz - Reporter, Fox News Digital, Twitter: @MikeRreports
  • Wendy Patrick - California prosecutor, author “Red Flags” www.wendypatrickphd.com 'Today with Dr. Wendy' on KCBQ in San Diego, Twitter: @WendyPatrickPHD
  • Dr. Angela Arnold - Psychiatrist, Atlanta GA www.angelaarnoldmd.com, Expert in the Treatment of Pregnant/Postpartum Women, Former Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Obstetrics and Gynecology: Emory University, Former Medical Director of The Psychiatric Ob-Gyn Clinic at Grady Memorial Hospita
  • Sheryl McCollum - Forensic Expert & Cold Case Investigative Research Institute Founder, ColdCaseCrimes.org, Twitter: @ColdCaseTips
  • Joe Scott Morgan - Professor of Forensics: Jacksonville State University, Author, "Blood Beneath My Feet", Host: "Body Bags with Joseph Scott Morgan"
  •  Mahsa Saeidi - Investigative Reporter, WFLA-TV (Tampa), Twitter/Instagram: @MahsaWho, Facebook: "WFLAMahsa"

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcript

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0:00.0

This is an I-Heart podcast.

0:02.3

Guaranteed Human.

0:04.7

Crime Stories with Nancy Grace.

0:10.8

After a gut punch to the family of Gabby Petito, when a judge blocked their lawsuit against cops,

0:20.0

they claimed, quote, sent her to her death a reversal. The case is now

0:27.0

heading to the state Supreme Court. I'm Nancy Grace. This is Crime Stories. I want to thank you

0:34.4

for being with us. The parents of Gabby Petito murder victim

0:38.3

just scrubbed in sunshine, beautiful girl inside and outside,

0:44.3

suffered a horrific legal blow

0:47.3

as their wrongful death lawsuit against Utah police

0:51.3

was thrown out of court by a judge. Recall Gabby vanished on a cross-country

0:58.0

road trip with her then-fiancee Brian Laundrie, but her remains were found in dispersed camping,

1:05.1

basically in the middle of nowhere on the edge of Wyoming's Grand Teton National Park. Laundry later confessed to killing her,

1:14.8

but this was weeks after Moab police spoke with them about a domestic violence incident. Witnesses

1:24.1

saw Brian Laundry strike her in the face literally on Main Street, yet they

1:31.8

treated Gabby as if she was the aggressor. Then Utah 7th court judge John Torgerson dismissed their claim, claiming that the police have governmental immunity

1:48.8

from the lawsuit. It's called the King Can Do No Wrong or sovereign immunity. You cannot sue

1:58.2

the government. The Petito lawyer said the parents relied on officers to help them,

2:04.0

but their grossly negligent investigation increased the likelihood their daughter would be harmed

2:10.7

and, quote, sent her to her death.

2:14.3

But in the last days, his decision has been thrown out and the case is making its way

2:21.5

to the Utah Supreme Court. If you will recall, Gabby and her killer slash fiancé Brian Laundry

...

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